Inquisition - The Conclave - Act 4 - Part 1 - Chapter 9 - nekojinrogue

Chapter Text

~ * ~

He was so bored.

He had been sitting in this quaint, tiny little chapel for what felt like days. He was sure that he’d nodded off, but the dreary gloom in this little chantry never seemed to change. The paint on the glass windows was so thick it didn’t allow any sunlight through. It was a shame no one fixed that. It was actually quite charming in a…risk of splinters, old world kind of way. It was still nice.

Dorian sighed for what felt like the thousandth time already. This Inquisition was taking forever. He had been camped in the wilderness for weeks now. Camping! Him! He was not a fan of it. It was ungodly cold down here at night and the days were hardly better. He did not relish sleeping on the ground on a practically paper thin mat. He used the majority of his magic just surviving the weather and keeping himself presentable. The one good thing he could say was that there wasn't a swarm of insects bombarding him day and night, it was too cold!

He had been nosing around the soldiers at the scout camp when he’d overheard some talk about the Inquisition finally intending to meet with the mages at Redcliffe imminently and so he’d come to warn Felix and they had made their plan. They couldn’t allow Alexius to succeed in whatever madness had taken him. First it was the blood magic, which had been the reason Dorian had left months ago. He couldn’t stand by that. Felix was an adult now, he could make his own decisions. It was admirable of him to stand by his father, even through all this, but even Felix seemed to have reached the end of his tether. They couldn’t allow Alexius to destroy the world and hopefully together they could help him regain his senses and abandon the Venatori.

Suddenly the door opened and Dorian slouched a bit in his corner pew seat until he saw it was Felix. He quickly rose to his feet and moved to greet the young man. “Are they here?”

Felix smiled with just as much relief as Dorian had hope. “Yes. They are just outside town. They stopped to deal with the rift that opened up there. Father has already planned to meet them at the tavern. He doesn’t want to risk bringing them inside the castle yet. He’s afraid the mages might balk at cooperating if they see the Inquisition there before the rest of the cultists arrive. I have to hurry or Father might go without me. I…”

Felix cut off as there was an awful tearing, sizzling noise and suddenly the green glow of Fade filled the chapel as a Fade tear ruptured above them. Dorian instantly grabbed the youth and pulled him back to a safer distance from the rift and together they stared at it in surprise and shock. Dorian had never seen a rift form. It was startling…terrifying, really. “You had better hurry.”

“But the plan! Dorian! What do we do?” Felix gestured worriedly at the rift.

“What do you mean? The Inquisition closes rifts. This is perfect. We can bond over slaying demons. Stick to the plan. I will keep things under control until they arrive.” He smiled at his friend, all confidence and surety. “Go on, now.”

Felix hurried out and Dorian turned back to the rift and the wraiths that were already slipping through it. “Well.” He palmed his staff, pulling it from the magical anchor on the back of his armor, and drew his magic around him in a barrier shield before he began to stride toward the rift.

“Kaffas.”

~ * ~

When the dwarf stepped into the chapel and watched him in the midst of killing a demon, Dorian had a surge of relief. Finally! He didn’t really want to waste all his mana on an unwinnable situation. He put down the demon and then turned to the dwarf with a bright, welcoming smile. “Greetings.” He looked at the door which was empty. “I thought there would be more of you. Where is Felix? He gave you my note, didn’t he?”

“You mean this note?” The dwarf held up a scrap of paper that looked like it came from his notes. “Yep. We got it. But…well… I’m Varric Tethras and I’m here instead. Had to check and make sure it’s not a trap, you know. Lots of people around here aren’t all that friendly towards the Inquisition right now.” The dwarf said that with such a friendly smile that Dorian couldn’t help but smile back.

“Well, I am a friend. I promise. Felix and I want this all to end. And this…” He gestured back at the rift behind him. “Not really my idea of tasteful decor. Do you see this rift? It is different from others that have been popping up and I think it is because of dangerous magic that Alexius has been using here. What must I do to prove my intentions?”

Varric tilted his head thoughtfully as he listened to Dorian speak. Then he shrugged and suddenly there was a very complicated crossbow aimed at him. “Well, Cullen is right in the middle of some very…you might say delicate negotiation with Alexius. I don’t think he’ll be coming over any time soon. If you’d like to take part in it, then we’re going to have to go back to the tavern. But you gotta put that staff away and swear you won’t interfere if you want to have a say in what’s about to go down.”

Dorian hesitated, his brows drawing down in sudden worry. “I was hoping not to let Alexius know that I am here…”

Varric shook his head. “Naw, that’s not how things are going to go. See, Cullen has a real soft spot for mages and your buddy Alexius is a threat to them right now. He’s not taking kindly to that threat. So if you want brownie points for wanting to help, you’ll have to make a good show of your intentions and come peacefully. So what’s it going to be?”

Dorian suddenly got a twisty feeling in his stomach. Oh no, what was going on in that tavern? “Alexius was my mentor, but Felix is my friend. I used to work with his father. I…” This was not how things were supposed to go, but he was adaptable! “Yes, alright. If this is how it must be…” He frowned and swung his staff into its place on his back. It snapped magically to his armor and he spread his empty hands to the dwarf in a show of good faith. Not that he needed a staff to use his magic, any fool knew that, but it was his willing cooperation that mattered. “Lead on, my good man.”

Varric smirked, but he nodded acceptingly. “After you. I insist.” Varric backed out of the chantry just as the rift began to spark and show signs of new demons arriving.

Dorian exited after him and then he turned and led the way to the tavern. His bright smile wiped away as soon as he was looking the other way from the dwarf. He had a terrible feeling now. He made a quick, complicated flick with his fingers, out of sight of his follower and a spark of magic flashed for just a moment and settled into his own chest as he manipulated it to spread through him. He took a deep, calm breath as true calm settled over him. He had a feeling he might need this charm. He was especially certain when he approached the door and could hear Alexius inside monologuing. Oh dear, when did he fall so far?

Varric spoke up behind him. “Remember, you are on your best behavior. No magic, no mayhem, no arrows in your ass. I know that barrier on you only lasts so long. That’s not even close to what Cullen will do if you cause trouble. Alright?”

Dorian cast a last look at the dwarf and put on his most charming smile. “Of course. I have no interest in upsetting the Inquisition’s plans or causing trouble. But listen to that, I can’t stand it.”

He opened the door and swept inside, starting to speak before he even crossed the threshold. “Alexius, listen to yourself. You sound like a cheap villainous cliche!”

And…what was supposed to be a grand entrance was…not. He found himself in a room full of people. There were mages huddled in the far corner, some bearded soldier, the biggest Qunari he had ever seen before, and Alexius of course. All of that was expected. What he didn’t expect was to discover a very large man with his very large armored arm wrapped around Felix’s throat. What the hell was this? Had some Avvar wild man forced his way into the middle of this meeting and…oh no… This was the leader of the Inquisition? He hadn’t known that the hillsmen cared about anything outside the Avvar. All of that whirled through his head before the door even closed again. Then the man spoke.

He was not Avvarian. Shockingly, he was Ferelden and he was an absolute brute, this man. Maybe not so shocking. Dorian absolutely would have drawn his magic and put a stop to all of this if Felix hadn’t said he was fine. Fine being held as a hostage between two madmen, apparently! He swallowed hard and took a hold of himself. He had the charm about him so it was easier to do than it normally would be. His father always said that he had problems with impulse control, but not right now. He could wait and see…how…this…

It was only getting worse by the moment. He stood there, jaw agape like some fresh faced tourist wandering the grand Vivazzi Plaza in Minrathous, while this man bragged about all the Tevinter nationals that he had murdered with his bare hands…or made tranquil. A dragon brooch? Divine Bollocks! …was that really the answer to the mystery of what had befallen Gideon Agorian?? He was now just some random Tranquil in the Kirkwall Marketplace??! The travesty! The scandal! The unsurpassable disgrace! At nearly any other time it might have almost been funny! But not really…

Could he truly stand by while this unfolded like this? He hadn’t come all this way to ju-... No!

He felt Alexius’ magic flare and he instantly knew that it was a terrible spell, more time magic! He couldn’t let him tear time to shreds any more! He flung out his own magic at Alexius and lunged forward. “NO!”

And he was hit with an invisible tree or something equally as large and unforgiving! It staggered him and made him stumble as his vision froze over and half of his existence was just wiped away. His magic was sundered from him so viciously that he went lightheaded and then crashed into something else uncomfortably hard and then Alexius’ time magic and…and a Fade rift?...wrapped around him and everything turned green and then black.

