Haven, Kingdom of Ferelden, 9:41 Dragon
The Herald of Andraste and her entourage had departed for Val Royeaux to meet with the priestesses and attempt to convince them that the Inquisition represented the best chance to resolve the Breach crisis. As far as Cullen knew, they should already be on their way back to Haven by now.
He had just finished reading the report delivered by one of Leliana's agents. It concerned one of the two eyewitnesses who had survived a strange incident that had taken place nights earlier on the outskirts of Haven, in which Solas—the apostate mage and specialist in the forces of the Fade and the Veil—had slaughtered five templar soldiers under circumstances… difficult to explain.
Cullen now had both reports before him. One, written by Solas himself. The other, by Leliana's agent.
The agent described a mage protected by a magical shield, with a sphere of light hovering above his left shoulder. Solas, in turn, spoke of a spiritual barrier and a swirling volute. They matched. The agent also reported an initial templar assault consisting solely of brutal, blunt-force blows—without templar abilities—and apparently without intent to leave the target conscious. He wrote: "It is possible they intended to kill him. They were beating him severely." According to the report, the mage retaliated the instant the templars activated their abilities.
Solas confirmed the same sequence of events, adding that he had twice identified himself as a member of the Inquisition to his attackers. After sustaining an abdominal wound and suffering the disruption of his connection to the Fade, he claimed he had been forced to command his mana directly and unleash an arcane attack. He acknowledged that the amount of arcane force released had been excessive, but stated that—lacking personal experience with templar interference—he had chosen to expend the greatest possible amount of energy before being fully blocked, in order to escape. He also offered polite apologies, insisting he had never intended to kill anyone, much less cause trouble for the Inquisition.
Despite Solas's additional details, the accounts aligned.
And then came the problem.
Leliana's agent described a greenish vortex, glowing with "a light similar to that emitted by the rifts," which had enveloped the apostate and destroyed his attackers "in the blink of an eye." Solas, meanwhile, spoke of complex manipulation of the mana in his blood to maintain a portion of the Veil thin enough to absorb and redirect controlled arcane energy…
And that was precisely the issue.
If five templars had disrupted Solas's magic, it should have been impossible for him to connect with the Fade at all. So how, in the Maker's name, had he cast such a spell?
It was not blood magic. Cullen had been a templar; he knew the unmistakable traces such power left behind. Nor were there signs of demonic influence. There were, however, clear remnants of magic—a massive arcane detonation. Within those traces, Cullen had identified celestine and greenish luminescences, arcane residues unlike anything he had encountered in all his years of service to the Chantry.
Now he wanted answers. And Solas was not cooperating in the slightest.
Years within the Order had given Cullen a sixth sense for when something did not sit right with a mage.
And Solas… simply did not sit right.
The Council chamber door opened, and Leliana and Josephine entered.
- I have the final report of the investigation - Leliana declared, placing the stack of documents on the table. - Solas is innocent. Cassandra believes he acted in self-defense and confirms the absence of any signs of blood magic. It appears our apostate is not a maleficarum, despite the accusations.
Cullen remained silent, his gaze fixed on the two reports still in his hands.
- There is one detail I would like to raise, if I may - Josephine added gently once both of them looked up. - Our Herald of Andraste has been… very emphatic in defending him. Publicly, as well. And...
- She spent the entire day of the incident alone with him inside Cassandra's tent. - Leliana finished. - Are there already rumors about the two of them?
- Not yet. - Josephine replied. - But we must guide Elentari's behavior. The templar order has begun spreading the idea that they alone are capable of protecting the innocent from the Inquisition…
- From us? - Cullen interjected. - Have they lost their minds?
- Quite some time ago. - Leliana murmured.
- Our Herald performs admirably on the battlefield. - Josephine continued. - Her heart is in the right place, but she is… very elven… and far too arcane. If we want the support of Orlesian nobility, she must be better instructed in our customs.
- And in the Game. - Leliana added, naturally.
- Can we return our attention to Solas for a moment? - Cullen asked.
Josephine inclined her head. - What troubles you?
- How is it possible that an apostate could kill five templars after having his magic disrupted? I have never witnessed anything like it.
Leliana shrugged dismissively. - They were templars who did not consume lyrium. Their abilities may have been mediocre. They carried neither Order shields nor blades. They attacked him with common weapons. In any case, it is the templar blade that blocks arcane attacks—and one blade pierced him completely and nearly killed him.
- Yes, I know. - Cullen replied. - But there were five of them, Leliana. There should have been no circumstance in which Solas could command magic as he did. Your agent described a vortex surrounding him before the templars were thrown aside.
- Our specialist in the Fade is said to possess an exceptional talent for ice magic. - Josephine offered. - Perhaps it was fortunate that the incident occurred during a blizzard…
- Fortunate? - Cullen snapped. - Five templars are dead!
- Oh Cullen… - Leliana's sing-song voice signaled an incoming blow. - Who, exactly, keeps fixating on our apostate? The Commander… or the former templar?
- Don't start with that nonsense. - Cullen retorted. - Solas stood before us the very day of the explosion, offered his aid to the Inquisition, and has been instrumental to our progress. Yet he refuses to answer my questions.
