For ten years, Lynara had known a feint, tingling sensation, long fingers tickling the back of her neck. Whispers of a dark tongue licking at her mind. It was always there, ever present, no matter where she was, or what she was doing. The sensation would crest and fall in response to waves of the Darkspawn's presence. Those hushed whispers would turn to a loud hiss demanding her attention if the dark danger approached. The hiss sent shivers down her spine, her teeth would clench in response as fear set in deep within her gut. But such an extreme sensations had not graced her mind in such a long time, and for that she was grateful.

But the dull sensation was always there, it's chilling touch ever running a cold finger down her neck. It would always be there for as long as she lived, she knew this, and she hated it. Hated the way it haunted her dreams at night, turning her peaceful slumbers into broken nightmares of evil creatures clawing and eating away at her flesh as her screams bounced around an empty cavern of stone in the lonely deep roads, falling on no ears. It was a nightmare that made sweat stain her sheets, her fingers always clawed at the fabric as they hopelessly tried to hold on to life as she knew it. Lynara had dedicated years of her life looking for a way to cure her tainted blood, to try and find some release from the ever present anxiety crawling up the back of her neck. It was her ever present fear that these nightmares may just one day become her reality.

She never expected her release would actually come, and especially not the way it had.

The tingling at the back of her skull was replaced by a sharp pain that made her groan as her eyes fluttered open. Her head was swimming in a dark pool of confusion as she came to. A shrill ring echoed through her ears, and when she reached up to pinch them shut, she was met with resistance.

Cold chains clasped her hands together, holding her against the stone floor of her prison. With a shake of her head, she tried to wish the pain away, clear the clouds from her mind. As the clouds slowly dissipated, as the sharp pain in her skull began to dull, she realized that the tingling-the dark whispers-were gone. Its absence made her thoughts feel quiet, like a part of herself was no more.

She breathed a breath so deep that when she released she could feel a laugh escaping her lips. The laugh shook her chest, making her cough at the pain that shot throughout her whole body. Her mind was reeling-Clear and cloudy at the same time as she tried to remember what exactly brought her to being restrained in a cold, dark prison. As she tried to remember what caused the taint in her blood to release her from her dark fate.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted as the wood door before her slammed open, revealing two women in front of her. One was a woman with short black hair, scathing brown eyes and a scowl that could make a man cry. The other woman that trailed behind her was shrouded in a light purple cloak but she could see orange hair bounce forward as she stepped down the stairs. A familiarity panged inside Lynara's chest at the sight. The way this woman held herself with grace and confidence, hands behind her back, chin pointed high with curiosity as she peered down at the restrained elf was all too familiar.

Lynara watched as Cassandra's gaze was seething over her skin. The woman's dark eyes lingered on her face, her armor, her hands, as she observed her prisoner. Lynara was wearing mage robes that were dark in color, with a cloak that was black and crimson underneath. Solid metal armor painted black covered her right shoulder and arm and dark leather boots came over her knees. A crimson colored leather belt was tightened around her narrow waist and several pouches sat at on her hip, which were now empty. Lynara knew that her captures would be able to tell that she was a seasoned mage by the vestments that she wore.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now," the woman with the dark hair cut through the silence with a knife, her voice sharp and fast. "The Conclave is destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead. Except for you."

The accusations in her voice rang clear in the hollow room. Lynara bowed her head, her loosely braided hair was coming undone, falling into her eyes. Still trying to overcome the dull pain in her skull, she shook her head. "You think I'm responsible," she said, more of a statement than a question.

"Explain this!" the woman moved quickly, jerking up Lynara's restrained hand and shoving the green, glowing mark into elf's face. Lynara's emerald eyes grew even greener as the glowing light bathed over her shocked expression. The mark in her hand burned, aching for some kind of release.

"I...can't," Lynara breathed, just as bewildered as the woman before her. She had never seen the mark before in her life and for whatever reason, she could not remember how the mark had come to find a home on her hand. Did this mark have something to do with the lack of whispers in her mind, she wondered. She willed herself to look back at what happened before, but she was blocked by a wall that was made of dark, hazy stone. She couldn't see past it.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't know what that is or how it got there."