~ * ~

Dorian’s eyes pried themselves open to the dim light of the tavern and he blinked up at the old, stained ceiling for a few uncomprehending seconds. What happened? He was laying on something soft and furred. It was rather comfortable after all the weeks he’d spent sleeping on the cold ground. He turned his head, brows pulling down in a confused frown. What had happened? Where was he?

Suddenly the fluffy thing he was laying on shifted and rose under him and he tensed. Had he fallen asleep on a bear? What… It growled like a bear… He tried to roll off of it and then suddenly he was thrown onto the hard floorboards and there was a massive brute attacking him. Dorian cursed and tried to call on his magic and it didn’t come. That almost made him panic. It would have if he didn’t have the charm about him. He cursed and tried to fight back against the mountain man on top of him, but once those thick, calloused hands snapped onto his arms painfully tight, he realized he hadn’t a prayer of fighting his way free.

The man’s fingers were as bruising as iron. He tried to kick him in the balls, the true last resort, and his knee was caught and twisted painfully and then the brute was tangling their legs up until Dorian found that he was truly pinned down and helpless. It was not a feeling that he liked or was used to. It made him think of other things that he’d rather not. He drew his mind back to the present situation stubbornly and stared up at the scruffy, unkempt, murderous man that had just admonished him to give up.

“Stop struggling or I will put you down.”

“Normally that sort of statement would only serve as an amusem*nt, but I don't mind telling you this is not amusing whatsoever.” He mouthed off snidely.

“That makes two of us.”

That retort was a bit of a surprise, but it suggested this man wasn’t actively planning to try to add him to his kill list. Not yet at least. He strained some more and realized that…the only thing that was doing was making this position even more uncomfortable. Embarrassingly so. So he stopped struggling and stared up angrily at this man. He locked eyes with him and was startled to find that this brute had…the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen on anyone. Looking into those eyes was like looking at the sunset through a drizzle of honey. The sheer intensity of this Ferelden’s glare was intimidating and those eyes stared down like they could see right through him, like they were taking measure of him and found him…confusing? What was the man looking at? He rallied himself, refusing to show weakness or fear. He was a Pavus!

“Will you let me up already? What did you hit me with? A building? That really hurt!” The man ignored him. How dare he just ignore him. Such rudeness. “Do you mind? What the hell do you plan to do? Or think I am going to do? You’ve already cut off my magic!”

“What did Alexius do? Please tell me this is not the Fade.” Asked the hillsman with that rich voice of his.

He hadn’t actually noticed the quality of his voice with everything else that was happening before, but now he couldn’t not hear it because, dear gods, it matched his eyes! That was extraordinarily unfair. Dorian craned his neck to look around the room again, turning his attention anywhere but at the man that was managing to keep him in place with what seemed like hardly an ounce of effort. ‘Think, Dorian! There is a solution here! Nothing is decided so long as you’re not dead!’ He realized that there really was something very wrong with the room they were in. It was empty and the air was filled with dust motes, disturbed by their scuffle. No one had been here for a very long time.

“This…is not the Fade…”

Again he tried to twist out of the man’s grip while he was distracted, but the barbarian turned his attention right back and Dorian was sure that he would have bruises from this. The last thing he wanted was some wildman’s handprints all over him. Not in this context, at least. ‘No, you shall not let your mind wander into the gutter when time is of the essence! Forget his pretty eyes!’

“Vashante kaffas! It’s not the Fade. It may be far worse! If you won’t let me up, then I can’t learn what has really happened!”

“Why should I trust anything that you say?! It was your crony who did this.” Cullen growled.

Again he allowed himself to cast a glimpse up at those uncivilized, gorgeous eyes and he went still, his own eyes widening when he realized that the savage pinning him down was really quite enraged. In Dorian’s experience, enraged men tended to make very unwise and unwarranted decisions. He swallowed, but then he rallied again. At the very least, he needed to ensure that this man did not view him in the same light as Alexius.

“I’m fairly certain Alexius was trying to erase you from time itself, but I disrupted his spell and then that energy in your hand further distorted things and…” He was pleased that his voice was so steady. He was very glad that he had set this charm in place before his magic was stolen from him. Then his brain finally began to function at a higher level again and he realized what must have happened. “Time! We’ve been displaced in time! We just need to find out when we are. It can’t have been that long. Things only look…slightly changed. If we can figure out when we are, I should be able to return us. I helped Alexius invent this magic, after all. …We were never able to get it to work before.”

He honestly thought that this explanation would get the man to relent, but the bastard doubled down and… ‘Ow! This brutal primitive really is going to leave bruises!’

“You helped invent this magic? …how… How long ago was it invented? Who are you?”

Charm or not, he was beginning to lose his patience and his temper, both of which he tended to have little of to begin with. “I am Dorian of house Pavus and if we have been displaced in time, then I’m your only hope of returning to the present. So, what say we put off killing each other until then, yes? Does that sound like a reasonable plan?” He tried again to reach for his magic and it was still sickeningly out of reach, but he could at least feel a glimmer of it in the distance now. “Incidentally…how long is this going to last? It’s very disconcerting.” He did not want to admit to being off kilter, but he really wanted reassurance that this was not permanent.

“Every mage is different. You…? Probably just a few minutes, you’re fairly strong. Be aware, I can do that as many times as necessary.” The philistine just had to rub in his present superiority. It was insulting and just uncouth at this point and it gave Dorian the urge to try to kick him in the balls again. He was still perfectly restrained, though, so he resorted to his tongue instead. His bravest asset. “Fairly strong? Fairly? I am both extremely strong and superbly trained! Is this the famous southern templar hospitality that I’ve heard so much about?”

“No. I am not a Templar.” Was the only response he received, but the beast finally released him and stood in such a smooth maneuver that Dorian had absolutely no idea how he actually achieved it. One second they were all tangled together and the next, the thug was standing on his own two feet and offering him a hand up. Would wonders never cease? Perhaps the man had come to his senses finally. When he tried to get up, he found his legs were not feeling at all reliable. Dorian hesitated with an untrusting frown at the offered hand, but then he reached up and took it and the man practically lifted him onto his feet. …and didn’t let go. ‘Nevermind! We have not moved on to sensible things yet.’

“How long ago did you work on this magic with Alexius?” Cullen demanded sharply, still keeping a hard grip on his hand. Ow. That hurt. Dorian squeezed back, partly out of stubborn, angry contrariness and partly in an attempt to protect the delicate bones in his hand from being crushed.

“I don’t see why that is relevant.” Dorian responded with a frown.

“You don’t need to see why. You only need to answer my question.” The growl had a dangerous quality to it that made Dorian want to pull back, but he held still.

His frown turned into a glower and he drew himself up, squeezing Cullen’s hand back with a strong grip of his own. He squeezed as hard as he could while trying not to show his limitations to the brute. His muscles were not just for show. He was not some mousy researcher, he was an Altus and battlemage and an experimentalist and he did not have soft, uncalloused hands. He tipped his chin up so that he was looking down his nose at this warrior that smelled like lyrium, yet denied it. He absolutely was a southern templar. All the news and rumors said so. Andraste’s Templar, even. He used to run a circle in Kirkwall, damn it. Everyone knew these things. Not a templar indeed. He answered the question finally, but he was showing his dissatisfaction with the situation.

“We began when I was twenty. But within four years we realized it was either impossible or too dangerous if we actually managed it. We discontinued our research.”

“But when was that? What dates?”

What was this ruffian’s deal? Why did he care about something so arbitrary and meaningless? He was fixated on it. It was…strange. Dorian realized that it was significant. Why would a man like this care about a subject like that if he did not have a good reason for it? He held his tongue for a moment, but finally decided to answer. He had come here to help, after all. If this was the man that he had to deal with…more's the pity, but it couldn’t be helped. He put his own pride aside and resolved to be as cooperative as possible since he was being given the opportunity. “Between 9:31 and 9:35.”

Dorian’s frown deepened as he watched this warrior’s expressions go through a myriad of changes. The look on the man’s face was almost stricken. He might even go so far as to say he looked haunted for a moment. “Is something wrong?”

“Before or after Cloudreach?” This was becoming ridiculous now. What month? Really? He wanted to know what month they started. Something was very wrong here.

“What?” Dorian looked even more skeptical and disbelieving. He had to think about that for a moment. ‘When was it? When did I go to stay at that brothel? It was the beginning of summer, wasn’t it? I spent at least a month there…maybe two.’

“After, I believe. We began in the late summer. Why would you care about that? What does it have to do with anything?”

“I encountered this magic before you claim to have created it. What manner of demon did you get it from?”

That statement was so shocking that it was all Dorian could do to draw enragement around himself to cover up his shock. Had someone else been tinkering with time magic??? No… Impossible! It was his and Alexius’ discovery! He focused on the more obvious insult in the statement instead. Not that it was completely untrue, but it was not the absolute truth!

