Chapter Text
The night of the pre-talks before the big meeting was winding down. Tired to the bone, Cassandra made her way through the winding halls of the temple of sacred ashes. Hopefully, tomorrow would bring the resolution Thedas desperately needed to bring an end to the made forsaken mage-templar conflict. Justinia possessed both the power and passion to force both sides to cease fighting in order to begin the process to make thing better for everyone involved. Or at least Cassandra believed her to be that person. The Divine cared and was entuned to the people plight. All the others who’ve attempted such talks always had a secret agenda. Justina’s intentions were transparent for the world to see.
Only the Maker and time would tell if the Conclave would work.
Sensing magic nearby, Cassandra changed her course, following the pull in her veins from Lyrium towards one of the main chambers. As she grew closer, the feel of the magic began to change. She frowned at the foreign sensation. It felt wrong and almost painful. She’d never experienced anything like it before. Hairs on the back of her neck raising, Cassandra reached for the hilt of her sword only to come up empty. She cursed remembering she came to the temple unarmed on Justina’s request.
A hand clamped hard on her shoulder, her gasp muffled by another as she was yanked into the shadows before she could make it to the door. Cassandra found herself pressed against the wall, held in place by a rather tall muscular body. The hand on her shoulder shifted, circling her neck causing her nerves to spike.
“Stay quiet.” A male voice hissed into her ear, breath scorching across her flesh.
There was magic flowing in his veins. Cassandra felt it churning and pulsating in time of the stranger’s ragged breathing. Closing her eyes, she grounded herself, ignoring the mounting panic, and focusing on the Lyrium using her Seeker ability to set it aflame.
Surprisingly, the man didn’t release her. Simply jerked, pressed harder against her and let out a low stream of curses. “You’re the Seeker,” He spoke in pants. “Justina’s left hand?”
Momentarily distracted, Cassandra lost her hold on the Lyrium. “And who are you?”
“A friend.”
“Friends don’t accost people and drag them into the shadows.”
“trust me, Seeker. I am not your enemy. You can sense the Lyrium, no? I mean not what’s inside me, but that room.”
Cassandra nodded.
“And the closer you got it started feeling different.” The man eased his grip ever so slightly, but firm enough to subdue her if necessary. “I’ve been watching from the shadows. Watched men in armor with no seal carting boxes into the room since the meeting started.”
Her curiosity outweighed her discomfort. “Crates of what?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Did you hear something?” A voice from the room asked.
Cassandra found herself being spun around and flatten once more by the mysterious man’s body. Instinctively, her hands shot to his shoulders. Maker, he was tall. At least three if not four inches more than her. He was lean, his muscles stretching the fabric of his tunic. “What are-.” The rest of her question was muffled against his hand. She couldn’t quite hold back her gasp, one of surprise with a hint of desire, the moment he buried his face in her throat. What in Thedas was this man thinking?
He caught her fist in his large hand, pinning it above her head. “Play along, my dear Seeker,” He whispered against her skin. “We’re less likely to draw attention as two lovers than two spies.”
Lovers! Cassandra bit into his hand, hard, earning her in return, a not to gentle nip at the tender flesh at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Maker, preserve her. A soft groan slipped past her guard. A heat, something she hadn’t felt for quite some time, began to pool in her belling making her curse herself to the fade and back. It’s been far too long since she’d been with a man.
Copper eyes flashed upwards, gleaming with mirth and excitement.
“It was nothing.” A new voice, harsher than the first, assured. “We must hurry. The trap is set.”
Trap? Cassandra wondered. What type of trap? And for who?
“Where are the rest of our men?” The first voice demanded.
“On their way,” The second replied. “We had to wait for the guards to go back to Haven.”
The temple was defenseless? Surely there were still some stationed at the entrance. And the grounds weren’t completely empty. Many rooms were occupied by both mages and templars trying to prepare for the negations in the morning.
“You need to get help,” The mysterious stranger commanded.
“We should take them out now,” Cassandra insisted.
Copper eyes narrowed. “I can’t help but notice that you’re lacking your weapon, Seeker.”
Cassandra cursed. She’d forgotten about that. “And you?”
“Seeing how you were about to turn the Lyrium in my blood into liquid fire, I assume you know I don’t need a piece of steel to protect myself.”