"You're lying!" the woman seethed, stalking forward like a wolf, looking as if she was about to strike. Lynara stiffened, readying herself for the pain.

"We need her, Cassandra," a voice flitted softly over Lynara's ears and it held a musical quality that she recognized from her past. A light and kind voice with a soft Orlesian accent that reminded her of nights spent by the fire, listening to stories best known to an Orlesian Bard.

"Leliana," Lynara breathed, realizing who the other woman was even before looking up to meet her soft blue eyes.

"You know this woman?" Cassandra said, looking back at her companion, her face was unreadable in the shadows of the room.

"An old friend," Leliana said with a soft smile pulling at her lips. It had been ten years since they had seen each other last. Lynara's heart dropped to her stomach, a guilt hung there that she couldn't quite place. For ten long years she had not spoken to anyone from her travelling party during the blight. She never thought she would see them again, to be honest. And now, here she was, face to face with one of her close friends from before. "Lynara, do you remember what happened? How this all began?"

Still in shock, Lynara shook her head, feeling the weight of confusion pulling on the pain in her forehead. "I remember running. Something was chasing me. And then… a woman?" she explained, looking down at her restrained hands. She felt a slight annoyance that their reunion had been under hostile, albeit strange, circumstances.

"A woman?" Leliana repeated with a tone of surprise. Her blue eyes were weary, as she investigated every corner of the elf's face.

"She reached out to me, but then…" Lynara trailed off, shaking her head. She could not remember what happened next. The next thing she knew she was sitting on the cold stone floor of her cell, bound and confused.

"Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I'll take her to the rift," Cassandra said, dismissing the red haired woman. She nodded in obligation, her eyes lingering on her old friend for a moment before smiling sadly. Lynara stared after the woman, she wondered what her old friend was doing at the conclave, wondered if she believed her guilty of killing so many people. Why did she smile as she did, eyes full of what seemed to be remorse... or was it empathy? Lynara could not decide.

As Lynara watched Leliana leave, Cassandra came forward to release her from her manacles, but replaced the steal bindings with rope, as a precaution. "What did happen?" she asked the dark haired woman.

She was met with hard eyes, a grim stare. "It'll be easier to show you."

Cassandra led her outside, where the Beach churned in the darkened sky, pulsating green, electric energy. It's lightning tendrils reached through the heavens, pulling at the veil that held the mysteries of the Beyond at bay. Lynara's eyes widened at the sight, her stomach churning at the sky coming undone.

"We call it the Breach," Cassandra began to explain, a frown pulling at her lips and she followed Lynara's gaze up to the angry hole in the sky. "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 explosions at the conclave." Lynara had never heard of such power being able to cause a rift between the two worlds. What had happened that night, she wondered. Her skull pounded as she tried to remember.

"An explosion can do that?" She said through gritted teeth. She wondered if the explosion had caused the mark to attach itself to her hand. And if that said mark is what kept the whispers at bay. Was the cursed taint truly gone? She couldn't know for sure.

"This one did. Unless we act the breach may grow until it swallows the world," Cassandra's voice held a sad note and her eyes were focused on the mark on Lynara's hand. Lynara, still engrossed by the Breach, watched as it pulsated through the sky, green lightning resonating the entire earth. The pulse reached her being, and the mark on her hand released a green magic so intense, it made Lynara collapse to the ground. A groan of pain escaped her lips as the power of the mark in her hand pulsed and burned. Her eyes clenched shut as she tried to will the pain to stop, but it refused. "W-why?" she spat through clenched teeth.

Finally the pulsating thunder in the sky stopped, and so too did the pain. She sat on her heels, breathing heavily as she tried to regain her composure. The pain in her hand subsided but she felt ever the more confused.

"Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads…" Cassandra began to explain, reaching over to help Lynara to her feet. Her voice continued with a hint of compassion, an empathetic look replacing her stern stare, "and it is killing you. However, it may be the key to stopping this. But there isn't much time."