“That is impossible. What are you implying? Because I am Tevinter, I must be a bloodmage that holds trust with demons? I hate to disappoint you, but you are mistaken!”

And…

The look those gorgeous eyes threw back at him was enough to nearly incense him. This scoundrel looked at him with such a knowing and unmoved understanding that stated with absolute clarity that every word that Dorian had just uttered was a boldfaced lie.

How. Dare. He. What did he know? Nothing, that’s what! This barbarian southern templar knew nothing and he would not be cowed by him! He was about to give the man even more of an earful about it when suddenly some of that intensity bled away from the brute’s gaze and for just an instant the mountain man in front of him looked almost lost. It was such an abrupt and unexpected change that it confused Dorian to no end as the intensely threatening aura that this man had exuded from the first moment he laid eyes on him just seemed to withdraw.

“……………”

Dorian couldn’t help but pause on the pathway outside of the tavern and just turn in a slow circle behind Cullen, taking in the…the…what the hell was all of this?...with a slack jaw. Yes, there were demons. He could feel the Fade everywhere and this was obviously the red lyrium that Cullen was so worried about. The veil here seemed quite thin. There were crystals of it jutting up from all manner of surfaces, dirt, grass, stones, from out of the walls of a few buildings… His eyes widened when he thought he might have spied the bleached white remains of a ribcage poking out of the base of a crystal that he first thought was just sprouted from a clump of bushes.

Oh…dear…

Now he had an inkling of what Cullen seemed to be so concerned about.

He turned to the warrior and he was disconcerted to see that the man’s entire demeanor had changed. He was no less intense than he had been this entire time, but now he really did look haunted. He certainly did not look surprised, but he did look absolutely dismayed, like he had seen this sort of thing before. Cullen looked horror stricken, even. This was not encouraging. Dorian realized now that he really was missing some very crucial and necessary information here.

When he turned back to Cullen to ask for this much needed intel, he realized that the man had already started striding off with his sword in hand and the most stiff and stubborn set to his shoulders that even that fluffy monstrosity of a mantle couldn’t hide. His jaw clicked shut and he moved to follow the man, but his attention kept being hauled away by the heavily changed environment. Even the very air felt different. It was oppressive and unfriendly. It made him feel tense and uncertain of himself for no reason, both of which he did not like at all.

“This is what your friend Alexius has brought upon us.”

He looked ahead and saw some…flicker…of…something… Something caught his attention, but he had no idea what it had been. It was just something odd. He put it out of his mind when Cullen turned back to him with a really angry look and snapped at him like that. Yes, an angry and frightened Soporati he was. Dorian blinked at how drawn he was beginning to look, though. He noticed the way Cullen was trying to keep as much space between himself and every flicker of red crystal that they passed. He definitely did not like this stuff. Was it truly lyrium? If it was, then this pathway was as dangerous as a minefield.

“This…this is…it’s just a glimpse. It’s… There’s still a chance to stop it…” Dorian couldn’t help but look around in dismay and his voice had lost some of its haughty self-assuredness. He really didn’t understand what had happened, but it was certainly awful. “If we can find that amulet…” No, even if they did not find the amulet, he could get them back. He might need to experiment a bit, but he could do it! “I will get us back.”

Cullen turned and looked at the rift within the ruin and pointed at it. “We need to deal with that. Then we can…inspect the…the area.”

Fair enough.

He took this chance to refresh the charm on himself and then moved to catch up with the warrior who had gone straight for the closest demon and seemed like he would cut it down easily. As he came closer, he saw Cullen falter, though. Oddly falter. He hadn’t been touched or anything, but suddenly he just raised his sword and looked away from the demon. Like he’d been distracted by something. He didn’t seem like the kind of flighty fighter that would get distracted in the middle of an altercation. He wouldn’t have lived this long if he was. Dorian sent a lance of force energy into the demon and it screamed and collapsed into itself and faded away.

He did not bother asking the man if he was alright. It was obvious that he was not. He just stepped up and moved past him, taking point on this little expedition. There were a few demons between them and the chapel, but nothing too strenuous. He surely hoped not, after he’d spent the last hour repetitively clearing that very rift of demons whilst waiting on this man. He’d had a chance to rest a bit, but that Smite had thrown off his usual recuperation time and his mana well felt like it had been upset a bit. Not enough to make him worry, though. He proved it as he cleared the way quickly and easily and they reached the entrance to the destroyed chantry in no time.

He turned to Cullen again and he had been expecting to see a glower or a glare or possibly dismay for being shown up so artfully by the powerful and handsome mage. But what he saw… Well now… Now Cullen looked like he was so resigned to his task that he might just march all the way to the Anderfels on foot, even if he fell down dead at the end of the trek, if that was what was required to finish this. Dorian blinked and for the first time he marveled that there might actually be a…a depth to this man. He knew what was happening and he was terrified of it, but he was ready to walk straight into death to deal with it without hesitation. That…wouldn’t do. He was the Herald. Conceivably, he had to live to serve Andraste properly.

“Just leave the incorporeals to me. I am quite good at dealing with them, I promise you.” ‘Did I really just say that? Well. Alright, then.’ So all this roughing it really was making him take leave of his senses. He knew it would!

“Of course you are. You’re a necromancer.”

Dorian shot him a surprised look at his knowledge of his abilities. He hadn’t used a single necromancy spell in front of this man. He hadn’t needed to yet. How did he know he was a necromancer? Before he could phrase his demand for his curiosity to be sated, Cullen turned away and marched into the chantry ruin. So Dorian moved to enter alongside the warrior who looked absolutely ready to walk to his death. He reached out and grasped Cullen’s furred shoulder, gently applying enough pressure to gain his attention and stop his forward momentum. When Cullen did not lash out, but merely stepped to the side, he took that as a positive sign of progress in their relationship. Maybe even the beginnings of some mutual respect? That might be pushing it this early.

“Just stand aside. We can call this a chance for me to build up some good will points.”

He beamed his most brilliant smile at the warrior and then strode on. There were at least a dozen demons loitering beneath the rift and they were beginning to notice them. He had better get to it. If he didn’t know better, he might have said there was a glimmer of acceptance in Cullen’s expression. Maybe they really were progressing.

He made short work of the demons, though there was a variety of them. There were quite a few points when demonic energy or claws scraped along his barrier, but not a one got through. Not even when a flare of energy from a direction he didn’t expect drew his attention for a split second. He glanced back to see that Cullen was being accosted by a demon. That was the spike of energy that he sensed, but then he was forced to turn back to the demon attacking him. The not a templar would just have to hold his own for a moment. Just a moment. He took out the one demon, but then he had to take the last two as well. By the time he could turn his eyes away again, Cullen was stepping up beside him at the rift. ‘Well, that’s good. Saved me some effort. He…’ The thought cut off half finished as he laid eyes on the warrior. He seemed almost in a daze as he reached out with his marked hand and that green Fade energy exploded from him. It was similar to the energy he had sensed just a moment ago, but it was not the same. Not quite. It was completely distracting and he stared in wonder at the man’s hand.

“That is fascinating! How does that work, exactly?” He stepped closer to see if he could glean anything telling, but there was only so much he could see from here. Cullen didn’t respond. He laughed and rolled his eyes at himself. Of course the man wouldn’t know, he wasn’t built to wield magic. That didn’t change just because it was forced upon him. “You don’t even know, do you? You just wiggle your fingers and Boom! Rift closes.” He absolutely was not prepared for the man to turn on him in such testy anger.

“It works…” Cullen ground out through clenched teeth. “The way all magic works. By will and intention.” Then he glowered over at him.

Dorian blinked in surprise as he realized that Cullen looked like he had been hit with a Mindblast or perhaps a Hex of some kind entropy or other. He looked absolutely terrible. How odd. He had been fine until they had walked out into all of this. Dorian frowned and looked back to the doorway where the last frozen bits of the demon there were evaporating into the air. Oh…Ice? That was…what? Things were not making sense to him at all right now.

“...and that? I was not aware that southern templars could do anything like that… Certainly our northern ones are hardly anything more than fancy looking bodyguards for Magisters.”

Glancing back, Cullen made a face and then glowered back at Dorian and tried to deflect him. He tried to push the conversation past an uncomfortable question. Dorian picked that up instantly, he was well practiced at doing that himself. Of course he noticed. “I told you I am not a templar. Are you unharmed?” Somehow he stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

“Yes, of course. Perfectly intact. I didn’t even break a sweat. Unlike yourself.” Dorian was not above commenting on his obvious decline. They both knew it was happening. There was no hiding it. Between the anger and the stubborn set of the man’s jaw and the strangely haunted…regret?...pain?...in his oddly red-rimmed eyes that just made that sunset honey stand out even brighter. This was a puzzle and he loved nothing more than an intriguing puzzle to solve.

