Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to Valora's "escape." This is some time after the destruction of Haven, approximately two months before the Inquisition's appearance in Halamshiral. Yes, this is a Colemance fiction, so he will come in soon. This is my first fanfiction that I have taken seriously, so I hope you like it. Don't be afraid to leave a review. I'm already stoked with all the attention this story has gotten so far, and I'd be even more grateful if you review, favorite, or follow! This chapter is a bit dark; I hope you like tragedy.

Disclaimer: BioWare owns Dragon Age and everything affiliated with the franchise. I'm just here to make them smooch and fight.

Chapter One: Escape

Those who oppose thee
Shall know the wrath of heaven.
Field and forest shall burn,
The seas shall rise and devour them,
The wind shall tear their nations
From the face of the earth,
Lightning shall rain down from the sky,
They shall cry out to their false gods,
And find silence.

-Andraste 7:19

x

We have to get out of here.

Valora repeated these words in her head as if they were the only ones she had ever known. She was positioned on the cold floor of a cage, head tucked to her knees as she rocked herself back and forth. Her coppery hair was matted with blood and dirt, light skin bruised from head to toe as she lost hope of escaping with every painful second that passed. Although she was surrounded by others – family and friends, in fact – she had never felt so alone.

Her sister reached out to her, placing a trembling hand on her shoulder as if she could transfer any comfort she had to Valora. Other than Valora, her sister was the only one in the small cage with her. The rest of her family and friends were captive in similar cages grouped in a large circle around a fire with numerous hooded figures surrounding the flames. These hooded assailants were the ones who captured nearly everyone from the alienage in Denerim.

"We're going to die, Ana," Valora breathed to her sister. The anguish was almost tangible in her broken voice. Anariel couldn't dismiss this truth, however. She knew as well as Valora that these would be their final moments together. The hooded figures had already entered five of the cages, followed by ghastly cracking noises, banging, and at least two blood-curdling screams. After what seemed like hours of this, the figures would drag the bodies of brutally beaten elves out of their cages and throw them in the massive fire.

There was no escaping death.

Anariel crawled up beside her sister with whatever strength her frail bones had left. They had been trapped in these cages for at least a week with hardly enough sustenance to keep their bodies operative. Valora finally raised her head to look at her sister, her normally bright and cheery green eyes replaced with dark orbs of pure despair. They were glazed over, red and puffy with tears that had long since dried up. She could not bear raising her head to see her parents or friends being torn away from their cage and tossed carelessly into the fire, so she had kept her head down for most of the captivity. The screams alone would be enough to sustain her misery until she met the cold hands of fate herself.

"We have to get away. We can't die like this, we –", Valora felt a painful lump in her throat at her words. They were meaningless. She knew they wouldn't get away, but she needed to hear something to give her hope, anything. Even if they wanted to escape, miles and miles of forest surrounded them. There was nothing that could be done.

Anariel hugged her elder sister close, never wanting to let go of this last moment of life with someone she loved. She wanted nothing more than for them to be okay, back at the Alienage with their parents, having a nice meal at their home which seemed like a distant memory now. They had always hated living at the Alienage, but now it seemed like their former life was a blessing. At least there they had some hope. Here, they knew they had no future to look forward to. There was nothing but a void, a bottomless pit of hopelessness buried deep within them both.

"At least we go together," Anariel spoke, her small voice racked with grief. At twelve years old, Anariel was always thoughtful and optimistic. She had seen the worst but always looked for the best, and Valora admired her for that. Valora, on the other hand, was six years older and was too wise and observant to be optimistic. She knew the ways of the world, and knew that there weren't many people with compassion; there weren't many places with peace. Ferelden was all but crumbling thanks to the war between the mages and Templars. Not to mention the big, gaping holes forming in the sky, unleashing hell upon the world. How could anyone be optimistic?

Valora managed a small smile at her sister as she leaned away to look her in the eyes. Her sister had the most beautiful eyes, a deep blue surrounded by a bright green. Her lashes were long and dark, her hair the shiniest chestnut brown she had ever seen, and Valora was suddenly regretful that she would never see her sister grown into the amazing woman she knew she would be. Valora took her sister by the hands, a reassuring smile forced upon her cracked lips. "No matter what, I'll always -"

BANG.

Both of the girls jerked violently and squealed in terror as they realized their cage door had been opened. Their wide, horrified eyes gazed at the hooded figure before them, a blunt weapon in one hand and a readied spell in the other. The figure turned to lock the cages door before emitting a sinister laugh. Oh, Maker, help us.

"Well, well, what a beautiful sight. Sisters, I presume?"