"It seems I don't really have a choice in this," Lynara said, a bitter laugh cutting into her words. She didn't have a choice ten years ago when she was recruited as a Grey Warden, and she didn't have a choice now. Fate had a strange way of toying with her life, putting her on paths she had no choice but to follow. Now was no different, she realized with bitter resentment to whatever Gods weaved her fated tapestry.

"None of us has a choice," Cassandra said, lifting Lynara to her feet with one swift motion. Was that true? Lynara thought. Surely Cassandra and Leliana and all of these people could walk away if they so pleased. But their morals told them they must stay and stop the hole in the sky from growing. No, it was not the same, Lynara decided. She could not walk away, she had no free will in this matter.

Cassandra gently pulled Lynara along towards the Breach in the sky. As they passed, villagers scowled at the bound elf, all their grief was turned into resentment towards her. "They have already 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."

The people around her watched with furrowed brows, grimaces distorting their tired faces. Lynara peered back at them with curiosity, did they not recognize who she was? She wondered if Cassandra even knew who she was escorting through this once familiar town. Memories of Haven flooded back to her as her eyes trailed over snow capped mountains, as man made bridges and arches mingled with coniferous trees, all covered in a pure white snow. Last time she stepped foot in this region, the people looked at her with the same expressions, but for very different reasons. How things don't ever seem to change, Lynara thought, an ironic smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.

The two women stepped through a gate, and Cassandra turned to Lynara, pulling out a dagger. Stiffening, Lynara looked at the crude weapon with widened eyes, did she mean to decide her guilt here and now?

"Do not worry," she said, reading Lynara's expression. "There will be a trial, but I can promise no more." She reached forward, gently cutting Lynara's bindings. With her hands finally free, she rubbed at her wrists with a sigh of relief. With her new found freedom, she reached up to run her fingers through her tangled hair, releasing the leather strap that held her hair into a loose braid. Running her fingers through the blonde wavy tendrils, she loosened her hair, letting it come free.

"Come it's not far," Cassandra turned, setting off onto their path up the mountain.

"Where are you taking me?" Lynara asked, her voice hinting at frustration as she was forced to follow.

"We need to see if your mark truly is able to close the Breach. But we must test it on something smaller first," she explained.

As they pushed forward, Lynara began to see the destruction around her, making this Haven look much different than the one of her past. The bridge before her was covered in rubble. Injured soldiers leaned up against crates, another one laying next to them on his side, rocking back and forth. So much blood, Lynara noticed with a frown, so much death. The smell of death reached her nose and she grimaced, hating the way that it made her remember all the lives she had witnessed lost so many years ago.

"Open the gates! We're headed into the valley," Cassandra demanded with an air of authority. They obliged, allowing the two women to continue down into the valley leading up to the mountain. More corpses, more dead, Lynara realized looking away quickly, stomach churning at the sight of it all.

A pulse echoed through the sky, vibrating the very earth beneath Lynara's feet. Sharp, snapping pain pulled at her marked skin as she extended it away from her body, wishing for the very hole in the sky to swallow up her arm to stop the pain. A curdled scream wretched from her chest as she fell to the ground.

"The pulses are coming faster now. The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face," Cassandra rushed to Lynara's side, helping her to her feet once again.

"How did I survive the blast?" Lynara tried to say through ragged breaths. The pain abruptly stopped but her body was still trying to regain normalcy after the attack.

"They said you.. Stepped out of a rift, then fell unconscious. They say a woman was in the rift behind you. No one knows who she was. Everything farther in the valley was laid waste, including the Temple of Sacred ashes. I suppose you'll see soon enough," Cassandra explained while leading Lynara onto their chosen path.

Her words brought back the memory for just a brief moment before it flitted away into the back of her mind. She didn't want to think of it, of the Darkspawn that chased after her snapping and clawing at her flesh as a woman bathed in golden light urged her to escape.

