Dragon Age Inquisition: In a Hopeless Place

Chapter One

Waking up never felt so horrible. Agony raced through every part of her body. Her bones were aching, her muscles were cramping, and it felt like fire was running through her veins. Only pain registered in her mind.

Well pain and an eerie green glow.

Miklo Lavellan, barely 21 winters, a Dalish Elf halla keeper, alone, and chained sitting up?

Miklo slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the fuzziness lurking in her vision. Keeping her head down low, she quickly glanced about her surroundings. A cell. A cold, leaking cell. Four armed guards were surrounding her, their swords drawn and trained on her. She attempted to lift her hands up in a placating gesture but was quickly stopped by the manacles strapped onto both of her wrists. As she looked back down at her hands she noticed she was still wearing her dark maroon hunting tunic but she couldn't feel the comforting weight of her halla horn daggers on her back.

Flashes of memories flew through her mind. She awakens, lying on the ground. She stands and looks around, lifting her hand to shield her eyes from the odd mixture of green fog and dirt blowing about. She spots a female figure made of white light at the top of a stone staircase beckoning her forward. Without a second thought she walked over to the staircase and just as she began to climb it; low hissing sounds reached her ears and she turned to see giant spiders scurrying towards her. She ran to the stairs, frantically climbing up to where the glowing figure was reaching out for her. Their hands nearly touched when Miklo fell forward and knew no more.

"What?" She croaked out in confusion, snapping out of her vague memories. She closed her eyes trying hard to remember how she had gotten there when a burst of pain erupted in the palm of her left hand. "AH!" She cried out in pain. Her eyes flew open to see an odd green glow, crackling from a large gash in the center of her hand.

The cell door flew open and the odd glowing dulled. Miklo looked up to see two Human females strode into the room. The first one had very short raven black hair and amber eyes that burned brightly. A long scar partially marred the left side of her face and there was a smaller scar on her right cheek. She wore dark armor that had the symbol of an eye on her chest. The other woman looked to have red hair; though it was partially hidden by a hood, and electric blue eyes. Both women were terrifyingly beautiful.

The dark haired one slowly circled her as the redhead approached her directly. The amber eyed woman leaned down, close to Miklo's ear.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now?" Miklo flinched slightly at the venom in the woman's voice. She couldn't help but notice that the woman had an accent she had never heard before. Beautiful and dangerous; much like the woman herself appeared to be.

"The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who had attended is dead, except for you." She ended up in front of the girl.

Miklo hesitantly looked up into the woman's eyes and was instantly captivated. It took a moment for her to respond but then her question sank in. The Conclave. Dead? The Temple…

"W-what do you mean everyone is d-dead?"

The dark haired woman surged forward, grasping Miklo's arm and shoving into her face.

"Explain this!" She growled as the hand briefly burned bright with that odd green glow. She flung the appendage away in disgust.

"I-I can't." She couldn't help but stutter as she looked down at her hand What is this?

"What do you mean you can't?" The woman questioned as the redhead joined her partner in circling around her. The hooded woman studied the elf closely, reading the genuine confusion and fear in the girl's body language.

"I-I don't know what that is or how it g-got there." The elf answered.

The dark-haired woman surged forward grabbing Miklo's collar. "You're lying!"

The redhead moved forward and grasped the other woman's arm, pulling her back. "We need her Cassandra." She spoke in a low, firm voice.

Miklo looked between the two women, confused and fearful. "I don't understand. The Conclave is dead?"

The redhead approached her, "Do you remember what happened? How this all began?" She stared down at the elf.

Miklo couldn't help but shrink away slightly at the intensity of her stare. She vaguely noticed the woman's accent was different from the one she now knew to be Cassandra, whom had begun to circle her once more. "I-I remember…visiting the Temple of Sacred Ashes. There-there w-was a loud bang and-and then I-I was running. Giant spiders were c-chasing me and then… a-a woman surrounded by a white g-glow, she was reaching for me."