She hesitated.
“You’re wasting precious time if you’re about to argue.”
Sighing, Cassandra nodded. “I’ll be back. Stay low if you can manage.” He caught her by surprise when he seized her by the arm, even more so, when he crushed his mouth to hers. The kiss was quick, hard, and mind-numbing.
His eyes shimmered in the dim light. “In case we don’t see each other again. Now, go!”
Cassandra took off, sticking to the shadows while keeping her steps light so not to make a sound. Part of her wanted to warn the people she saw, people she knew, but she didn’t know exactly what to warn them about. Something was happening. Something sinister and dangerous. She could feel it in her gut. She would need more than that to evacuate the entire temple.
Outside, the air burned her lungs as she skidded down the snowy path. Lights from Haven glowed brightly against the darkening sky. There were no guards on the path or bridge leading from the temple sending up red flags. They had pairs stations all down the mountain and now they were gone.
Where were they?
The question fled from her mind as a loud crack filled the air. Whirling around, Cassandra saw a bolt of green light bursting down from the sky hitting the heart of the temple. Next came the explosions, followed by the shockwave that began to its destructive ripple down the mountain. Then there was nothing but blackness as Cassandra was blasted off her feet.
00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Cassandra awoke to a deep ache in her bones, accompanied by the mother of all headaches. Fighting the heaviness of her limbs, she reached up, fingers brushing the gash streaking across her right cheekbone. Focusing on her surroundings, she realized that’s when she was in the quarters, she shared with Leliana back at Haven. Her brows knotted. How did she get back here? She searched her clouded mind. The last thing she remembered was the mage than the explosion.
“Justina.” Springing up in bed, Cassandra cried at the pain shooting up her left side. She gingerly poked at her ribs and found her armor gone.
“Easy now, Cassandra.”
Her gaze shifted to the redhead moving to her side. Cassandra could tell by the heavy bag beneath the Spymaster’s eyes that things were bad. “How long have I been out?”
“Two days. You got caught in the shockwave in the explosion.” Emotions flooded Leliana’s voice. “It was a miracle we even found you. There was so much destruction.”
“The Most Holy?”
Leliana’s gaze dropped.
Tears burned the back of Cassandra’s throat. “Maker have mercy on her soul. I can’t… This is… Gone.” That meant all those people she decided not to warn were dead. Suddenly sick to her stomach, Cassandra scrambled out of bed, making it to the chamber pot in times before her stomach emptied.
Dampening a cloth in the wash bin, Leliana crossed the room and knelt beside the Seeker. “We don’t know what happened.” She pressed the cool cloth to the warrior’s neck. “People recall a pulse of green light before the temple shattered and the sky tore open.”
Cassandra braced herself against the pot. “Tore open?”
“We’re calling it the breach,” Leliana softly explained. “Whatever caused the destruction at the temple also ripped on the vail to the fade. Demons have been falling from the sky and there are smaller rifts scattered around the temple.”
“But how?” Cassandra thought back to right before the explosion. To the magic that didn’t feel right and the mage in the shadows.
“No one knows.”
Cassandra glanced up. “Were there any survivors?”
“One. Once Cullen and his men made it to the ruins, a rift appeared and a man fell out.”
“Of the Fade?”
“So, it would seem.”
“Has he said anything?”
Leliana shook her head. “He’s been unconscious. He had this strange mark on his hand. It almost matches the tare in the sky. Solas confirmed that two are connected.”
After listening to Leliana explain Solas’s hunch and how he stabilized this ‘anchor’ to keep it from killing the sole survivor, Cassandra stood on shaky limbs. “I want to see him.”
“There is no point, Cassandra. The man is unconscious and you’re lucky to be alive yourself. The healer said you had massive internal bleeding, not to mention, they had to reassemble your shattered leg.”
The room began to spin. “I’m fine.”
“I would be inclined to believe you if you said that with even an ounce of confidence.”
Cassandra fought Leliana’s logic. “I need to see this prisoner.” Her voice hitched and tears started to fall. “I need to do something.”
“I know.” Leliana helped the Seeker lay back down. She wrestled from a moment, though adding to her friend’s grief was the last thing she wanted, Leliana didn’t want Cassandra to hear the news from someone else. “You need to know. Galyen hasn’t returned.”