As they crossed another bridge, the stone underneath their feet began to rumble but it was not due to the breach growing this time. Lynara looked up swiftly to see a meteor hurtling from the hole in the sky, coming straight for bridge. Grabbing Cassandra, by the forearm, she pulled her back, away from the meteor as fast as she could. But it was too late. The meteor crashed into the bridge, the stone around them cracked and shattered, giving way and breaking apart. Losing her footing, Lynara stumbled and slid off of the bridge, crashing down onto the hard ice beneath her. Carefully she pulled herself up, making sure the ice wasn't about to give way under her weight. With every bone in her body protesting as she stood, she realized that she was somehow okay, as was Cassandra, who was dusting herself off just a few feet away.

Their eyes met and they shared a sigh of relief which was cut short by dark presence pulling their attention away from each other. An eerie groan resonated in the distance as a dark form manifested from the earth. A human like figure cloaked in shadow, covered in dark sinewy skin and glowing red eyes lurched towards them. A Shade Demon, Lynara realized.

"Stay behind me!" Cassandra demanded as she unsheathed her sword, bashing the hilt against her shield to grab the Shade's attention. The Shade focused on the warrior, ignoring Lynara who stood behind her.

Ignoring what Cassandra commanded, Lynara summoned the power of frost to her fingertips, flinging the wintery grasp at the Shade, freezing it in its path. Tapping into the fade, she stepped forward, flying towards her enemy, nearly invisible. Once behind the Shade, she called upon a spirit blade that manifested easily into her hand. With once fell swipe, she brought the blade down onto demon, shattering it into many frozen pieces.

"It's over," Lynara said between breaths, a smile pulling at her lips. It felt good to be able to fight again, the flow of power humming through her veins gave her a sense of purpose.

"Drop your weapon, now!" Cassandra demanded. Lynara raised a delicate blonde eyebrow at the woman who was now pointing her weapon at the elvhen mage. Her smile widened deeper at the realization that Cassandra had no idea who she was with after all.

"Of course," Lynara said, cocking her head to the side as the spirit blade in her had dissipated back into the fade. "Not like I need a weapon to be dangerous, but if it will ease your mind…"

"Is that supposed to reassure me?" Cassandra bit back, her thick eyebrows burrowing together.

Lynara laughed. "I haven't used my magic on you yet."

"You're right," Cassandra said with a huff, sheathing her sword and shield once again. "I cannot protect you, and I cannot expect you to be defenseless." Lynara's eyes found a staff in a pile of rubble left by the collapsed bridge. She didn't need a staff to use magic, but it certainly helped. She walked over to it, picked it up and felt the power that resonated through the wood. It hummed against the palms of her hands.

"I should remember you did not try to run away from all of this," Cassandra said, watching Lynara wearily as she placed the staff onto her back.

"And I will not run," Lynara said, trying to reassure Cassandra. "If I am the only one who can close the Breach, than I must try." The words reminded her of another time, another promise. If I am the only one who can stop the blight, than I must try. The words echoed in her mind and she shook her head, trying to ignore the weary pang in her heart.

Cassandra seemed pleased by this as a smile pinched her cheeks. "Good, than let us continue."

Climbing the mountain had not been an easy task as demons continued to appear, forcing Cassandra and Lynara into combat several times. Each time, they were able to dispatch their enemies without a scratch, but Lynara could feel her energy draining with each encounter. After the third fight, Cassandra looked back at Lynara, concern pulling at her amber eyes.

"You look rather pale," she said bluntly. "Are you okay?" Lynara's chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath. A thin sheen of sweat broke out over her skin, despite the cold that enveloped her.

"I think the mark is weakening me," Lynara explained. She had dedicated her life to fighting, beginning her fight at the young age of seventeen when she was conscripted into the Grey Wardens. She had fought in many battles since that fated day eleven years ago. As a skilled knight enchanter, she should not feel so tired after three consecutive battles, but her body was shutting down nonetheless.

"Then we must hurry," Cassandra said sternly, leading the way forward. Lynara obliged, leaning on her staff as she pushed up the mountain.