This man could sense magic. He could tell what a mage’s specialty was. He could sense lyrium, or this red version of it. He said he had a problem with demons, but he wasn’t afraid to face them. Yet there was something strange here. He had faltered to kill one demon, but then had killed another in a way that shouldn’t have been possible and required explanation. He did not have anything magical on him, not that Dorian could sense, at least. And now he was looking like he was suffering from some kind of…mental attack? Was that it? Was he an empath?

That happened sometimes. Soporati were born who could glimpse past the veil, but couldn’t actively control magic. Usually they became advisors for important people or fortune tellers in amusing sideshows, depending on how good they were. He couldn’t imagine this man in either of those roles. Then there was the Fade feeling about him. Was it only from that mark? If he drew demons to him…it was either the Mark that did it or it could be something else, but what might that something be? There were a number of things that drew demons…not the least of which was overwhelming emotional instability. An empath with little control was irresistible to spirits. ‘It's a plausible first theory. Now, to posit a first solution and see if it pans out. Will he be open to it, though? Only one way to find out, I suppose.’

“If you would be so kind as to please explain to me what is wrong with you? I can tell you have been Fade touched. I don’t know if that was supposed to be a secret or something, but it's not.” Here he wiggled his fingers snarkily. ‘Oh no, it's the scary spooky necromancer. OooOoo.’ “…I am a Necromancer, as you so succinctly surmised. Spirits are sort of my thing, you know, and I can tell that your mind is being influenced. The negativity is just pouring out of you like water from a well. If they haven’t sensed you yet, they will soon and then all the spirits here are going to be drawn right to you if we don’t do something about it.”

He looked at Cullen expectantly once he’d finished, but after a silent moment went by, he frowned and realized that the warrior was…degrading…by the second. Oh, they needed to do something immediately. He was quickly starting to look almost feverish. Or possibly drunk. This made no sense! “I don’t know what to do about it.”

Thankfully, he might have just the thing to at least pause whatever this downward spiral might be. If it really was psychic in origin. Dorian raised his hands palm up as if offering a gift. “I can put a ward on you. Well, it's more of a charm, really. It won’t change you, but it will make it harder for them to sense you. And it will put a bit of a psychic buffer between you and these ethereal attacks and energies you seem to be suffering from.”

“Won’t that…won’t that take a lot of concentration?” That was almost sweet and seemed completely out of character for the warrior. Why would he care if it was inconvenient or difficult for Dorian?

“No, I can set it on you and then strengthen it whenever it begins to wear off. It won’t last indefinitely, but it will be worth it to keep some of the attention off of us while we explore our situation.”

The warrior seemed like he was trying very hard to think about it, but he was too drunk to connect his thoughts properly. Cullen obviously was still capable of reason, though, as he proved with his decision. And he was so polite about it too. “Yes. Please do that.”

“Well. Since you asked so very sweetly, how could I possibly refuse? I could almost imagine that you aren’t the ruffian that I walked in on choking my dearest friend.” He truly did not understand this man whatsoever. He shot him his most charming grin to cover up his true confusion.

“I did not actually choke him. He was very trusting and calm about it, really.” Cullen argued distractedly. He was having a very hard time staying focused.

And that reminded him of just how boorish this brute was, only a very short time ago. He had a spike of temper and shoved right into Cullen’s space to give him a very seriously pointed look that said that no matter how flippant his next remark was, he had not been amused by the scene earlier. “And perhaps if you took him to dinner and dancing first, then that sort of behavior might fit one's expectations. But I happen to be very protective of my friends and that was not acceptable! I have few enough of them as it is.” ‘sh*t, did I just say that? I am letting myself get far too worked up.’

Dorian’s eyebrow rose as he and Cullen looked each other in the eye for a few seconds, they were nearly the same height. The non-Avvar was the taller, but only slightly. ‘Sweet Maker’s Glorious Ass, a person could get lost in eyes like that!’ Dorian broke from the staredown in an effort of self preservation and turned his attention to examining Cullen in the entirety while he was willing. He drew his magic about him and let his aura expand around the both of them so that he could get a feel for the etheric quality of the area around them and of the warrior before him. His brow furrowed and his mustache twitched as he pursed his lips thoughtfully. Was there a wellspring of negative emotive activity? Yes, it seemed so. He smelled that lyrium radiating from him quite clearly too. Then he focused on the man’s physicality, his size, strength, vitality. So much vital essence…wait…actually…he seemed weaker than he ought. Yes, there was definitely some essence drain on him and that Fade touched feeling. If he tweaked the spell just…so…yes, he could tailor it a bit to fit this Soporati better than would suite a mage… Just a few mental calculations… “...alright, yes…I think…yes, that should do…”

Once decided on a course and having made the required calculations, he began to draw magic with intent to mold it. It only took a moment, he was well versed with this spell. It was a very simple one, but also complex and those were not contradictory descriptors. It was a spell that had been perfected within the highest circles of magi in the Imperium. Then he cast it out to envelope the warrior and settle into place. He felt it set and then turned his attention to Cullen’s expression to see if it had helped at all or not.

If anything, Cullen seemed to look thoughtful and then confused and then hopeful. That seemed like a good sign of a positive effect. Wonderful. So that lent credence to the empathic or psychic trouble theory. “That…that does help… Thank you.” That was a pleasing response. It was the next part that really surprised him.

“Do you think you could do that again, but just hold it this time? If you allow me to…to pull it from you I can strengthen it.”

“You can what??” That snatched up all of his considerable focus. Pull and strengthen his magic? Is that really what he just said? This templar…he’d heard about how southern templars used lyrium to give them magic suppressing capabilities, but it was very hard to get any more information than that. Plus, it wasn’t like he ever thought he’d meet one in his life before, why would he need to know anything about them? Well, here was the best way to learn! “By all means, I would very much like to see that. So you can sense my magic, we established that earlier, but… Alright. Here.”

He formed his spell again made a showy flourish with his hands and suddenly there was a glimmering glow of coalesced magic floating between his palms as he willed the magic to form into a pleasing shape and he even inserted some color into it just for show. He was rewarded by the way that Cullen stared at it. The Soporati really could see his spell. He was examining it! Was he reading it? Could he really do that? It was absolutely intriguing! Then Cullen put his hand out and with a last amusingly distrustful look, he pulled his magic into himself. It was fantastic and the sensation was also very unique. To have someone draw from him like that. Knowing he could snap it off if he chose, but he allowed it and he felt his magic transfer into the templar. Once it went more than skin deep he lost it, of course. It was no longer his or within his control. It just sort of vanished into the man and he couldn’t sense it at all for a moment, then suddenly his magic bloomed around Cullen, but it was a magnitude stronger! At least! Remarkable! And it was his magic. It still had his signature in it. That was so interesting.

Then it sank into Cullen again and set itself into place like a personal shield. Also, Cullen looked like he’d just bitten into a lemon…until the magic settled onto him and then suddenly he looked…years younger! Wow. Now that was real time magic! He suddenly looked like he had just sloughed off an old skin and was fresh and new and relieved of a terrible burden.

“Maker, that is so much better. What exactly is that? What does this really do?” Cullen finally opened his eyes and realized that Dorian was still actively examining him and he flushed a surprising and amusing pink and then pulled away self consciously.

Dorian’s look changed immediately to amusem*nt and he smirked, very entertained by that reaction. “Oh? Feels good, does it? It’s like, well, consider it like a psychic or empathic contraceptive that helps to keep emotions in check. It allows you to keep your focus when outside forces wish to distract you. We usually use this charm when working with highly volatile spells that go boom when you lose your focus. I wouldn’t suggest overusing this sort of charm. It could lead to psychopathy in the long run, just look at half the nobles in the Imperium. But for a short while, it will help keep you shielded from outside influences and allow you to keep a level head. Especially the way you just enhanced it. I must say, I have never seen anything like that outside the Imperium either. You literally remade it into a personal Spirit barrier. That is amazing.” It really was. He was not exaggerating about that.

“Have you seen what I just did before?”

Dorian hesitated to answer. It was quite a controversial subject. “Not exactly. No southern templars or ex-templars there. But we have some other rare individuals that have specialized lyrium capabilities that could be considered similar.”

“Lyrium ghosts. Yes, I know.”

Goodness, this man knew so much about so many varied subjects. He was dying to ask him where he schooled or who apprenticed him or whether he was typical of southern templars or if he was a singular specimen. But he was sure that they had not reached that level of open dialogue yet. And while he was thinking all of this, the hillsman suddenly turned on his heel and walked decisively off. Of course he did. He was feeling better already apparently. So this charm seemed to help. More sign that it might be an etheric or even possibly a spirit issue. Something that left him vulnerable. That could be so many things.

