Chapter Text
Evelyn awoke in a cold cell, her body a collection of painful bruises not helped by the complete lack of a bedding over the stone. She didn't recall how she got there - with panic she thought that she had been captured by templars, though they had disbanded, much like the Circles. She sat up with urgency, grabbing the rusty bars of her cell, her heart pumping hard in her chest. She could see no windows, only a torch casting light from somewhere out of sight. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out some figures standing in the corners of the room she could see. "Hey", she shouted, "Where am I? Why am I here?".
Nobody answered, but one of the figures left in a hurry. Calling someone else, probably. She sighed.
No torture tools were visible. That was a small consolation, but the shackles that were holding her hands in place were concerning. She remembered having been in Haven with a few companions for the Conclave, but had no memory of it. She concentrated to retrieve her last waking moments before finding herself there, and all she could come up with was a strange dream in the fade, with horrifying creatures coming after her. Then swords pointed at her? Was that an actual memory or her mind's old nightmares about her Harrowing? But that had been over ten years before and she had not dreamed of it in a long time.
Heavy boots approaching brought her mind to the present, renewing her fear. Whoever was coming was angry, as she could tell from the many times she had associated the same sound to the coming of a templar to her or another mage's room; coming that was usually followed by a punishment for some transgression, trivial or otherwise. The heavier and faster the boots sounded, the worse the punishment. And these boots sounded heavy and fast, just not overly fast so that the owner could still look dignified.
Perspiration was starting to coat her forehead; she tried to control the shaking of her hands and realized a light was coming out of her left one. It was throbbing, but she could not see any damage that could warrant the sensation. She turned it palm up, as if seeing it for the first time, and observed the green light coming out of it, and the pain it was producing. Of course with her body battered and bruised she had just thought it one of the many, but this... What was it? The fear from earlier was turning into concern over her health, and she failed to notice when two sets of legs stopped in front of her on the other side of the cell. A click then, and the door opened. She dared turn her face up to see her captors, not recognizing the greaves. Were they not templars? A short haired woman, her otherwise handsome visage contorted with rage, was assessing her as if thinking of the best way to make her suffer. Beside her a shrouded figure whose features she couldn't make out, standing in apparent relaxation with her arms crossed. Others had entered the room, but had stayed more distant.
"So you are awake", said the first woman as she took her arm and dragged her out of the cell. The imposing figure left her in the middle of the room, towering over her. "You have much to explain. Why did you blow up the conclave?", she shouted, grabbing her throat, Lowering herself as she raised Evelyn's head to her eye level.
Panicked, Evelyn didn't move in fear that the other would snap her neck. The heavily armored woman certaily looked capable of doing that. The accusation left her confused; no memory of an explosion was coming out of her mind, but could it be... That painful mark on her hand. Could she be an abomination without knowing it? Best not to show her doubt, she realized; that would get her killed faster. The firm brown eyes, embodiment of fury, betrayed impatience at her answer.
"I... I don't know what you are talking about", she said, as much as the iron-clad grip on her throat allowed, trying to sound unthreatening.
The hand left her throat only to backhand her, sending her sprawling to the floor. Shocked, Evelyn tried to bring a hand to her cheek, fearful of what could come next, but the metal bars that kept her wrists didn't allow that.
She saw the other woman put a hand on the warrior's forearm and whisper something in her ear. The warrior sighed and seemed to calm down a little. "Then explain this", she growled, raising Evelyn's marked hand.
"I told you, I don't know what happened", Evelyn all but cried in frustration and fear. "I don't know how it got there, or what it is".
The warrior paced, passing her hand in her hair. "You are the only survivor of the explosion. Do you claim not to know that happened as well?"
Evelyn's eyebrows raised in surprise. The only survivor, and of an explosion she didn't know had happened. Things were getting better and better. Of course they considered her the culprit.
"The only survivor?", she repeated, stalling for time. That meant all of her fellow mages had died - and among them her friends Rylen and Thea, the only ones from the Circle of Ostwick to join the mage relegation for the Conclave. She faced her captor again, finding her face less murderous. "I know how it must sound, but truly I have no recall of an explosion. I recall the fade... Escaping from some demons... A woman shrouded in light... That's all". Suddenly her left hand was in so much pain she had to double over and couldn't help crying; the mark on her hand had flared to life, diffusing a brighter light.