"We're getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting," Cassandra explained, anticipation clear in her voice.

"Who's fighting?"

"You'll see soon. We must help them," Cassandra started to run towards the noise, her shield and sword in hand. Lynara cursed under her breath as she took a deep breath and followed after the warrior, mustering all the strength she could find.

They crested the hill and below them she could see a small ruin. Within it was a bright, pointed crystal of green that bursted into pure light as she approached. The rift opened, light reflecting against the green fade energy, demons pouring out to clash with a dwarven archer, an elvhen mage, and two human soldiers. The mark on her hand glowed in response to the rift, tingling with so much power that it stung Lynara's skin. The power surging through the mark gave her a sudden burst of energy and she hurried down into the ruins, joining the fray with Cassandra at her side.

Cassandra bellowed a rallying cry, grabbing the attention of several shades, as well as a couple wraiths and a rage demon. Lynara stood back, surprised to see so many demons at once. It was something she hadn't seen since her time at Ferelden's Circle. The growl of the rage demon as it stretched it's fiery body upward made her spine tingle with a memory so vivid that she clenched her jaw and growled back at it. Images of demons tearing apart innocent mages flashed across her mind and her own rage began to boil inside her chest.

Outstretching her arms, she let forward a flurry of ice from her chest. The magic spiraled forward, striking the rage demon several times, slowing its movements as cold magic stifled its flames. Carelessly and blinded by her rage, she shifted forward through the air so fast that she appeared behind the demon in a second, pulling her spirit blade from the fade itself.

When she reached up to strike, she suddenly felt the warm embrace of a spirit barrier being cast around her and she looked up to see the elvhen mage watching her with concern as a shade approached her from behind. Her eyes followed his and found the shade behind her, bringing its sharp claw down on her barrier. In a panic, she laid down a disruption field, the shade and rage demon moving slowly in the hazy magic. She pushed backwards, unleashing a set of fire mines underneath the demons. As they moved, even just a little, the mines exploded, burning away at the shade. The rage demon, resistant to fire, continued to push towards Lynara. She let out a fierce cry and pierced the spirit blade through the demon. It writhed in pain, letting a brutal growl echo through the mountain pass as it disappeared into the earth.

Cassandra finished off the last of the wraiths and it seemed that all the demons had been dealt with. Eyes transfixed on the pulsating rift before her, she did not see the elvhen mage approach. He swiftly grabbed her marked hand and held it up to the rift. A strange, powerful magic throbbed from her hand as the energy within her mark reached out to the rift. She stood there, several moments, green eyes glowing as she watched the mark on her hand stitch the tear in the sky.

As the elvhen mage pulled away her hand, the rift closed shut, the potent energy of the fade dissipating before her very eyes. "What did you do?" Lynara asked, searching the elvhen man's face for answers. Her eyes trailed over his face, finding deep, knowing eyes, fair and smooth skin that was pulled tight over sharp cheekbones and a bald head. She found no answers, just more questions as she felt a strange, fluttering resonate in her stomach.

"I did nothing," he said, his eyes dropping to her hand that was still clutched in his. He let go with an apologetic smile. "The credit is yours."

"At least it's good for something," Lynara said, holding her hand up to her face, a frown pulling at her lips. It was killing her, this much she knew. But somehow, she could live with that. She had known for ten years that she would die young, it was a fate she could not escape.

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand. I theorized the mark might be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake-and it seems I was correct," Solas explained, his hands coming together behind his back. The way he spoke was so regal, Lynara noted. His accent was something she could not place, even after years of travelling across Thedas, she had never heard anyone speak as he did. Solas raised a slender eyebrow at her. She realized she was staring and quickly looked away, a soft blush burning her cheeks.

"Meaning it could also close the Breach itself," Cassandra said.

"Possibly," Solas said, looking away from Lynara towards that human woman. Lynara relaxed her shoulders in relief, she had not realized she had been so stiff under his gaze. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation," he returned his attention to Lynara and her reprieve was short lived. She tensed at his words as a cold realization washed over her.