Dorian followed him, peering out the other side of the door. “Yes, there are those as well. Not a very easy thing to become. Only about one in thirty volunteers are actually successful in becoming one. That is why they are so richly rewarded. Yet there are thousands of southern templars. Can all templars do what you’ve illustrated?”

“No. I’m just special.” Cullen sneered in facetious sarcasm. Then he hesitated as he heard himself snarking. He frowned as he realized Dorian was smirking at him. “What?”

Hah! So this man did hear himself when he talked. Dorian was not sure if that was a good or bad thing. It could mean that everything he said was calculated and meant to get a reaction. Maybe he wasn’t quite the murderous madman thug that he had portrayed himself as in the tavern? “Noticed that, did you? Like I said before. Separating yourself from your emotional state is not quite like turning off a switch. It can lead to a very pronounced flair of asshole syndrome. So if you’re already predisposed to that, you may need to pay closer attention to how you approach situations and people that could become cross with you.”

“Oh? Is that what’s wrong with you?” Cullen shot back with a narrow eyed, but discerning realization.

Dorian laughed. Yes, well, he tended to enjoy annoying people normally even without the charm, so he did not bother with that all that strenuously. “It’s just easier in stressful situations to allow that stress to slide off until you can afford to feel it again. Especially in a strange land with strange fellows who all hate you for your homeland and would rather spit on you than sell you a bottle of wine. So…I suppose, yes. Do keep in mind that later, you may be a bit…moody. You can’t put off emotional and mental fatigue forever.” He should know. He had tried. It never ended well.

Cullen seemed to consider that, weigh the implications, and then toss all of it right out the window. “I’ll try not to talk so much while I do what needs to be done, then.” Spoken like a true barbarian. Then in true barbarian warrior style, he just stalked out into dangerous demons and lyrium without a second of hesitation. After how hesitating and faltering he had been just a moment ago, that was both worryingly impulsive, and surprisingly impressive at the same time. There was nothing to do but follow along.

This was turning out to be highly intriguing. The warrior just a few strides ahead might as well have been a completely different person now. The dynamic had changed again, but now it was more to equality. Dorian was rather glad of that, honestly. There was only so much mana that could be tossed around willy nilly until you realized that you needed some of that kept in reserve because something unexpected was about to happen. Now, when Cullen went after a demon, he finished the job cleanly and without quandary or consideration. So this was a southern templar in action? He had to admit that the warrior was rather exciting to watch. In the Imperium military Soporati comprised infantry and cavalry as well as auxiliary roles, but they were not expected to take on non-physical or magical combatants. If they did, it was expected that they were only there to buy time until a Laetan or Altus or other champion arrived to take over. Mostly, they were trusted with the finest top-science based fighting techniques available to face the Qunari and their gaatlok weaponry or sometimes darkspawn when they managed a breach.

This Cullen Rutherford, no one of note indeed, faced every single demon that crossed his path and matched each one. Dorian had so little to do as he followed along, only exerting himself when Cullen was already busy with a foe, that he started to monologue to himself. It was to himself because the warrior was stubbornly ignoring him. Which was vexing at first, but every annoyed glance that the not-templar shot at him served to be an amusing distraction, so he kept on whatever commentary randomly popped into his head. If the warrior couldn’t take it, well…then he needed the practice with intellectual human interaction. Cullen never told him to shut up, which was amusing in a different way because Dorian was sure that he saw the words in his golden honey glare more than once.

When they eventually reached the little camp, it became very clear that far more time than expected had passed, but not as much as could have been feared. It wasn’t a hundred years, at least. He might have been able to make a guess by how worn the papers and booklet pages were, but he had absolutely no experience with how long it took greenery to assert itself. He stood and watched while Cullen doggedly sorted through the rubbish, finding little gems of information here and there. Some of it he didn’t get the implications of, like the political atmosphere that seemed to rise over the course of months from their disappearance, but Dorian did get a bit of that. At least the bits about Orlais. Funny, Tevinter was never mentioned either for countrymen who came to help or harm. Tevinter seemed to have washed its hands of the whole ordeal as far as he could see. As did Orlais once its empress was assassinated. It was all extremely troubling.

“Did they really kill the Empress? I suppose that’s a very good way to cause chaos and unrest and keep the world from uniting against you.” Dorian waved the message about Orlais and then tossed it back down amidst the mess that Cullen was making as he shuffled through the items there. Again, the warrior ignored him, but this time he was certain that it was because he was so overwhelmed by the awful hopelessness in all of this information. Truly, Cullen had a look about him as if someone had walked over his grave.

Suddenly he heard the sound of leaves and twigs crunching. It was odd. There was a dragging sound and then a heavy rasping panting or snuffling. They both turned toward the noise and Dorian stepped forward, raising his staff up in preparation to attack. But what shuffled into view through the undergrowth was…it was… The realization was nearly instant, but the shock somehow managed to cut right through his charm and directly into his heart. He would never not recognize sweet, gentle, loving Felix. The boy might be seven years his junior, but that hadn’t stopped them from being the absolute best of friends, even through all the rubbish between their families.

“Darkspawn.” Cullen growled and he drew his sword, striding forward and the word drew a gasp him and forced him to break his paralysis. He immediately lowered his staff, tipping the end toward the warrior to stop him. He would not let this man hurt Felix, not even like this. Or…gods…would it be a mercy if he let him go on?

“Fe…Fe…Felix??”

Dorian stared in open horror at the withered and pathetic creature that limped and crouched and slouched ever closer. The once human was now gray and his eyes had gone a milky sickly opaque and his lips had become gray and torn, pulling back to reveal broken teeth and black gums. Oh, Felix…what had come upon him here? How long had it taken him to succumb? It couldn’t have been long, he wouldn’t have stayed here alone…would he?

“F-F-Felixxxz… Feeelix…Felix…yesss…yes, yes…remember that…yes…” The creature bobbed its head and dipped its body up and down in the parody of a nod. “I was…Felix once, yes, yes…”

A soft noise that he didn’t recognize forced itself from his throat. He refused to admit that it could have been a sob. He dragged his anger about himself to try to push off any weaker emotions. No, he had to separate from this. He could not fall apart in an unfriendly land and a dangerous time and with untrusted company. He strengthened the charm on himself. “Venhedis kaffan vas!! Oh, Felix… What has happened to you…” Dorian sounded very…disturbed.

Cullen turned back to the poor soul that had succumbed to the Blight.

“Worse…things…worse things…than death…Dorian? Is that Dorian? I hear your voice. I cannot see you well…”

That almost reached through to his poor, straining heart again, but he held firm on himself. He couldn’t. Lady’s Breath, hadn’t Felix said that to him before? “Oh Felix. I… I am so sorry…” Dorian said softly, his staff still lowered.

Cullen stepped forward decisively to address the creature that Felix had become and Dorian could only stand there and watch. “Felix. Do you know how long it has been since we last met? Since the tavern? Do you remember?”

“The tavern…yes…the mages, the Qunari and the Man and the Dwarf and the angry man with the Mark and Dorian and Father. Father died there. Many fought and died. Felix is a year older.”

“A year. An entire year. All of this in just a year. What happened with the Elder One? Is this what he wanted from the beginning?” Cullen sounded thoroughly gobsmacked.

“No. No no no.” Felix’s body swung from side to side in the negative. “No, no, no. Wants the Mark. Wants to enter the Fade. Can’t go through the rifts without the Mark. No, no, no.” Suddenly Felix looked up at the sky, far away to the horizon. “The dragon comes. The Elder One comes. Comes for the Mark.” Felix turned back to them with his opaque, rheumy eyes and dug into his pocket. He withdrew a stone on a chain and held it up. It sparkled in the light.

That finally got through to him and he found he could move his feet again. “Felix! You kept this.” Dorian moved forward finally and sank down in front of him, looking sad and resigned at once. He couldn’t help but imagine what had happened in that little tavern after he and Cullen had been pulled away. That Qunari oaf would have probably killed Alexius. He was the only one that likely could. Felix must have picked up the necklace in the confusion. No one would have allowed him to keep it otherwise. Of course they wouldn’t have. Then the Venatori or this Elder One would have taken revenge eventually when they learned what had happened. Then…then Felix stayed. He must have stayed. He had stayed for Dorian. There was no way he could have known that Dorian even still existed, but he stayed for him and he became this. It was enough to almost bring tears to his eyes despite the charm.

He took the amulet first, then he cupped his friend’s cheek and smiled warmly at him. “Oh Felix. Even like this, you still think of others first. You… You truly were…are the best of us. I am so sorry we failed you.” He meant every word, charm or not.