A woman's voice. Valora could hear a sickening amusement as the woman spoke, and neither of the elves could muster up the courage to answer her. They could only stare, dumb-founded as they knew what was to happen. "Don't you know it's rude to stare?" she growled at them, grabbing a hand full of Valora's hair and jerking until she heard the painful cries she desired from her prisoner. Anariel's eyes flashed and she jumped at the woman, a feeble spark of flames at her fingertips as she clawed at her face, tore at her robes. The woman let go of Valora's hair, hissing at the young elf as she swiped a burning nail across the mage's face.

"No!" Valora was too late, the woman blasted electricity from her palms and sent the young girl stumbling backwards, stunned. Valora immediately crawled toward her sister, grabbing her by the shoulders. Anariel convulsed with shocks throughout her body, but was still able to lift an arm to point a finger behind Valora. She didn't have time to react, however, and the woman grabbed Valora by the hair again, dragging her to the other side of the cage. She screamed out, one hand clawing at the woman's grip while the other reached out to Anariel.

"Such a bond you two have! I will quite enjoy breaking it," she hissed. She slung Valora against the hard wall of the cage and watched her body slump to the floor. Bringing her leathery hood back to reveal a devilish smirk, she turned her heel to face Anariel. In one movement, she drew a dagger and sliced her own palm, drawing blood. Valora's eyes raised at the sound of ripping flesh.

No, no, no.

Valora knew exactly what the woman was doing. She had read about blood magic, the most powerful and dangerous magic in existence. This was the magic that started the blight, the magic forbidden by Andraste herself. There was no good intention behind this magic, and Valora was all too aware of this as the blood of the mage swirled about in the air before striking. The crimson tendrils snaked around Valora's arms and legs, binding them together.

She couldn't move, gasping in pain as the tendrils hooked deep into her skin. Valora tried to move, but cried out as the tendrils dug deeper, ripping into muscle. The mage sheathed her dagger and approached Anariel tauntingly, waving the blunt weapon around in front of her. "Now, let's have some real fun, eh?"

A swing and a loud crunch left Anariel shrieking in pain. The mage had smashed one of her knees with the club, breaking her bones and leaving her leg twisted in an abnormal position. Valora's eyes bolted open at the sight of a bloody splinter protruding from the girl's knee. She tried to scream at the woman, but she was muffled as a deep red tendril secured itself around her mouth. The mage wanted her to watch, wanted her to hear her sister's agony. Anariel's screams were enough to send Valora's heart crashing into her chest, breaking into a million pieces. The mage only laughed.

A few moments that felt like an eternity later and the woman had all but broken every bone in the young elf's body before she took her by her bruised arms and headed toward the cage door. Valora was shaking violently, tears staining her cheeks and tattered clothes. Her heart felt as if it had been pierced through with a thousand arrows, left to bleed its anguish out into every part of her being. The mage had made her watch everything. The blood from her sister had been used to pull Valora's eyelids apart, forcing her eyes to stay wide open. There was no pain Valora hadn't felt in those moments of watching her little sister being beaten and broken, flesh torn and bruised, bones smashed to dust.

The older elf's vision was blurry, eyes burning as if they were on fire, heart in pieces residing within the deepest pits of her body. The girl she had loved more than anyone, the one she could tell all of her secrets to, the one who had always brightened up her day with just a smile – she was gone. She watched the life leave her sister's eyes with one final blow to the head. Valora would never forget the way her sister had reached out to her for help, eyes pleading for mercy, and she could do nothing but stare in stark horror. Valora knew this would never heal. Until her dying breath, this would be her final thought of Anariel.

As the mage pulled Anariel out of the cage and threw her into the fire, all of Valora's memories of her flooded into her mind. Twelve years of memories assaulted her mind at once, and she became numb. The smell of burning flesh permeated the air, sickening every sense she had left to feel. This will all be over soon. She had to remind herself that death would be her freedom, and it wouldn't be long until she joined her sister in the afterlife.

The mage reappeared in the cage, locking the door behind her and releasing the blood magic that bound Valora. Even so, the elf didn't move, couldn't look away from the fire that consumed her other half.

"That wasn't so bad, was it? Your turn!" The mage practically squealed with delight. When she saw the elf exhibiting no signs of fear, the woman forced Valora's chin up to meet her gaze. "You will answer me when I speak to you," she growled, face close enough for Valora to smell her rancid breath. The elf said nothing, but instead stared blankly into the face of her sister's murderer, her murderer.

SMACK!

The woman whipped her palm aggressively against Valora's cheek, earning a pained grunt from the girl. "It's no fun if you don't struggle! Fight back!" She sent another blow to Valora's other cheek, another grunt. She wasn't going to play into the mage's hands, wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of knowing how much pain she was in.