Cassandra’s head shot up. “What?”
Tears filled Leliana eyes. “I’m sorry, Cass. He’s been counted among the dead at the temple.”
Heart aching, Cassandra turned her face into her pillow, muffling her sob. Grief overwhelmed her. Not only did she lose a woman she respected and admired, but she also lost the only man she’d ever love. granted, they hadn’t been anything more than friends in years he was still her first and therefore would always have a piece of her heart. Cassandra felt the mattress dip as Leliana climb into the bed, carefully gathered her close so they could grieve together.
The next morning, Cassandra ignored the healers warning, downed on her armor and set out to assess the damage herself. Everything seemed to be in chaos. Leliana informed her that Cullen and his men were posted up the mountain near one of the ‘rifts’, fighting relentlessly the demons that kept spilling out. Cassandra sprung into action. It was the only way to block out the heaviness of sorrow over the death of the two people she loved dearly.
People needed guidance. Order. Cassandra was quick to provide both. Setting patrols, sending relief for Cullen, and rearrange a more efficient triage for the large amount of wounded. The first day passed in a blur. Cassandra didn’t allow herself even a moment of rest. Not when there was more to be done.
“Cassandra.” Leliana found her on the third day after the explosion outside the main gates of Haven, pulling the Seeker from her in-depth conversation with Cullen’s second in command. “The prisoner is stirring.”
Cassandra handed the clipboard off to Rylen. “As soon as you get your unit together, head to the Commander’s position.”
Clicking his heels together, Rylen saluted before rushing off.
With renewed energy helping suppress the pain from still healing body, Cassandra gripped the hilt of her sword. “Let’s go.” She fell in step beside Leliana. “Do we have any idea who this man is?”
The Spymaster shook her head. “All we know is that he is a mage.”
Cassandra faltered for a moment. “A mage?”
“But Solas doesn’t believe that his magic is what caused the explosion or the Breach.”
“Are we any closer to figuring what did?”
“Solas and Varric took off for the temple to further our investigation.” At the cellar, Leliana motions for the two guards to stand down.
Anger surging, Cassandra kicked open the door with enough force it cracked the stone it crashed into. A man, shackled and kneeling in the center of the room, grunted as a green light sparked from the palm of his left hand. Inching closer, she found the man to be on the tall side with his fair share of muscles with a thick mane of hair comprising of a mixture of several multitude shades of brown and gold. She’d never seen anything like it. “Who are you.”
The man’s head jerked up at the sound of his voice.
Cassandra became rooted to the spot the moment his copper gaze found hers. Instantly, she recognized him as the mage from the temple, the one she thought surely had died in the explosion. All of her hatred she harbored for the sole survivor seemed to dissolve in an instant. Cassandra knew nothing of the man kneeling the in center of the room, shackled, with a green glow streaking across his palm. Yet, she found herself positively staggered by the pair of copper eyes staring at her.
The prisoner perked up, trying to stand only to be roughly shoved back to his knees by a nameless guard. “Seeker, you’re alive.”
Leliana watched the pair with great interest. “You know this man?”
“Not really. I-.” Cassandra tapered off before her voice could betray the turmoil inside her. She didn’t know him, but there was something pulling at her, pulling her closer to him and finding a sense of familiarity. Cassandra couldn’t quite explain or truly begin to describe the feeling. What she could admit was she found herself relieved to see that he was alive. “He was at the temple. The night of the explosion.”
Leliana’s demeanor changed, becoming hostile as her hand twitched over the hilt of her dagger. “He was there?” She demanded wanting the verbal confirmation before she unleashed her furry.
Cassandra found herself standing between her closest friend and the mage prisoner. “He was. Wait!” She held up a hand to keep Leliana at bay. There was murder in the redhead’s eyes meant for man handcuffed behind her. And Cassandra couldn’t blame her. After all, he lived while the Divine had perished. “Leliana, don’t!”
He was there!” Leliana hissed. “And the only survivor. Don’t tell me it’s a mere coincidence he’s alive while everyone is dead.”
“There were others in the back room of the temple.” Cassandra defended unsure why she felt compelled to do so. What in Thedas did that mean? Shaking her head, Cassandra refocused on the more pressing matter at hand. “They were moving crates. It felt like Lyrium, but different. Wrong even.”