The youth rubbed his cheek into Dorian’s hand like a cat might, closing his eyes for a moment at the soft, caring touch of another human being. Then he looked back up at Dorian. “Worse things…worse things than death…worse things… Worse things coming. Dorian must go.” How could he abandon Felix here? How could he leave him? But… By the Lady…he could not kill Felix. The choice was taken from him a moment later and he was grateful.

“Dorian, do you think that any of this can go through with us? Our clothes and weapons came through.” He began gathering up the log books and stacks of messages and stuffing them beneath his armor, into any possible pocket or space.

“I…” Dorian was distracted with his sorrow for Felix, but he forced himself to look back. “I…I don’t know. Conceivably if we go back, then this will have never happened. None of this will occur. Anything from here should disappear.” He prayed that might be true. That this Felix would never have gone through such an awful, lonely fate.

“No. I don’t believe that. This is real. This has happened. You cannot just erase the physical. Just like…just like the Fade. There are depths to the Fade. Just because you f*ck with it and tear a piece out of place…that doesn’t make it not real.”

It hurt Dorian incalculably that what he said made sense and sounded like it could be founded in an unarguable truth. He did not want to believe that. Then Cullen grabbed his arm and somehow it helped ground him again. It helped the charm reassert itself and stabilize. He realized that his emotional state had escalated so that the charm had been about to crack apart, and now it was stable again. He looked at Cullen’s hand on his arm and the arcanist within him took over, he happily let it rather than focus on these nasty emotions. In the warrior’s very fingers he could feel his own magical signature, set there. That wasn’t normal.

When magic was released, the signature of the caster was usually released as well and it did not linger on other living beings for the most part. Not unless there was some…link or connection fostering it or it was an ongoing spell. That’s how some Alti laid an unmistakable claim upon their slaves or their champions. As he had none of those himself, it was decidedly not normal to feel his own signature on someone else. It certainly was not normal for another person’s touch to stabilize his own magic. But he had never gotten to personally experiment with a lyrium champion. Was this like that? Oh, there was something amazing about this southern templar and whatever type of lyrium magic he had in him. He was quite happy to let the idea distract him thoroughly.

“He said there is a dragon and this Elder One coming. He’s coming for me. Let’s get out of here while we can.”

Cullen pulled Dorian up and dragged him along and he let himself lean on the strong warrior until his knees felt strong again. He did not look back. He did not want that to be the last thing he saw of Felix…watching him abandon him once again. They fought their way back to the tavern and holed up inside it again. Dorian set down the amulet and then set to working with it. He turned all of his attention and focus onto it and dismissed everything else from his mind. He could not afford to be distracted. Not until they were returned to their original time and had stopped this from ever happening. After a while he heard the door to the tavern shut and realized that he was alone. He didn’t worry overmuch. Cullen likely needed to relieve himself or some other equally fine thing. He was not going to worry for the man, he was quite capable now. He just had to concentrate on what he was about. It was time and energy intensive and had to be perfect. The warrior came and went a few times, but he paid him no mind. Not until the last time he arrived in a rush and slammed the door. It nearly startled him out of his chair.

“Whatever you are doing, wherever you are at with your work…we need to go now.”

“I’m almost there. This isn’t dwarven mathematics, you know. It requires finesse, nuance, and concentration.” He frowned at the man who had completely left him alone up until now like he understood what magical tinkering required. He must have, he had run a circle for years. It was so strange still, thinking of Soporati running circles in the south.

“There’s a dragon about to crush us into paste and use our ribs as toothpicks.”

They stared at one another for a second. ‘Ah. That’s different, then. That…am I done? Close enough. I can leave off the showy bits.’ Dorian picked up the amulet and began to quickly fill his magic into it. Overpowering should make up for any possible cracks in his spellwork. “Right. Just a moment.”

His charm was about used up by now, but he didn’t bother wasting any mana on empowering it again. Either they escaped or they didn’t. The sound of Cullen pacing the room nervously was distracting, but so was the sound of wings growing louder and louder. Then a roar sounded overhead as it began to circle. Then there was a blast of heat and…and…and red lyrium miasma rather than fire was licking up the window glass that hadn’t shattered. They did not have dragons like that in Tevinter. Few dragons at all, since they’d been hunted to near extinction for their organs and parts. Very good for spellcrafts, those. Made for very powerful artifacts. Quite lucrative. ‘Will you charge already! Charge! Come on!’ He was pouring his magic in as fast and hard as he could. He hoped it would be enough. The stone had been quite used up after all this time.

“Any moment now would be fantastic.” Cullen prompted with exceptional calm, considering the situation.

‘Yes! Done!’ Dorian finally straightened and reached out for him. He didn’t hesitate to hook arms with Cullen and pull him in close to his side. It wouldn’t do for one of them to get lost in transit. He didn’t think there would be a handy lost and found baggage claim located outside of the timeline. “Yes, it would, wouldn’t it? I am known for having impeccable timing.”

Dorian looked up and he saw the ceiling crack open and give way before the dragon’s claws and gaping maw just a split second before the crackling sound of the mark in Cullen’s hand flared to life and it literally reached out and grabbed the amulet and sucked them through like it must have done the first time.

Arm in arm, they stepped out of the swirling green Time and Fade energy portal and looked around to see…Alexius struggling in Bull’s grasp and the mages all still huddled at the far back of the room. Blackwall and Varric gave cries of surprise and then relief. It was the first time he noticed that Cullen was holding a skull with an odd shiny eyeball that…that…shouldn’t exist. The fact that it did exist sent a hollow feeling into Dorian’s stomach. He immediately turned to look for Felix, who he found sitting on the floor holding the amulet and looking stunned and dazed from the Smite. He might not be able to light a candle with magic, but he was still an Altus bloodline.

He went straight over to the young man and sank down to hug him. He poked the gemstone hanging from Felix’s fingers and smiled at him. “Good thinking, that. We wouldn’t have made it back if not for you.” He did not think about the fact that the ghoul Felix must be as real as the skull still held in Cullen’s hand. He resolved never to think of that again.

“Is it too soon to assume that finally something actually went right for once?” Cullen asked the room at large in such a calm tone that one might have thought he’d just been out for a stroll.

~ * ~

When it came time to tell the story Dorian was very surprised to find Cullen deferring the stage to him. Then again, he thought that might actually be in keeping with the rest of the warrior’s personality thus far. Dorian was perfectly happy to take center stage and answer all questions as well. Most of it was merely theory and educated posits, but someone had to start the ball rolling to figure out what was really going on. It also helped him to get acquainted with everyone. They were all very untrusting, but mostly polite about it so it was forgivable. The dwarf was actually quite pleasant to converse with. Surprisingly, even the Tal-Vashoth mercenary wasn’t all that bad to talk to. Definitely Tal-Vashoth and not Qunari as he’d first labeled him. He didn’t see a hint of the Qun around this one, thankfully. The soldier, Blackwall, was about on the same level as he’d assumed of Cullen at first. Just a soldier…in need of grooming and soap. Forgivable, considering how much travel they had obviously been doing. Once the talking was finished, the bloodshed necessarily resumed.

Over the next hours some Venatori groups ventured out of the castle to see why Alexius had not returned. They were all dispatched one after another. Soon they stopped coming out. Cullen had to stay with the Magister to ensure that Silence was kept on him until something more permanent could be done. Dorian kept his distance from that. He had experienced the Smite first hand, he was not interested in an encore performance. The Iron Bull beast had broken Alexius’ hands in the scuffle, but a flesh wound like that would never stop a well trained mage. And very little could stop blood magic either, not that he thought Alexius was very practiced with blood magic. He had only been using it to try to heal Felix when Dorian left. It was the reason he had gone. Their falling out was over it. He was pleased that Cullen seemed to understand this and was not about to let down his guard. Not that anyone had mentioned bloodmagic yet, not in front of him, at least. Alexius seemed to have lost most of his fight at this point. That had been his ace, this removal from the timeline plan, and it had failed. What else could he do for now?

Felix went in with Cullen and Alexius once. He was there for a short while, but when he came out again he did not look happy or relieved. He only looked resigned. Dorian went to take Felix aside to talk then. He allowed the conversation to flow naturally, until it came to the question of the future and Felix’s fate. He didn’t want to tell him. He couldn’t bring himself to. He asked his friend to stay there with him, join the Inquisition with him. At first Felix refused. He said that he intended to return home and would speak to the Magisterium about what had taken place here. He wanted to convince them to help, to do the right thing. Dorian closed his mouth tight and his teeth clicked as he did, then he sank down right before Felix and grasped his hands in his own. The move surprised the younger man and he stared down at him with wide eyes.

“Dorian?”

