The Maker, the Gods, and Fehn Harellan

Authors note: This was written because the ending of Dragon Age Inquisition left me feeling empty and full of questions. I did not see my inquisitor becoming weak and completely heartbroken after Solas leaves. I see her as being more inquisitive and concerned with the reason why it happened. I also think Solas is a utilitarian, who puts the needs of many over his own. He also is very guilt-ridden about something that has done, and he feels as if it is his duty to fix it.

This is why he cannot be with the inquisitor. This is also why he tells her "maybe in a different life" they could be together.

This scene takes place after Lavellan, the female inquisitor, defeats the Elder One. Solas disappears, leaving behind a distraught inquisitor who wants answers. In order to come to terms with Solas's disappearance, Necia Lavellan pours herself into the rebuilding of the world and searching for answers in the Fade. This leads her to the past that has been long forgotten by the elves, and to a past that even Solas does not remember. The world change again as the inquisitor is thrown into an old war that predates the Dread Wolf's trickery.

Chapter One: The Forgotten

It has been five years since Necia Lavellan had last seen Solas.

The ache of his disappearance had never quite left her heart, but she had done well to heed his words and become stronger. She sharpened her sorrows and anger into a sharp blade that created a fiery resolve within her when she finally came to accept that Solas was never going to return to her side. With it, she had rebuilt the world and heralded in a new era of peace and order with her comrades.

But there were times she felt tired, weak, and worn down by the responsibilities created by the glowing green archor of power on her hand. Rebuilding towns hit by the rift, rebuilding the Chantry and creating peace between the mages and Templars was a full time job. It was a thankless task.

Necia Lavellan let out a small groan as she threw herself onto her bed. Her body ached, but her mind refused to let her sleep. The small golden skinned elf closed her eyes, her long dark lashes gently touching her skin as her fatigue drew her into a deep slumber.

'Oh, I really shouldn't forget to drink the potion.'

Sighing, she opened her golden eyes.

She had been haunted by dreams. There were times she was unable to distinguish what was real and was just a dream. Memories of Solas haunted her in her dreams as well as the various terrors she had felt while facing the Elder one. The potion was concocted by a world renowned Dalish herbalist who assured her that it would enable to have both a restful and dreamless sleep.

She dragged her tired body towards her desk where a bottle of purple liquid gleamed at her enticingly. A knock interrupted her.

"Inquisitor!"

A small sigh escaped from Necia's lips as she brought up her index fingers to massage the oncoming headache that was slowly forming in her temple.

"Cassandra?"

Necia recognized her comrade's voice immediately.

"I'm sorry for intruding, but I think there is something that might interest you."

The sound of the door swinging open and the heavy footfall of her armored Seeker friend alerted Necia to Cassandra's disregard for her bedtime.

"It's really late Cassandra. Can't this wait?" Necia asked with a sigh. She threw herself onto the comfortable velvet arm chair that faced the fireplace.

"I know we had a long day and that you're probably tired from quelling the small group of rebel apostates, but you will want to hear this. Trust me."

The animated sound of on her friend's voice drew Necia's attention, prompting her to turn around.

"Oh?" Necia replied with raised eyebrows. She tucked an unruly dark black lock that escaped from her braid behind her ear. "I'm interested. Tell me more."

"I know you've been doing some research on rifts, the fade, and magic in general… despite not being a mage." Cassandra paused, "You are a paradox in itself however… due to your rift magic abilities."

Cassandra pointed to Necia's hand.

"…I guess what I am trying to say is that we have found something that might be of interest to you. Cole found it during our battle with the apostates. It seems as if they were looking for something."

Necia felt the fog of tiredness instantly dissipate as she felt a sudden thrum of excitement run through her.

"You can wait to see it tomorrow. It is very late after all." Cassandra said with a small smile. She crossed her arms, knowing that sleep was the last thing that on Necia's mind.

"I am fine Cassandra. I... I can't even begin to thank you." Necia replied breathlessly as she rushed towards the door.

"Thank Cole. The scrolls are located at the study." Cassandra called after her.

Excitement thrummed through Necia as she made her way towards the study. Cole stood there, looking at her with a rather pleased look on his face.

"Heart thrums with excitement. Answers. There can be answers. Quickened breath and hope. Faith."

"Cole." Necia stated breathlessly, excitement shining in her eyes. "What is it that you found?"

The pale boy handed her scrolls wrapped in silk.

"Careful. They are delicate. Old. Forgotten."

"I will be careful. Cole… thank you." Necia replied, a gentle smile crossing her face as the spirit boy brightened with her words of thanks.

"Only want to help. Make you happy. You've been working hard to forget. It hurts. We all hurt. Him especially."