"You weren't this calm while I was breaking your sister's little ribs. It was so easy, like snapping a twig between –", a surprised screech escaped the mages lips as Valora wrapped her hands tightly around the woman's neck, snarling like a rabid dog. There was a fire like no other blazing in her eyes, threatening to turn the mage to ash. But unlike the woman in front of her, her power was weak and undeveloped, leaving the mage's neck with nothing but a few harmless blisters. With a hand placed on Valora's head, a loud shock sent her falling backwards instantly, shivering fiercely on the cold floor.

"That's more like it! Show me how much you hate me!"

The mage was enjoying the power, the control she had over a weaker being. The mage kicked a booted foot right in Valora's side, sending her curling in on herself with a shout. Fight back, the words echoed in her head over and over, taunting her. She wasn't sure what to do, but she was sure she made a bad move trying to fight a much more powerful being; it would only bring torture. She was doomed, and she lay there in pain accepting that fact. She would not fight back.

"You know, you're a bore. I'm done playing with you." The last thing Valora saw was the mage's club crashing down on her, and then complete darkness.

I'm dead. Is this what it's like to be dead? The Chantry sure does exaggerate this whole afterlife thing. The world around her started to brighten up, taking shape, but she was no longer in a cage in the wilds. She was on soft grass, the warm sun shining down on her lithe frame.

"What?" She sat up on the grass and looked around, but the only thing she could see for miles was a beautiful meadow. Flowers danced about in a warm, gentle breeze, giving Valora an overpowering sense of peace. "Where am I?"

"You're in a safe place," a voice startled Valora out of her initial calm. "You will not be harmed any longer."

The elf rose to her feet, turning to face the voice with no face to match. "Who are you?"

"I am a spirit, and I have been observing you for quite some time. I do not wish to see your life ended this way. I can help you," the voice said, gentle and comforting. It offered her life. Valora blinked, gaining focus on what was in front of her: a bright, spectral being. Her breath quickened, realization dawning on her in an instant.

"You're a demon! All of that blood magic must have drawn you here, you don't want to save me!"

"Ah, a wise girl is always cautious. This is what draws me to you. You see, I am a spirit of wisdom, and I can give you information that will save you and in turn, help you save this world. You are confused; let me explain. You have been taken by Venatori, sent to wreak chaos upon the land in confidence that the Elder One will succeed in his plans to create a new world. He will destroy this one in the process, and this is why you will help the Herald stop him," the spirit spoke in a monotone voice, but this information only confused Valora further.

"Herald? Why me? What are Venatori? Who is the Elder One? How can I stop him? What do you want from me . . . if I agree?"

"I want nothing from you, girl. I simply wish to save you, as you will be crucial in protecting this world. I am not of your world, however I do not wish to see it crumble at the hands of a madman. Wisdom will be vital to overpower the enemy. This world is lacking; you must live," it said, and with those words, it extended a bright palm to Valora.

Valora stared in wonder. She knew exactly what the spirit was offering, but was it telling the truth? As a mage, one had to be wary of predicaments like these. This spirit could be lying, could be a demon playing tricks with her mind. But, could it really help her live? She turned the thought over in her head a few times before slowly raising her hand towards the spirit's own, reluctance slowly fading. What else do I have to lose?

Valora grasped the spirit's hand, and gasped as she instantly felt power surge throughout every inch of her body. The spirit came closer, merging into her with purpose, bright light entering her body and glowing throughout her skin. Every measure of her being came to life with a brand new zeal, empowering parts of her she didn't know existed. Finally, the spirit was within her completely, causing her eyes to blaze brilliantly with white light. Her bruises lightened, her cracked ribs snapped back into place, and the fracture in her skull healed in an instant, bringing consciousness back to her body. Her shining eyes snapped open to reality, filling the air around them with light as Valora brought air into her lungs.

Valora's previously lifeless body had almost been pulled out of the cage by the woman when suddenly the elf pulled them both back in with a rush of anger. The mage's eyes widened, seeing Valora clear of any affliction and eyes shining brighter than the burning sun. The woman had to close her eyes, temporarily blinded. Valora took advantage of this, breaking free from the mage's grasp with a blast of force. As the woman stumbled about blindly, the elf took the woman's head between her hands.

"Give the Maker my regards," the elf spat. With that, she tapped into her newfound power and circulated a large portion of it into the palms of her hands, delivering electric bolts directly to the mage's skull. Valora growled, mad with power, gripping the mage's head tighter until she felt the flesh melt around her fingers. The woman screamed profusely, her eyes beginning to smoke and bulge. Valora snapped the woman's neck just as her eyes combusted, blood spewing away from the elf's face and onto the cage wall.

The spirit seemed to consume the death greedily, bringing even more energy to Valora's body. Her voice rasped in her head, snarling and grating with unadulterated rage. I want. . . to kill. . . them all! She dropped the woman to the floor before tearing the hooded cloak away from the dead body and placing them on herself as a disguise. She pulled the hood up to shelter her identity, and snatched the woman by the feet.