“If you go back to Tevinter, we will never see one another again, Felix. What I saw in the future will come to pass…for you, at least. In Tevinter, they will kill you at the first signs.”

“Dorian…what are you talking about?” Felix’ voice was soft, but firm. He could see how upset his friend was about this. He knew…what that probably meant. “There are worse things than death, Dorian.”

“There’s also the chance for help here. There’s such a short time left for you. Not enough time for you to do anything positive back home. Please, Felix. Stay here with me. At least then…we can still try. If nothing else…we will be there for each other while we can.”

Felix stared at him for a moment, then he smiled gently and finally nodded. “I will stay a while, Dorian. Our future isn’t set, you know. Obviously not, or you wouldn’t be here.”

That might be true. “How many times has Alexius tried to change the past?”

“I’ve lost count. He has never been able to go back earlier than the breach in the Fade. Something about all this has changed time, but not enough for what father wants. That is why he has become so obsessed.”

“I see. When the Breach is fixed, this will end and everything should stabilize again, then. If not, we can deal with things at that time. But there is still hope. There’s hope so long as we breathe.” That helped soothe him a little. All they had to do was help the Inquisition seal the Breach in the Fade and the unraveling should stop. At the very least, it shouldn’t go beyond that date, so time itself would not end. He looked to Felix and smiled sadly. “Do you think I could stay with you for a bit, here where it's quiet?” Felix had taken up one of the rooms on the second floor of the tavern while they waited for the Inquisition to make their move.

Felix blinked at him and then suddenly looked just a little reproachful. “Are you using that charm again? You remember what happened the last time.”

He huffed ruefully and shrugged, having no good way to try to defend himself. He did know better, but… “Needs must sometimes. It’s been a…uh…a rough year. There just hasn’t been enough wine to go around. So, uh…ignore me for a bit.”

“You silly thing. No, you don’t.” Felix dragged him down onto the small loveseat beside him in the empty room and slung his arm over his friend’s shoulder. “Let me tell you about my music classes. I’ve become quite proficient at the mandoline and the lute recently.”

Dorian took a deep, stabilizing breath and dispelled his charm while he listened with rapt attention while his friend talked and allowed himself to achieve natural emotional equilibrium again. It didn't take all that long and the company couldn’t possibly be better. Eventually he felt up to it enough to venture out and find out how things were going. Without the charm on. Hopefully, he would be able to give that a rest for a while. This Inquisition seemed to be accepting enough so far.

When the rest of the Inquisition arrived he took heart at that as well, there were so many vastly different persons involved. Every race and creed seemed to be represented already, except for maybe the Avvar. Maybe they were as confused as him after looking at Cullen from the rear. There were quite a lot of people all running around doing quite a lot of things. Everyone had a job or a task and they all set about it. He and Felix were left to their own devices for a while. Dorian had been just idling away out in the square when he spotted Cullen and the Lady Seeker of Truth marching with Alexius down toward the docks. It was very late and a very odd time for a stroll, which told Dorian that he had better hurry along to see what they were up to. He still had at least some small hope for some leniency for his old friend, but Alexius would have to survive long enough to receive it.

Cullen eyed him when he came to follow them and he expected to be rebuffed, but the warrior did not say a word for or against his presence, so he felt marginally better. That feeling only lasted until he saw the inside of that hut. The skulls on the shelves. They looked like the one Cullen had found in the alternate timeline. He stepped over to examine them. They seemed unremarkable…except for a gem placed in one eye socket in each skull. When you turned it around, there was a hole so that you could look through the gem as if it were a macabre telescope. How terribly droll in a very Nevarran way. Then Cullen began reading a note that he found in a drawer or something.

“Alexius was quite clear in his orders. We must scour the countryside to find more of the shards. Without them, the Venatori cannot claim the treasure our master seeks. For that, we need the Oculara… There must be more Tranquil in the area. The rebels abandoned most of them when they fled their Circles.”

“Alexius…” Dorian sounded so tired. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing and was ashamed and so very angry. Was his old mentor even redeemable at this point? “How could you? You hated the ritual of Tranquility… Didn’t you tell me it was the worst thing that could be done to anyone? How? How could you not only condone this…you ordered it?”

“There is no point in letting them go to waste. They have already been made as good as dead by other hands. In this way, their lives might still have some meaning and may be of use to a greater calling.” Alexius said tiredly. He looked at Dorian and his expression had taken on a glum defeat. “He promised, Dorian. He promised to cure him. He has the power. You cannot fathom just how powerful he is.”

He turned to Alexius with a sad expression. Had he really completely lost his mind at this point or was he at all reconcilable? Before he could ask anything along those lines, that deep, slightly roughened, honey rich voice spoke up and sent a shiver down his spine. Even the Lady Seeker stared at Cullen in disbelief at what he said.

“Halleran had better be sequestered safely with the rest of the mages in the castle. That is all I will say about that. And I want to know what fate befell the soldier we sent to accompany him. I want every single Tranquil that has been abandoned brought in as well as every addled Templar. I will not stand for such barbaric, heartless butchery on those who are defenseless.” Cullen turned his baleful eye on Alexius. His voice was oddly flat and calm. “I’m considering making a special trip to the Hinterlands. Do we own a Rite of Tranquility in the Inquisition? I’d like to make him Tranquil and mount his skull on a pike in the wilderness.”

“...Cullen…” Cassandra started with a shocked tone.

Okay, first of all there was a lot to unpack there. Why would this man care about Tranquils so much? He said that he had made mages Tranquil himself…he was threatening to make Alexius so right now! Dorian had no idea what an addled templar might be, but if it was something equivalent to Tranquil…to be defenseless to the wants and orders of others. Well, this level of rage at this travesty was definitely stirring, but it went a bit further over to the wrong side of justice. At least as far as he was concerned. It didn’t seem…right… Was this really in character for the Herald of Andraste to act this way. Then he realized. ‘Oh…sh*t. I didn’t follow up on my charm that we put on him.’

“Uh…that’s…that is…a bit… Oh!” Dorian stared at him in sharp concern and dismay, there was no telling how the way Cullen changed the spell might change the reaction to having it on for so very long. It had been more than half a day already, it was already into the night. ‘Dorian, really, can we try to avoid cursing the Herald of Andraste with psychosis the first day we meet him? Possibly? Could we at least try not to?’

“I think that you’ve had that charm about you long enough for one day!” Dorian hurried over to him, his voice almost shrilly jolly sounding as he lifted his hand to Dispel his own magic that he could still feel on him. Faster than he knew it, Cullen’s hand snapped out and caught his wrist and twisted it painfully and nearly put him on his knee to keep from any damage being done to the delicate ligaments there. He did not go down, but that was really all due to pure stubbornness. He found himself face to face with the warrior and the look in Cullen’s eyes was absolutely ruthless and dark and unfeeling…bad…not good at all.

Cullen’s voice was cold and soft. “I do not like mages casting their magic at me without permission or warning. If you are not fighting beside me…mind your magical manners.”

Dorian stared back wide eyed at Cullen, their gazes stayed locked for a long few seconds and he did not try to free himself, no matter how pained his wrist was. ‘Oh…wow…yeah, um…very bad. Let’s fix this.’ He’d thought earlier that this man had become an entirely different person, he now believed that was probably the only thing he’d gotten right in doing this. It was long past time to take this magic away. He hoped he could still talk sense into the man! He put on his most reasonable and entreating tone. “Yes, I understand that you can be a very intense, frightening, and paranoid templar. And not a templar, yes I remember, not a templar. Point very much taken. Only…you might want to take a listen to yourself? Remember what I said about having this charm about you for too long?”

He waited with baited breath to see if Cullen would listen. He didn’t want to escalate or have to use force, but he would. Cullen did seem to think about it and consider things. The warrior looked to Cassandra and she frowned right back in confusion and concern, not understanding what was happening at all, which was to be expected. Dorian let out a sigh of relief when he felt Cullen release his magic and it vanished away into the ether. It was always better when the subject dispelled it themselves. Dorian was not prepared for the way that Cullen just collapsed to the ground in… The only word he could come up with was anguish. He couldn’t waste time staring, though, he had caused this so he had to correct it.

“Cullen!” He quickly turned to the Seeker and headed her off as she attempted to come to Cullen’s aid. That was the last thing this strong, angry warrior would likely want. It was certainly the last thing that Dorian would want. This caused the Seeker to turn her frightening attention onto him, but Dorian was not phased. At least, he didn’t show it.