"Cole." Necia interrupted, a sudden flinty look crossing her golden eyes as she regarded him with a look of disbelief. "By him, do you mean…"

"Ah. Didn't mean to talk. Promised not to. I was only trying to help. To communicate. To figure out why for you. I apologize."

"No need. He has made it clear that he 'once' cared about me and that he wants to walk his path alone. I need answers, not him by my side. I want to know why."

She took in a sharp breath as a familiar anger sparked within her heart, sharpening her blade of resolve again.

"He never answers questions, but he underestimates my abilities and curiosity. Until I know my answer and understand, I will not let up my quest to understand the significance of the orb. I will not let up in answering the questions he left unanswered."

"You lie. Your heartbeat speeds up. Anger returns. You are looking for him and confronting him. You seek answers to see if his actions are justified. Or perhaps you are blaming yourself and seeking redemption. You are doubtful, unsure."

"Stop it Cole." Necia said rather flatly. She was starting to feel a bit raw and sensitive. Cole's ability to read emotions started to fray her nerves and was dampening her excitement. "I've done well on my own for the last five years. I rarely think of him."

"Lies. You think of him every day but never show your pain. But we all know. We care. You drink potions so he would stop haunting your dreams. You feel weak, yet you are strong."

"Stop. I can't do this right now Cole." Necia said tiredly as she walked away from her friend. "I know you are trying to help. But I need to believe that these answers will help this pain disappear. Understanding might be my only path to redemption and freedom."

The room was just like how he had left it. The beautiful murals decorated the walls, haunting her. Memories flowed into her, stinging like antiseptic herbs against fresh cuts and wounds. The familiar table that she often saw Solas leaning over in deep thought and study stood alone, in the center of the room.

"Hello, emma lath." Necia whispered in the empty room as she touched her bare face that once had a Vallasilin etched into it. She remembered the moment well.

It broke her heart whenever she thought of it.

But she steeled herself.

Necia unwrapped the ancient scrolls, carefully handling the fragile pages. Its tattered ends were faded and worn with age. She knew she would get no sleep tonight.

'This is written in ancient elvish.'

Frustrated groans of escaped her lips as she bowed her head in defeat.

'Who can help me? Who else, other than Solas, can read this text in its entirety?'

A startling revelation hit her.

'Solas was able to obtain answers from spirits in the fade. He traveled through memories and dreams… perhaps…'

She was not a mage. However, as Cassandra stated, she was a paradox. She had entered the fade physically before and had conversed with Solas in her dreams. Her archor granted her access to magic.

"My answer, inquisitor, is no."

The elegant Orlesian regarded Necia with a stony look of disapproval. Her dark lips were pursed in extreme aggravation.

"The fade is dangerous for mages. It is even more dangerous for you, despite your ability to enter and close rifts. You possess a strange magic, but it will not protect you from demons while you are there."

"But I am sure that those scrolls have something important in them. Something lost."

"If you are using such ancient and lost knowledge to pursue that elven apostate, I will firmly advise you to stop. We are doing much good here. We must not lose sight of our goals."

"Vivienne! This is a favor, from a friend." Necia implored, following the Orlesian as she reorganized various spell books on her bookshelf.

"Necia."

Vivienne rarely used her name to speak to her.

"As a friend, I advise you to forget Solas and enjoy what we have here. The fade is dangerous. It takes years of training in order to enter the fade without becoming an abomination. You might get lost if you have no idea where you want to go and how you are going to get to it."

"I know you care for me Vivienne. We went through a lot together. I have done my duty for the mages, Templars, my people, and for everyone here. I need closure."

"You just need another man to warm your bed." Vivienne replied curtly, waving her elegant fingers in an exaggerated motion to point out the lack of romance in Necia's life. "You have a warden and a Templar who dote on you, yet you ignore them."

"D-dote… Blackwall and Cullen are my friends." Necia clamored, feeling a bit vulnerable at the mention of her two comrade's feelings towards her.

"Forgive me. Being loved is a tough burden. I do not understand why you chase after something that does not love you."

Vivienne's eyes softened as she realized her words may have been too sharp on her friend.

"Fine. I will help you. Any consequences for your actions will be on your head. I will kill you, inquisitor, with no hesitation if you are possessed by a demon."

A sense of hopelessness drowned him. The fade offered comfort, but he was not sure anymore. Was any of this real? Which one was the truth, and was he wrong?

In a moment of weakness, Solas had visited Necia in her dreams, hoping to catch a glimpse of her life, her dreams, and her light. Instead he was greeted with tears, heartbreak, and terror.

"Don't leave me ma vehnan!"

Her words cut him deeply as he watched, unnoticed, in her dreams. The night that he disappeared without a goodbye as he clutched the broken shards of the orb of destruction repeated itself in her dreams.

Were they dreams? They seemed more like nightmares, and he was the root of them.