Again? I don't want to do this again. Find another hero to save the world. I'm retired. She wanted to say. She wanted to run, to go back to wondering Thedas, reading books, learning culture, studying the arcane. Saving the world? I've already done that, she thought selfishly.

"Good to know! Here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever," the dwarf bellowed, approaching Lynara with a coy smile on his face. "Varric Tethras: rouge, storyteller, and occasionally unwelcome tagalong." Cassandra rolled her eyes at him.

Lynara looked down at the dwarf. He was unlike any of the dwarves she had ever met. He was clean shaven with blonde, slicked back hair. His air of confidence was punctuated with the strange crossbow he had in his hands.

"That's a nice crossbow you have there," Lynara blurted, curious about the weapons design. In all her experience with dwarves, she had never seen such a weapon, even during her time in Orzammar.

"Ah, isn't she? Bianca and I have been through a lot together," he said, patting the crossbow with his hand.

"You named your crossbow Bianca?" she asked with a raise of an eyebrow. Yes, he was definitely unlike any dwarf she had ever met.

"Of course! And she'll be great company in the valley."

"Absolutely not," Cassandra interrupted, her stern gaze focused on Varric. "Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker? Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me," he said with a smug smile, his chin pointed high towards the Seeker. She scoffed at him, rolling her eyes. There was a history between them, Lynara decided. A history she didn't want to come between.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions. I'm pleased to see you still live," Solas said, peering kindly at Lynara and bowing his head every so slightly.

"The name's Lynara," she said, confused by his words. Have we met before? she wondered.

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you while you slept," Varric teased.

"You seem to know a great deal about all of this," Lynara stated, slightly skeptic. His knowledge, his confidence, and the mystery behind who he was made her weary, if not curious. He wore no Dalish vallaslin and he did not appear to be a circle mage based on his attire. He wore a white tunic with an earthen green vestment and travelers pack. His leather breeches were dark in color. She noticed that his boots did not cover the soles of his feet, which was most curious. Such was a Dalish custom. Where did he come from.

"Like you, Solas is an apostate," Cassandra explained. Lynara bristled at the word apostate. It was supposed to be worn as a badge of shame, but she felt no shame in who she was. She was born Dalish, born free of humanity's rules. And when she became a Grey Warden, she was an apostate no more by humanity's standard. She has never regarded herself as such, and hearing it now after everything she's done for Thedas only angered her.

Solas watched Lynara carefully as she shifted her weight and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyebrows furrowed over her cold green eyes. There seemed to be a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth that he was trying to repress. "Technically all mages are now apostates, Cassandra," he shot at her, a coy look twinkling in his eyes. "My travels have allowed me to learn much of the Fade, far beyond the experience of any Circle mage. I came to offer whatever help I can give with the Breach. If it is not closed, we are all doomed regardless of origin."

"And what will you do once this is all over?" Lynara wondered out loud, surprised by her own candor.

"One hopes that those in power will remember who helped, and who did not," he said with a strange glint in his eye that she could not read. He continued, "Cassandra, you should know: the magic involved here is unlike any I have ever seen. Your prisoner is a mage, but I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power."

"Understood. We must get to the forward camp quickly," Cassandra said, pushing forward.

"Well, Bianca's excited!" Varric said, following Cassandra.

"This way, down the bank. The road ahead is blocked," the dark haired woman led the way with confidence towards the Breach. For ten years she searched for a way to be rid of the whispers, to be rid of the nightmares, of darkspawn consuming her entire being. She never imagined that she would finally be rid of them, only to have a new threat clawing up her arm. A new way to die right around the corner, she grimaced at the thought.

"We must move quickly," Solas said, looking back at Lynara who was still standing back, looking at the mark on her hand, a frown pulling at her mouth. His smooth voice snapped her from her thoughts and she looked up to see his crystal blue eyes beckoning her forward. She dropped her hand to her side and nodded. Stepping forward, she carefully followed the thread that fate's cold hand pulled her on.