“Now, now, just let him be. He’s alright. That’s just the backlash. Let him have a chance to collect himself. We went through quite an ordeal. It’s to be expected. Leave him be for a moment.” He drew the Lady Seeker back from the warrior as he attempted to explain the magic involved here. He shot a few glances at Cullen who was practically hyperventilating on the ground…no…there, he was getting that under control. Good. Lovely. That’s the ticket. He was so glad that he hadn’t accidentally broken the leader of the Inquisition by being negligent.
He turned back to Cassandra. “You see, well, I explained about what happened in the future, yes? You had lots of questions for me, I remember.”

“Yes.” She answered dryly. “And nothing you said had anything to do with this. What have you done to Cullen, Tevinter?” She demanded suspiciously.

“I assure you, I did nothing that he didn’t ask for himself. In fact, I didn’t even cast this charm on him. I merely shaped it and let him use it as he saw fit. I just…well…I should have had him dispel it when we first returned, but I forgot. Lots of things going on, you know.”

“Wait… Cullen really told you that he could absorb magic?” Cassandra looked at him like he was daft and that…made no sense. Humph. She didn’t believe that the warrior would have trusted him enough to tell him anything. Well, how wrong she was! They had bonded marvelously. At least…while they were both emotionally distanced, they had. She really couldn’t believe it, though. Was she possibly jealous? She did look ever so concerned now. Ooooo…he had asked Cullen if all templars could do what he could do and he had said no. Suddenly that seemed significant. The puzzle just got more and more interesting!

“He did. You see, it was the nature of the charm I used. An old Tevinter charm, you see. You wouldn’t know of it down here. Your mages aren’t allowed to experiment, while ours are highly encouraged. It’s a charm that helps us not go boom when working long, hard hours on extremely complicated spellcasting. It just focuses the mind and keeps out distractions. When all that red lyrium began to take a toll on him, I thought it might help. It did its job perfectly. This is just what happens when it is left in place too long. It's nothing to worry about, I assure you.”

Cullen did manage to collect himself over the course of some minutes and then he wandered outside into the fresh air by himself for a bit. Once Cassandra was assured that Cullen really was alright, she gathered up Alexius and took him back to the tavern. Dorian had tried to stay behind to check on him, but Cullen sent him away with her. He figured that it might be best to just leave Cullen to his own designs for a bit. It was one thing to go through this with a friend, otherwise it really was best alone. Dorian relented and went back.

That night they lingered in Redcliffe and when the Venatori attempted to come out under the cover of night, they were waiting and they slew even more of them. It was a very long night. Then Leliana took her ravens into the castle through a secret passageway and Cullen and his party and Cassandra and Fiona and her mages from the tavern, along with Alexius, Dorian, and Felix all entered through the main gates. They claimed to be coming to parley. That they had reached an understanding and now just needed to set terms. Dorian absolutely couldn’t believe that the Venatori would fall for it, but they did.

Once they were inside, they slew every last Venatori within the keep too. Well, they saved a few to interrogate, but that was all. Surprisingly, they found the Inquisition soldier that Cullen was so angry over still alive in a cell in the castle dungeon. He was not in good shape, but he was alive. Cullen had the castle Steward give him a room where he could recover. Unfortunately the soldier would not allow any mages to come near him to grant him healing after the trauma he had suffered. Poor man.

Then they had a real meeting with the rebel mages where Cullen gave them his terms and Dorian was really surprised. He had not expected any of the things that he bore witness to. The south was doing away with the circles. It was unheard of. In it’s place they wanted to put a new Order? Soporati and Alti and Laetans side by side? Well…it had never been done before, there was conceivably a first for everything. The mages seemed to think it was an acceptable option.

Beyond that, he was struck dumb by watching Cullen as he spoke with these mages. He was so calm, so careful with them. He made sure to always be collected and mild throughout the conversation, yet he laid out his expectations without a single ounce of leeway or give. It didn’t seem unfair, even despite how unyielding he was. It was like he was speaking to children that needed boundaries. This really was so odd, these southerners. If someone had brought something like this to the Magisterium or even just the Imperium circles, they would have been laughed out the door and then immediately assassinated.

Also, a host of them would serve the Inquisition to help close the Breach. That host would consist of mages that could cast magic compatible with spirit, which Dorian did not understand whatsoever. Why make such a specific requirement? It seemed rather daft. Wouldn’t you want the most powerful mages? Spirit wasn’t that powerful, it wasn’t even one of the strongest schools. Not unless you were a healer. If you were merely talking in terms of power, there were any number of other schools that were stronger or more capable. Why spirit specifically? Oh well. He supposed he would have to wait to learn that.

Maybe he could find a proper room in this castle with a proper bed for a proper…few hours nap…and a proper glass of wine for a much needed nightcap. He found an accommodating servant who was happy to provide all those things to a friend of the Inquisition.

Marvelous. Hopefully this meant things were looking up.

~ * ~

Inquisition - The Conclave - Act 4 - Part 1 - Chapter 9 - nekojinrogue - Dragon Age (2024)

FAQs

How old is the Inquisitor in Dragon Age Inquisition? ›

The Inquisitor: It's been said that they are between 20 and 40, so like the Warden their age is practically up to the player.

What happened at the conclave Dragon Age? ›

The ritual was disrupted before it could be finished by the arrival of one who would later be known as the Herald of Andraste. The interruption caused a vast tear in the Veil which destroyed the temple and killed all in attendance, save for the Herald.

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Why was the inquisitor at the conclave? ›

Inquisitor Adaar

A member of the Valo-kas mercenary company, Adaar was present at the Chantry Conclave because their company was hired as security.

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How did the Mage Rebellion start? ›

The Mage-Templar War, also known as the Mage Rebellion, broke out in 9:40 Dragon when an unspecified number of rebel mages and rogue templars elected to secede from the Chantry following years of increased tensions.

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Who can the Inquisitor marry? ›

Cullen and Sera can marry the Inquisitor in an on-screen wedding ceremony during the Trespasser DLC.

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Can the Inquisitor get married? ›

In Sera's romance, she proposes to the Inquisitor in Trespasser and the two can get married quickly right then and there, with Sera in a white dress. Cullen is also the proposer of marriage in his romance.

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What happens to Morrigan Dragon Age? ›

If Morrigan drank from the Well, she gains the ability to shapeshift into a dragon and battles Corypheus' dragon. After the battle, Morrigan, and Kieran if he was born, leave the Inquisition for parts unknown. She also serves as the narrator of the epilogue for Inquisition.

Why did the Inquisitors turn evil? ›

Fall to the dark side

The events with Offee and Tano left the future Grand Inquisitor feeling disaffected, and he lost faith in the Jedi Order. This left him susceptible to the pull of the dark side of the Force, and ultimately fell to the dark side.

Who is the sixth Inquisitor? ›

Bil Valen was originally a member of the Jedi Order. At some point after the Galactic Republic was reorganized into the Galactic Empire, he was inducted into an Imperial agency of fallen Jedi assassins called the Inquisitorius and became known as the Sixth Brother.

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What is the origin mage? ›

The mage is one of the three playable classes in Dragon Age: Origins and Awakening. A mage is able to interact with the forces of magic, using different elemental powers. In order to qualify to be a mage, one must be either an elf or a human and choose the Mage Origin.

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What is the rebel mages about? ›

Book overview

When Tessla Harrow is driven from her home by the fighting, she discovers a depth of power she never knew she had...and an irresistible draw toward Vale Gardner, the son of the most powerful mage her people have ever known the Black Witch.

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What is the plot of the rebel mages? ›

The story starts with Tessla being ostracized and run out of her village for being Gardnerian by the Kelts, who are in power. Tessla comes to meet Vale when he and another level five mage come to rescue all of the Gardnerians who've been rounded up for slaughter at the hands of the Kelts.

Will Dragon Age 4 have the Inquisitor? ›

Even though the Inquisitor is unlikely to be the protagonist of Dragon Age 4, it doesn't rule out their appearance in Dreadwolf. There are solid reasons for the Inquisitor to return in DA4.

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How old is the grand inquisitor? ›

Apparently his age is mid-40′s in human equivalent and I'm disappoint because we could have an effective but at the same very very young villain.

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How old is Hawke in Dragon Age? ›

During the three-year gap between Acts 1 and 2, Hawke would have 3 birthdays, placing him/her between 23 and 28 at the start of Act 2 and between 24 and 29 at the end of it, and the same goes for between Acts 2 and 3, making Hawke 28-32 by the start of Act 3 and 29-33 by the time you fight Meredith.

How old is Morrigan in Dragon Age? ›

Morrigan - Mid twenties, late twenties are also a possibility.

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Inquisition - The Conclave - Act 4 - Part 1 - Chapter 9 - nekojinrogue - Dragon Age (2024)

Chapter Text

FAQs

How old is the Inquisitor in Dragon Age Inquisition? ›

Why did the Inquisitors turn evil? ›

References