He had tried to alter the dream into something more pleasant, but he realized that Necia's acceptance and hurt from their parting kept him from softening her dreams for her.

"Solas. You are not really there. This is a dream."

Ah. She had always been really bright. Even in dreams he was not able to fool her completely.

"What do you mean?" He would reply, trying to alter her mind to forget, just briefly, that they had parted.

"Emma lath, you cannot fool me. You are but a memory of what once was. It brings me sadness instead of happiness."

"I am sorry. What we had, it was real." Solas replied sadly.

"I must wake up." Necia replied, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

The dream ended quickly after she uttered that phrase.

Then, one day, she stopped dreaming.

He noticed that her presence had completely disappeared, and once again, he was completely alone.

'This is for the best.'

He was a selfish being after all. He was a trickster, a dishonorable god, he was the dread wolf. The dread wolf could not afford the luxuries of love and a normal life. He was no hero, and he was definitely not a man worthy enough to stand next to the Herald of Andraste.

He should have never started a relationship with Necia, knowing full well that he could not be with her. He could not give her what she wanted.

'I tricked her. It started off as mere fun to relieve tension and ended in terrible agony.'

Still, she could not shut him out completely. He still traveled through memories, exalting in her victories as she rebuilt cities and healed old wounds. He smiled at her proudly, standing among the civilians who cheered and celebrated the many victories of a Dalish elf.

It was a glorious sight to behold. It has been a very long time since his people have been celebrated for any of their achievements.

Solas slowly opened his eyes, wincing as the bright sun stung his eyes.

It had been five years since he had left her.

The soft rustling of the trees being rustled by the wind soothed his aching soul.

"There must be something." He muttered to himself, knowing full well that he had wasted an entire day watching his vehnan make history instead of searching for an alternative power source to regain his power.

"Why have we destroyed all that made us who we are?" He asked himself as he looked up into the sky. "Why can't I find a single relic of power that has not been destroyed by my foolishness?"

The Dalish elves and city elves knew nothing of their past and power. They remembered nothing of what used to be. Everything had been destroyed due to his folly. He had to fix it, but he no longer had the power.

'Solas.'

'It is you again, dear friend. Why do you continue to seek answers from me?' Solas asked tiredly as he heard a familiar voice whisper into his mind.

'I wanted to help her. I think I did. But I am sorry, I told her we talked. Anger. Doubtful. She is upset at you.'

'That is not surprising. I have to be alone. I am not meant to be with her, at least in this lifetime.'

'Pain. I am sorry.'

'Please stop contacting me Cole. I do not wish to hurt you nor… Necia. It is better to forget.'

'I… do not understand. You've already hurt her. Is there more pain that you are bringing?'

'I cannot answer that Cole.' Solas said rather firmly. 'My actions and consequences may have Necia hate me. But I must pay for my sins.'

Solas quickly shut Cole out, unable to tell him any more in fear that it would reveal who he really was. He was quite sure Cole had some understanding of who he was, but he did not want to solidify this belief for him.

'I need to focus. Where are the remaining relics? How much farther must I venture into the past?'

He closed his eyes once more and fell into a deep slumber. He was quickly faced with another disturbance once he entered the world of memories, dreams, and spirits.

"Someone is here ma falon." A spirit whispered as he journeyed into the fade.

"Another mage? Which mage would venture out so far into the past?" Solas asked, curious. "What do they want?"

The spirits soft pink aura washed over him as he turned towards her. She shook her head, unable to answer him.

"All that I know is that she is new here ma falon. She has no ill-intentions, just questions."

"Thank you, spirit of peace. I will speak to you later."

The pointy eared elf tilted his head in confusion, as the fade that he was currently accessing was of a certain forgotten moment in ancient elven history.

'Who else remembers?'

The birds chirped around him as he made his way through the greenery. The cheerful chatter of the ancient elves speaking in long lost tongues filled the air.

'Ah… the home of my people.' He thought, looking around for a face that did not belong.

Who he saw made him gasp for breath and hide behind the cart of pelts that an elven woman was selling. Luckily, memories continued as they did for years and were not affected by travelers. She did not notice him.

A familiar slender figure walked towards the small town. She was tiny, yet she held herself with confidence and power. Her dark hair brushed along the top of her shoulder and was tucked behind her pointed ears. Her golden eyes looked about her in wonderment.

Her face was bare.

'Necia.'

To be continued…

Next Chapter:

Solas watches curiously, watching as Necia searches in this particular memory for something. She keeps walking through the fade and draws the ancient spirit of memories with her archor. There, he realizes she is trying to learn the original ancient dialect of the elves in order to read an ancient text that he has no knowledge of. He can't help but approach her in the fade to inquire about her curiosity and to satiate his own curiosity.