Leliana sneered. “And how do you know that this prisoner wasn’t part of that? That he wasn’t there to distract you while things were put into place?”
“Owein,” The man spoke sitting up taller on his knees. He didn’t need his staff to use his magic to free himself from the predicament he was in. Sadly, that wouldn’t do anything to credit him as a good guy. He caught Cassandra’s quick glance pleading with him to stand down. To allow her to help him. As hard as it was, Owein recalled his magic. “The name is Owein Trevelyan.”
“He saved my life by sending me for help,” Cassandra reminded hoping to reason with her fellow hand of the Divine. “If it was his wish to destroy the Conclave, destroy everything the Most Holy was working for and about to do, why didn’t he convince me to say so I perished to?”
“Need I remind you, Seeker, you nearly died buried under several feet of rubble,” Leliana reminded, her eyes darkening with each passing second. “That you surely would’ve succumbed to your injuries if we had not found you.”
Cassandra shifted, countering the rogue’s movements. Later, much, much later, Cassandra would try to unravel the mystery of her excessive need to protect Owein. “Only because I went back. I had to warn them. Warn Justinia.”
Owein sat back on his heels. “The Divine is dead?”
“If you think you can fake sorrow and surprise, you’re only fooling yourself,” Leliana grumbled unsheathing her dagger.
“I didn’t do this! I don’t know what this bloody thing is on my hand either!” Owein screamed in defense. He fought against his instinct to fight and allow the Seeker to protect him. “I remember sending the Seeker to get help. There were voices.” Pain exploding in his temple, he rubbed it hoping to ease the discomfort in order to focus on the muddled images in his brain. “A flash of green. Then I was running for my life in a place I’ve never seen. Running towards a woman.”
Cassandra whirled around. “What woman?”
Deflated, his shoulders hunched. “I don’t know. Whomever she was, she was trying to help me. Guiding me before there was nothing but blackness. Next thing I knew I woke up here.” Owein’s gaze found Cassandra’s once more. He had to convince her-no-needed her to believe him. To know that he had no part in whatever tragedy that happened. Seeing the glint of a blade, Owein scrambled back and onto his feet. Unfortunately, his shackles were attached by a chain that was anchored to the floor. “I didn’t do anything! For fuck’s sake, I don’t even know what happened.”
“Lair!” Leliana started to charge.”
“No.” Cassandra intercepted her friend taking Leliana firmly by the wrist. For a moment, she feared the rouge would fight her and after the last few days, that was the last thing Cassandra wanted. Emotions were running high. They needed to remain, as hard as it was, level headed. “Regardless of what may or may not have happened, we need him.”
Leliana sneered.
“That mark on his hand matches the one in the sky.” Cassandra disarmed Leliana and gently pushed her away. “Go to the forward camp, Leliana.”
“fuck that,” Leliana argued. “I won’t leave you in this mad man’s presence. I won’t-can’t risk losing you.”
Owein stopped fighting his restraints. “If it’s consolation to you, the last thing I want is to bring the Seeker harm.” Not even if it meant his chance at freedom. From the first moment he saw Cassandra, Owein felt an unprecedented need to protect her. Plus, he wanted to find out what was going on and what exactly he was being accused of.
Realizing the situation was escalating to a breaking point, Leliana took a reluctant step back. “And I’m supposed to believe simply because you gave me your word.”
Once against, Cassandra gravitated towards Owein. “I do.”
Leliana arched a brow.
Cassandra would have to sort all these feelings later. For now, they had more pressing matters to address. “He had ample opportunity to kill me the night before the explosion and didn’t act.” Handing the dagger back hilt first, Cassandra prayed to the Maker she wasn’t making a grave mistake. That she wasn’t allowing whatever was drawing her towards Owein to cloud her judgment. “Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will bring the pris-Owein.” Saying his name made her heart pound in her chest. “Along after I show him exactly what’s going on.”
Huffing in disagreement, Leliana sheathed her blade. “I hope I don’t have to stay I told you so or you don’t end up with a knife in your back.”
Neither did she, Cassandra silently thought. “Go. We’ll meet you up on the mountain.” Once they were alone, Cassandra turned on her heels, coming face to face with the mysterious mage. Maker, he was tall, so much so, she had to tilt her head back slightly to get a proper look at him. “Let me see your hands.”
