Green was all I could see. Lime, Emerald, and olive hues mixing and weaving together in strange nonsensical patterns.

Suddenly I was lurched forward, a pressure pushing me ahead, to where I had no clue.

Everything suddenly hit me all at once, the smells of ash and blood, the insufferably bright light, and the noise. The noise was unbearable, clanging metal and ear-pitching screams seemed to fill the very air around me.

I could barely keep my eyes open, everything blending into a mess of vague colours and blurred lines. I briefly see multiple feet in front of me and feel myself being dragged off before succumbing to the welcoming darkness.

I groan as I slip back into consciousness. I attempt to shift myself into a more comfortable position but immediately hiss in pain. Every single nerve feels as if it is on fire, and every joint feels like as stiff as lead.

What the hell is going on?

I slowly open my eyes and I find myself wishing I had kept them closed, then I wouldn't have had to deal with this. I look around to see myself in a stone room, a dungeon of sorts? I glance down and realize that I'm shackled in some sort of strange handcuffs.

"What the fuck…?" I groggily murmur.

A groan echoes throughout the room, I'm not alone in here. I snap my head to the left, beside me I see a man hunched over in a similar position as me. I observe his features, hoping to glean any sort of sense about this odd situation.

The first thing I notice is his jawline, wide and sharp enough to cut steel. Light stubble peppers his face, leading to his sky-high cheekbones. Above his cheekbones stood eyes that shone a colour reminiscent of pale diamonds, the lightest of blues. Blue eyes that happened to be staring right at me.

I jolt and sputter apologies, and immediately look away in embarrassment, face tinged as red as scarlet. I hesitantly turn my head to look back at the man to find him smiling, albeit half-heartedly considering the unknown situation we've found ourselves in.

Our little moment didn't last long, as two women strode past the door and into the cell, and from the looks of it, very angry.

Uh oh

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill the both of you now." the dark-haired woman seethed "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone is dead. Except for you." It was only then I noticed the very large sword attached to her hip. I take the opportunity to glance around at our multitude of guards and notice that they all look like something straight out of a fantasy novel. All metal plate armor, along with swords and shields gripped tightly in their hands.

Where… or when am I?

"What do you mean everyone is dead?" the man asks, probably just as confused as I am.

The dark-haired woman snatches the man's manacled left hand, revealing a sparkling green mark. "Explain this." she spat. Both the man and I gasp in shock at the presence of the mark, which was currently sparkling.

"I-I…can't" he stutters, seemingly still in shock.

"You're lying!" she then strides towards the man, about to strike, but is stopped from doing so by a red-haired woman.

"We need him, Cassandra." she admonished. With a startle, I realize that she must have been in the room the whole time and I hadn't noticed at all.

Creepy… and dangerous I involuntarily shudder at the thought.

"I can't believe it. All those people… dead." the man said, seemingly downtrodden at the news that everyone at this strange 'Conclave' is dead.

"Do you remember what happened? How this began?" the redheaded woman quickly questions him.

"I remember running. Things were chasing me. And then… a woman?"

"A woman?"

"She reached out to me, but then…" the man trailed off.

The red-haired woman then turns her head towards me. My heart instantly leaped into my throat. She questions, "And do you perhaps have a story as to why you're here? Did you see this woman too?"

I gulp loudly before giving my answer, "N-no, I didn't see any woman or anything. I actually don't know how I got here, or w-where here is so…"

She assesses my answer before hesitantly giving out, "You're in Haven, Miss...".

"G-Gwen, my name is Gwen." Still, doesn't help me figure where I am though. "Um, where exactly is this 'Haven' located in?".

She remained silent once more before replying, "Haven is located in Ferelden, one of the continents of Thedas" she says slowly as if dealing with an exceptionally dull child.

I felt a flare of indignation at being treated like an invalid, before saying, "Look, miss, wherever this 'Thedas' place is, I've never been there. I don't know why exactly I'm chained up, and I sure as hell don't know what this 'Conclave' thing even is!" I panted as I finished my rant.

The anger slowly ebbed away and morphed into mortification. Had I really just ran my mouth off in front of people who were most likely very eager to kill me? I took a deep breath. Time for damage control.

I implored her, "I really have no idea what in the world is going on, the last thing I remember was being at home and then waking up here." Her brows furrowed as she took in my answer. "Whatever happened here, in this Conclave, I guarantee that you know more about it than I do".

A long silence filled the room. Finally after what felt like a decade the dark-haired one, apparently named Cassandra, referred to the red-haired one telling her, "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take them to the rift."

Leliana proceeds to exit the room. Meanwhile, Cassandra drags the man and I to our feet and starts to replace the manacles with rope.

"What did happen?" the man spoke softly while Cassandra finished replacing his manacles.

Cassandra let out a shaky exhale, suddenly looking extremely tired. "It will be easier to show you".

Hands now shackle-free, Cassandra grabbed us by the scruff of our necks and moved us through the door, introducing me to a sight I could never possibly erase from my mind.

It was a hole. A great, big, glowing, green hole in the sky. It spanned mountain ranges and seemed to be swallowing up everything indiscriminately, including the very fabric of reality.

"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 such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

Well, shit.

"An explosion can do that?" the man sounded skeptical.

"This one did. Unless we act, the breach may grow until it swallows the world."

The Breach pulsed and grew even further, almost immediately, the other man's mark pulsed along with it, bringing him enough pain to cause him to collapse. I run over and try to assist.

Cassandra brought herself to eye-level with the man, "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."

"I understand" he replied, face grim yet determined.

"Then…?"

"I'll do what I can. Whatever it takes." Cassandra's face softens slightly in relief. She pulls him up to his feet and begins to escort us to the gates.

I hesitantly approach him, "Hey, are you okay?".

His eyes dart to mine and he gives a half smile. "It isn't exactly pleasant, but I think I'll manage." he then asks, "Your name is Gwen, right? I'm Maxwell Trevelyan, although most people just call me Max" he finishes with a boyish grin that appeared to be right at home on his face.

"Yeah that's right, It's nice to meet you Max" an awkward silence begins to seep in before I speak up once more "Do you have any idea what's going on here? My last memory is of being at home."

His lips pursed in anxiety, "I'm afraid I'm just as confused as you are, Gwen" he replied. "I'm sorry I can't offer much more than that."

I passed confused a long time ago. In fact, we still write letters to one another. Now I'm approaching senile at this point. I sigh deeply, "It's not your fault, It'll probably be best to just follow her." I said, nodding towards Cassandra.

Whispers being to arise as we walk through the village. Scowling faces are found around every corner we walk by. Some people actually spat when we walked by, I couldn't help but feel upset. I have no idea what's going on, and I just want to go home.

Max looks similarly troubled and Cassandra notices the tension, "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." She takes a breath, looking grieved. "It was a chance for peace between mages and templars. She brought their leaders together. Now, they are dead."

A pair of soldiers push the doors open and let us through.

"We lash out, like the sky. But we must think beyond ourselves, as she did. Until the breach is sealed." She then pulls out a dagger and I instinctively take a step back. Cassandra's eyes flash out in warning, and I reluctantly stay put. She starts to cut the bindings on our wrists.

"There will be a trial. I can promise no more." Cassandra says, as I absentmindedly rub my sore wrists. "Come. It is not far" she calls out as she starts to make her way down the path leading out of Haven.

"Where are we going?" questions Max, obediently following Cassandra.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach," she answers. She then calls out to the guards, "Open the gate! We are headed into the valley!". We then slowly begin our trek into the literal warzone full of actual demons, glowy rifts, and stressed soldiers.

I just wanna go home, dammit.