Leliana smiled thinly. - I would be suspicious too if a former templar interrogated me and I were an apostate mage. Cassandra—a Seeker of Truth—has found nothing amiss. So tell me, what truly bothers you? His arcane skill, or the fact that he operates at the very edge of what the Chantry considers 'acceptable' magic?
- It is dangerous for any mage to test the limits of magic.
- That was what templars were for. - Leliana replied coolly. - And you are no longer one.
- And since when are you such a fervent supporter of free mages?- Cullen shot back.
- You have no idea how fervent. - she answered softly. - And since when? Since I met my closest friend during the Fifth Blight—a remarkable mage you know very well.
Cullen narrowed his eyes. Praianna, the Knight-Commander of Ferelden was a Circle mage, and the woman he fell in love.
Leliana turned to Josephine. - Speaking of which—how fare our relations with Orlais' most influential families, Josie?
Josephine smiled gracefully. - Very well. I have secured the support of four noble houses, negotiations are underway with three more, and I have requested Fereldan royal mediation to solidify the alliances.
- Has Alistair agreed to negotiate with Orlais?
- Queen Anora, rather. The King has not replied to any of my letters.
Leliana touched her chin thoughtfully. - How surprising. So if all continues as planned, an alliance with the templar faction may soon become reality.
- I have worked tirelessly to earn these relationships. - Josephine said proudly. - It has been meticulous work—but you know how much I enjoy that.
- If we convince ten of Orlais' most powerful families, the Lord Seeker will be forced to answer to the Inquisition. - Cullen concluded. - That will compel the templars to cooperate in closing the Breach.
- We still need to hear what the rebel mages have to offer. - Leliana added.
- Regarding that… - Josephine began. - Orlesian nobles are willing to support the Inquisition in honor of Andraste. I have allowed rumors to circulate regarding Elentari and her Mark—rumors claiming she is the Herald of our Prophet.
- Do you truly believe it wise to ally with the templars? - Leliana asked. - Thus far, the Chantry has openly opposed us. Yet if we do not, the Orlesian houses will turn their backs on us.
- They will not, if the Inquisition proves effective. - Cullen replied. - But yes—it will be far harder to win their favor, considering our Herald is a Dalish elf and an apostate mage.
- Well... - Cullen conceded. - ...my personal concern regarding Solas's arcane abilities is minor compared to the task before us. Our focus must be the Herald. Do you believe she will accept this? We are asking her to pretend to be someone she is not.
- She must choose which mask to wear—and wear it proudly, as we all do. - Leliana said.
- As you do. - Cullen countered quietly.
- In her position, she has no such luxury. - Leliana replied. - It is dangerous for her—and for the Inquisition—to reveal herself fully. Elentari must be the Herald of Andraste if this is to work.
- Perhaps she already is. - Josephine murmured. Leliana nodded.
- Not perhaps. - Leliana corrected. - She is. Her beliefs simply blind her to the truth. Elentari is exactly what we need to make the world tremble.
- To close the Breach. - Cassandra interrupted, entering the chamber in worn, dirt-stained armor. The group had clearly just returned from Val Royeaux.
- Cass! How did it go? - Josephine asked.
- Disastrously. - Leliana answered before Cassandra could speak. The Seeker nodded. - One of my agents relayed the outcome. The Herald gained nothing from the priestesses, and the Lord Seeker behaved like a fool. The templars have abandoned reason—and the capital.
- At least Josie is proving her exceptional talents among Orlais' nobility. - Cassandra added. - Without her, we would be far worse off.
- Lord Seeker Lucius is not the man I remember. - Cassandra continued. - He has taken the templars somewhere. Leliana, we must locate them.
- Not all templars will support him. - Cullen said. - We can find information.
- Fiona approached us as we were leaving the capital. - Cassandra added. - She invited us to meet the rebel mages at Redcliffe.
- Then Elentari could simply seek out the free mages. - Leliana suggested.
- It is a possibility.- Josephine agreed. - They may be worth the risk.
- The mage rebellion could be ten times worse! - Cullen protested. - We have already seen what a single apostate is capable of...
- And here we go again. - Leliana muttered. - Cassandra, would you kindly remind Cullen that Solas is not a maleficarum?
- I never said he was! - Cullen snapped.
- Solas does not practice blood magic. - Cassandra affirmed calmly.
- I know that—but... - Cullen exhaled sharply and waved the subject away.
- The mages promise power. - Cassandra said. - But they are more desperate than they realize. I still believe one of them may be responsible for the Conclave.
- We could say the same of the templars. - Josephine replied diplomatically. - Either way, we currently lack the influence to contact the Order safely. Give me time—and that will change.
- On that note... - Cassandra said. - ...the Herald has been invited to a gathering at Duke Bastien de Ghislain's chateau...
- Oh, an excellent opportunity for... - Josephine began.
- For me to handle. - Leliana cut in smoothly.
- Of course, Lel. - Josephine smiled. - You are exquisite at playing the Game.
Leliana returned the smile—enigmatic, sharp, and full of intent.