"That thing is killing you", the warrior said. She looked at the other woman. "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I'll meet you there". The other nodded, leaving the room.
Evelyn was still looking at her own hand; the pain was thankfully receding, but not much. The warrior released her hands from the shackles and instead tied them with rope . "Come, we have things to do". Evelyn took a proffered hand and rose, her collection of bruises making itself known once again.
"Who are you? You are no templar", Evelyn dared ask.
"I am a Seeker. My name is Cassandra Pentaghast", the other replied, leading the way out of the prison. "I am... Was, the Right Hand of Divine Justinia. Sister Nightingale was her Left Hand. We were here for the Conclave, but... You are the only survivor".
"Oh", Evelyn said. She had heard of a Right Hand, but never of a Left. In truth she had never paid much attention to the workings of the Chantry, and it wasn't as if the Circle mages got many news smuggled inside. She was aware though that the two figures must have been very prominent in Divine Justinia's activities. And the Divine was dead now, she realized with sadness. Not only at the loss of the holy figure, but also at the loss of the last chance to make peace between Mages and Templars. She had never wanted the fight. The Circle of Ostwick had been hardly political - with such an old Grand Enchanter, and so removed from other important cities, nobody had great interest in participating in the political manouvers that were surely popular in the White Spire. There had been hardly talk of factions among the mages, and if anybody sympathized with one, it was only at the level of debate in the mess hall. But Grand Enchanter Fiona - or her advisors, most likely - had decided to send her to the negotiations because of her Trevelyan blood, despite her protests that she'd had no contact with any of them in years.
As they walked through the village - Haven? - Evelyn could feel eyes on her, and they were not benevolent. At the sight of the villagers' severe stares, she shivered, uncomfortable.
"They have decided your guilt. They need it", Cassandra said as if reading her mind.
Evelyn didn't reply. It made sense after all, though she didn't have to like it. Cassandra herself was about to kill her minutes before. Had she changed her mind? It was too early to say, and she didn't think the woman would want to make conversation.
After yet another gate, Cassandra stopped in front of her and took a knife from her belt. Evelyn took a step backwards unconsciously. Was this just a ruse to justice her out of sight? But the other just took her wrists and cut the rope, freeing her hands. "I can promise a fair trial. Nothing more", she said resuming their brisk walk.
They were walking across a bridge when what appeared like glowing stones hit it jsut ahead of them, crushing the bridge and making both women tumble on the ice below.Demons coming seemingly out of nowhere were coming at them, and Evelyn was temporarily frozen by the uncommon sight. Cassandra wasted no time, charging at the demons and preventing them from advancing further. The mage shook herself out of the surprise and decided to help the warrior, fearing that she could get injured. Looking around, she found a staff laying close to a fallen body. Ignoring the uncomfortable sight, she took the staff and started casting spells against the creatures drawing from her experience in elemental magic. Those were the easiest to recall and were proving quite effective. With fire she managed to send in a panic a demon that was attempting to strike the warrior from behind, keeping it away and whittling at its health while the warrior dealt with the first. The Seeker seemed used to protecting others, the way she had charged right away, with no concern for the fact that she was fighting demons. Once the creatures had been defeated, Evelyn relaxed a bit, panting for the exertion. She had rarely needed to use her magic to fight, but she suspected this would become a regular occurrence. Noticing Evelyn had participated in the battle, the Seeker walked up to her with her sword drawn.
"Drop your weapon", she intimated.
Though deflated by the lack of trust, Evelyn didn't execute the order. "I don't need this to be dangerous", she explained matter of factly, "And I want to help. If I had wanted to fight you I wouldn't have waited".
The Seeker thought for a few moments, then nodded and sheathed her sword. "You are right. And I can't protect you from everything. I should remember you did not try to escape", she said, resuming their march.