Dragging the mage out of what was formerly her prison, she marched towards the licking flames in the center of the encampment. She hauled her tormentor roughly by the heels, letting her grotesquely scorched head drag the rocky ground. Valora laughed wildly with a sudden rush of adrenaline, flinging the woman's body into the inviting flames before her. As she watched the mage's skin putrefy in the blaze, she growled with satisfaction. I will have you all. The other hooded figures surrounding the fire didn't seem to notice her through her disguise, believing she was one of their own. She seemed to play the part well enough. Daft maleficar. You will be mine.

Wrath engulfed every fiber of Valora's existence while she looked upon the blood-splattered cages. Any one of those could have belonged to her mother. Her friends. The anger built, causing her skin to take on a sickly green light as she approached the mages—the Venatori.

"Let them go," the elf seethed. Her voice resonated deafeningly, echoing her revulsion throughout the encampment. The Venatori—at least fifteen of them in line, discussing their next kill—turned to see who the ear-splitting voice belonged to. Valora brought the hood back to reveal her eyes, now overtaken with a green radiance that made the Venatori falter for a moment. Only a moment.

"One escaped! And an abomination at that!" a man proclaimed, stepping up to glower down at the elf. "Tell me, girl, who do you think you are to challenge us? How far you think you'll get before— Ach! "

Every mage raised their staff and readied their spells as the man's neck spun around, twisting and cracking, blood spurting from his veins as they were ripped away from his body. He fell, headless, at her bare feet.

Immediately the Venatori fired off every kind of spell at her, each blow absorbed by a clear, unrelenting barrier. The flames, sparks, frost, force; all of the spells crumbled as they came near her, disintegrated into nothing in her midst. Seeing this, the mages ceased their fire. They stared on in fear-stricken awe at the luminous body slowly rising in front of them. She was cackling darkly, a sinister laugh that burned warnings into each mage's heart as she rose above them all.

They were afraid.

Valora ascended to the night sky, her tangled hair flying about, a haunting silhouette against the hard light of the moon. She pressed her palms together, forcing power to strike to life between them. A swirl of black flames burst into existence in her hands, growing larger and larger until the encampment was covered in a radiant eclipse.

Know me! Valora, an avenging angel against the darkness of the heavens, bellowed down at them in a voice known to no one. It resounded like a deafening siren, scratching through their ears until they were forced to their knees.

Know who you have victimized! The flames danced wildly in anticipation, craving the destruction of nations. The mages buried their faces in the ground to escape the blaring of the fire, ears leaking with hot, red blood.

Know that I rule over you! The Venatori writhed in the mud now, pain striking through their bodies like scorching bolts of lightning. Their mouths opened wide in silent screams for mercy. There would be none.

Know that I am death! She bellowed, causing each and every mage to spurt blood from their gaping mouths. She was the weight on their lungs, crushing with the power of a million stone fists. She raised her arms over her head, the blackened fire following her every command, and sent it down upon the supremacists. They burned, turned to cinders with the touch of her flame, leaving no trace behind but ash. There was a loud blare as the fire consumed them, and then quiet.

The world was blanketed in silence as the flames retreated into the sodden earth. Nothing was left in the encampment save for the ash wafting through the air in such a peaceful manner that one would never have guessed what had transpired only moments ago. Valora's vision blurred, specked with black as her body descended slowly toward the ground. The green glow was fading from her skin and eyes, dimming down to nothing as her feet touched the ground.

Her legs wobbled and gave, bringing her to her knees in the wide circle of ashes she had created. She looked around weakly at the destruction of her hand, horrified wonder sending her reeling forward. What had she done? There were still people alive in those cages, but she had demolished it all. What if her parents had still been alive in there? Her friends?

Holding herself up with shaking arms, she stared at the ashes lying below her, eyes glazed with tears. Her breathing sped up along with a terrible commotion in her stomach. She gagged and retched, sickness leaving her body with several heaves. What have I done? What have I done?

She should have just ran. Should have left as soon as she was free, never looking back. But she couldn't. She hadn't been in control. Her wrath had overtaken her, pride seeping into her bones. She let the spirit break loose, pulling strings in her that were better left untouched. And she had let innocents pay the price.

She screamed for her mother, her father, the innocents she had slaughtered. Her lungs gave out when she thought of her sister, breaking her lament into thousands of pieces.

She shook with grief, but feeling the extent of the pain seemed to take more energy than she possessed. She crawled through the mud, trying to escape what she'd done, but gravity didn't let her get far before it forced her down to her stomach. Weariness encompassed her bones then, dragging her down into a deep, dreamless sleep.

It is done.