The hooded woman straightened up at that and exchanged a look with Cassandra. "A woman?"

Feeling an ache in her back, Miklo sat up straight as she answered. "She r-reached out to me, but then…I-I fell? I don't…I don't remember."

Cassandra felt a slight twinge in her chest at the look of pure confusion in the girl's eyes. Green eyes pleaded for them to understand. She turned to move in front of the redhead. "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift."

The redhead now known to Miklo as Leliana nodded and turned to exit the cell.

Miklo turned to look up at Cassandra, once more feeling her breath catch at the terrifying beauty in front of her. "Um I'm s-sorry but what-what did happen?"

Cassandra leaned down and pulled Miklo to her feet. She quickly replaces the manacles with rope. "It will be easier for me to show you." She guided Miklo towards the door.

A thought hit and Miklo froze where is Leo and Lani? "Wait?" She flinched when Cassandra whirled around to face her with a frown on her brow. "I'm sorry, but I c-came to the conclave with my brother and sister. H-have you seen them?"

Cassandra's expression softened, "I'm sorry but I don't know of any other elves being seen at the conclave. If they were there when the conclave was destroyed, then they surely would have been found by now."

Miklo felt her heart sink but had no time to process before Cassandra began to guide Miklo outside. The young elf looked up to see a gaping fissure in the sky. "What is that?" She said out loud in wonder.

Cassandra briefly looked back at her. "We call it the Breach. It's a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour. It's not the only one out there; it's just the largest so far. All were caused by the explosion at the conclave."

Miklo looked at the dark-haired woman, "What's a rift?"

"It's a portal between our world and the fade. It is where demons remained, until now." Cassandra answered.

Miklo's dark green eyes were wide with awe. "An explosion can do that!? Really?!"

Cassandra nodded, "This one did and unless we act, the breach may grow until it eventually swallows the world."

The Breach swelled and Miklo's hand flared up again, bringing her to the ground with a cry of pain.

Cassandra couldn't help but soften slightly as she kneeled down before the girl. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads… and it is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this but there isn't much time."

Miklo looked back up at Cassandra with pain in her eyes. "You say it-it may be the key. T-to doing what?"

"Closing the Breach, whether that's possible is something we will find out soon enough. It may be our only chance, however." Cassandra looked into the girl's eyes.

Miklo takes a deep breath, "Okay, I think I understand. I'll do what I can, whatever it takes."

Cassandra smiled slightly and helped Miklo to her feet, slowly escorting her through the village.

Miklo's heart sank when she caught sight of the faces of the humans around her. Angry, scornful glowers followed her as she followed Cassandra. She wasn't a stranger to scornful looks but it didn't mean she was immune to them.

Taking note of the villagers' responses to the elf behind her, Cassandra felt a twinge of sympathy for the girl and spoke up. "They have decided your guilt, they need it. The people of Haven mourn our Most Holy, Divine Justinia, head of the Chantry. The Conclave was hers; it was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together and now, they are dead." She sighed as the guard manning the gates gave Miklo a sharp glare before opening it. "We lash out, like the sky but we must think beyond ourselves, as she did. Until the breach is sealed." The amber eyed woman turned back to Miklo and pulled out a dagger. "There will be a trial. I can promise no more. "

Miklo flinched before realizing Cassandra was merely cutting the ropes binding her hands. Cassandra turns back to look up at the sky, walking away. "Come, it is not far."

Miklo followed once more also looking up at the large breach. "Um w-where are you taking me?"

Cassandra continued forward. "We have no idea what your mark can do. It needs to be tested on something smaller than the Breach."

What a mess Miklo sighed as she followed the woman.

This day just keeps getting better and better.

A/N: Hi there, so this is the first fic I have ever written so please be patient with me. I may make mistakes here and there but hopefully I will get better over time. I hope you all enjoy this slow burn tale of love and war.