Owein held out his cuffed wrists. “Do you believe that I have nothing to do with the explosion?”
Chewing on her bottom lip, Cassandra fished the key from her pocket. Something was telling that he hadn’t, but Cassandra struggled to truly accept that. “I don’t know,” She softly confessed, releasing the first cuff. “I do know you’re a mage and could’ve easily blasted your way out of here and to freedom the moment you awoke.”
Cocking his head to the side, Owein studied the woman’s stern expression. “And what does that tell you, Seeker?”
“Cassandra. My name is Cassandra,” She corrected unlatching the second cuff. “And that tells me one of two things. One, you’re simply biding your time to continue out whatever plan you started at the temple.”
“Or?”
“Or.” Cassandra found herself seeking his copper eyes. Wondering once again why she found a sense of familiarity in them. “You’re completely clueless to what is happening outside these doors.”
“And which do you believe, Cassandra?”
The sound of her name rolling in his Free Marcher accent mixed with an unplaceable one caused a shiver to start up her spine. As difficult as it was, Cassandra ignored it. Ignored him and the way she felt under his intense gaze. “Does it matter?”
“To me it does,” Owein stated. Actually, he was taken aback at how much her opinion of him mattered. He shifted closer, drawn to her just like the night in the temple. Why? Owein couldn’t say. What did it mean? He hadn’t the faintest idea.
“Come,” Cassandra bided without answering his question. “It’s time for you to see what has happened.”
Hand still bound by cord, Owein fell in step behind her, left one twitching painfully the closer they drew to the door. She took him through an entrance that he could tell wasn’t normally used, but concluded it was the fastest route out from the call. The man standing guard gave him a look of death before complying to the Seeker’s command to open the door.
Cassandra classed over her shoulder. “Stay closer.”
“Right behind-argh!” Owein was blinded by the bright sunlight. A harsh reminded that it had been quite some time since he stepped outside. Raising his hands to shield his eyes, he stopped short seeing the violent green clouds swirling in the sky. “What in the Fade is that?”
Cassandra curled her hand around the hilt of her sword. “People are calling it the Breach. It appeared right before the explosion, spewing demons out.”
“Wh-shit!” The mysterious mark attached to his palm came flaring to life, green light engulfing his hand as a searing pain radiated up his arms and bringing him to his knees. Bowing his head, Owein cursed, struggling to keep himself upright and now sprawling fast first into the snow.
Cassandra knelt in front of the prisoner, brows knotted in confusion, trying to recognize the language he was speaking. Even if she didn’t understand the words, she heard the pain lacing his voice. “Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads.” Cassandra fought the sudden urge to reach out to touch him. To comfort. Help him bare his pain. “It’s killing you.”
“Of course, it is,” Owein huffed, speaking common once again. His gaze latched onto hers. “What can I do?”
A frown crossed his face. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
“This thing, this mark.” He fished his left hand. “It can close the Breach?”
“In Theory.”
“Then take me to it.”
“Here.” Freeing the knife from her boot, Cassandra carefully cut the cord around the man’s wrists. She simply shrugged at his arched brow. “Hopefully, I won’t have to say I told you so to Leliana.”
With her assistance, Owein settled back on his feet. “I won’t hurt you, Cassandra.”
And for some unknown reason, she believed him. Once they closed the Breach, she would put effort into figuring out why. “The path back to the temple is treacherous. Demons have been raining down from the sky at an alarming rate.”
“Wonderful.”
“I know you can fight without one.” Cassandra found a staff near the main gate. She offered it to him. “No sense in sending you other there with no means to truly protect yourself.”
Owein carefully took it. “And how do you know I won’t use it to blast you and make a run for it.”
“I don’t,” Cassandra simply answered. “Then again you had a chance to do so before and yet here we are. Now, stay close and follow me. Are you a skilled fighter?”
Twirling the staff to check its weight, He sent her a cocky smile. “I can hold my own.”
“Good.” Cassandra took the shield from her back while ordering the gates to be opened. “I pray to the Maker we’ll make it to the forward camp. The demons are plentiful. If we don’t close the Breach soon, I fear-.”
“Then lead the way, my lady,” Owein insisted.