After an encounter with Chancellor Roderick, Evelyn was a little more certain that Cassandra was now on her side. The Seeker had defended her when he suggested they hand her over to Orlais to justice her. Thankfully the woman had other plans, since she thought she could do something about rifts in the veil that were appearing everywhere. And the big breach in the sky that was expanding... That concerned her too, since apparently it was tied to her mark, and as the one increased in size, the other became more and more painful, bringing her to her knees a few times since they left the prison. The mark was killing her, so Cassandra had said. But how to fix it? That was no magic she knew of.
They picked up new people on the way to the temple; an elven apostate named Solas and a dwarf named Varric. She was sure she had heard that name before, but it was the mage that had caught her attention for his apparently deep knowledge of the rifts, something that to her knowledge was not even a subject of study in the circles. As an Enchanter, she was pretty sure she would have found texts about rifts if they existed. She would ask him about his uncommon knowledge, provided they all survived. He had shown her how the mark in her hand could close rifts, which would have been a relief had the mark not been on her own hand. To do that she needed to get close to the center of the rifts, close to where the demons took form. Her companions provided protection, but it was still frightening to see so many of the creatures up close, knowing they could end her Very fast if the others failed to catch their attention.
They were at the temple now, and the scene made it clear that Cassandra had not been exaggerating when she had talked about an explosions. There were charred remains everywhere, the stench of death permeating the cold air. Where the temple had once stood, now were only ruins, broken bricks to remind where walls had been; blackened stone and strange shiny growths that could have been lyrium had they been blue in color. These were red however, and giving out an aura that set her on edge. "What is that stuff?", she asked. Varric sighed as he spotted the red crystals. "And here I thought I had left that stuff behind in Kirkwall. That's red lyrium", he explained, "and it's very dangerous. Whatever you do, don't get close to that thing. I don't have time to explain how wicked that stuff is". They kept circling inside the remains of the temple, finding a narrow way to descend to where the original rift was.
"Keep the sacrifice still", a disembodied male voice said.
"What was that?", Cassandra asked.
"That, I think, is the real culprit", Solas replied grimly.
Memories of the event lingering in the place? She had heard of something like that, but Evelyn had never had the chance to witness it before. She had thought those accounts were fantasies of unstable minds.
"Someone help me!", another voice shouted, this time a woman's.
"That was Divine Justinia's voice!", Cassandra exclaimed, forcing the group to advance more quickly down the stairs.
"What is going on here?", another voice resounded.
"Run while you can. Warn them!", said Justinia's voice again.
"But... That was you", Cassandra said, nonplussed. "She was asking for your help!"
"It sounded like that", Evelyn replied, though she had no memory of the event.
The rift was still, bigger than the others and it appeared directly connected to the looming breach in the sky. "It appears that this rift is closed. We could try to open it with the mark, then close it again properly. But be careful, opening it will likely draw attention from demons nearby", Solas said.
"Understood. Everyone, stand ready", Cassandra shouted to the fighters they had disposed around the walls of the temple.
Warily, Evelyn took a big gulp of air and moved to closer to the rift, raising her mark so that the two connected. As Solas predicted, as soon as the rift opened, demons started to appear, and arrows from the archers sought their targets. Cassandra ran ahead straight at the demons, drawing their attention with a shout and engaging an imposing pride demon. Evelyn did her best to contain her fear, knowing the danger of the opened rift for the common people. She could not afford to cower in fear when so much was at stake. She concentrated, helping the others to defeat the demons with her magic, picking the ones who tried to go behind the Seeker's back or go too close to Varric and Solas.
"Go on, close the rift. We'll cover you!", Cassandra shouted when only the pride demon remained. Evelyn had seen the Seeker withstand a few blows that would have likely killed her and marveled, but quickly she reached the rift, stretching her hand to allow the mark to connect to it. A strand of green energy linked the two, and Evelyn again could not determine what was happening, what kind of magic made that possible. What kind of tool - and power - was necessary to open a rift? Not to mention the huge hole in the sky. She felt herself drained of energy the more the exchange went on, and when the link finally broke, her legs gave out and she fell, grateful to have a moment of rest.