The Lost Halla

Chapter 22

The chantry was on the edge of town, up on a cliffed hill. It was a lovely sight of vine-covered arches, trees, and flowers. Despite all that happened, the building was still lovingly cared for. The stone structure stood there menacingly for the dalish elf. Something felt off about it.

Kayla hesitantly reached up. The stone door was much heavier than she thought. There was no Felix, but the first thing inside was the crack of a rift forming above the altar. Pulsing as a few demons poured out, attacking a lone man. He killed the two with the use of magic and his staff. The man was tall and good-looking. Dark hair trimmed on the sides to a tuff of wavy hair with a mustache framing his upper lip. Strange white robes popped out against his tanned skin.

"Good! You're finally here! Now help me close this, would you?" The man said, brushing himself off. His Tevinter-accented voice was almost jovial.

However, there was no time to answer. The rift angrily reverberated in response to the anchor on the red-haired elf's left hand. A screech echoed among the stone pillars as terrors pried themselves out of emerald portals.

The creatures had the upper hand. One terror dashed at the red-haired elf first. Kayla locked up, closing her eyes while fumbling to get a spell ready. She expected a blow that never came. In front of her was Cassandra, holding up a shield in defense of the assaults. The seeker managed to push it away, stabbing it through. Another one fell to a hail of arrows.

Kayla forced herself to fight, throwing several ice shards, freezing the demons. Combined with the other two mages, it was quick work for the seeker and rogue.

Finally, the rift pulsated with green crystals. The remaining corpses yanked into the portals. Kayla raised her hand, compelling all her will to yank the tendril down. With a cry, it shattered, leaving her exhausted. At least it wasn't like the time-warped at the gate.

"Fascinating. How does that work, exactly?"

The man laughed, walking over to Kayla. In reaction, she shrugged as she held her staff nervously.

"Wait. You don't even know, do you? You just wiggle your fingers and boom! Rift closes."

"W-Who are you?" Kayla asked, breathing heavily.

"Ah. Getting ahead of myself again, I see. Dorian of House Pavus, most recently of Minrathous. How do you do?" Dorian said, bowing as he smiled.

Cassandra let out a slightly disgusted noise, looking only at Kayla. "Another Tevinter. Be cautious with this one."

"Suspicious friends you have here." Dorian chuckled again before his expression turned slightly serious. "Magister Alexius was once my mentor, so my assistance should be valuable, as I'm sure you can imagine."

"I was expecting F-Felix to be here," Kayla said, worried something might have happened.

"I'm sure he's on his way. He was to give you the note, then meet us here after ditching his father."

"Alexius couldn't jump to Felix's side fast enough when he pretended to be faint. Something is wrong with him. Isn't there." Kayla said.

Dorian raised an eyebrow for a moment. "One look and you noticed it. Anyway, he's had some lingering illness for months. Felix is an only child, and Alexius is being a mother hen, most likely.

"I've had training in healing," Kayla said, then changed the conversation. "Are you the one who sent that note, then?"

"I am. Someone had to warn you, after all." Dorian continued, "Look, you must know there is danger. That should be obvious, even without the note. Let's start with Alexius claiming the allegiance of the mage rebels out from under you. As if by magic, yes? Which is exactly right. To reach Redcliffe before the Inquisition, Alexius distorted time itself."

Kayla bit her lip. A thousand thoughts went through her mind. "He arranged it so he could arrive here just after the Divine died? But how? Time is something that shouldn't be m-messed with."

"I'm impressed, you catch on quickly," Dorian said.

"That is fascinating, if true...and almost certainly dangerous. I've never heard of time-controlling magic, not in all my studies." Solas butt in, rubbing his chin in deliberation.

Dorian nodded, looking back to Kayla. "The rift you closed here and the one at the gate? You saw how it twisted time around itself, sped some things up, and slowed others down. Soon there will be more like it, and they'll appear further and further away from Redcliffe. The magic Alexius is using is wildly unstable, and it's unraveling the world."

Kayla curled her fingers around her staff, knuckles going white. "This is a lot to take in. I-"

"I know what I'm talking about. I helped develop this magic. When I was still his apprentice, it was pure theory. Alexius could never get it to work. What I don't understand is why he's doing it. Ripping time to shreds just to gain a few hundred lackeys?"

Kayla stood flabbergasted. Could it be possible? The tevinter magister sided with the entity that killed the Divine alongside the conclave.

A stone door opened behind them with a loud scraping sound. The magister's son finally joining them. "He didn't do it for them."

"Took you long enough. Is Alexius getting suspicious?" Dorian asked, smiling at Felix for a brief moment.

"No, but I shouldn't have played the illness card. I thought he'd be fussing over me all day." Felix scoffed, crossing his arms, and turning his attention to Kayla. "My father's joined a cult. Tevinter supremacists. They call themselves 'Venatori.' And I can tell you one thing, whatever he's done for them, he's done it to get to you."

"Alexius is your father. Why are you working against him? Why would he rearrange time and indenture the mage r-rebellion only to come for me?" Kayla asked. The more these two revealed, the worse her fear became.

Felix's eyes fell, and sadness seeped through as his voice softened. "For the same reason, Dorian works against him. I love my father, and I love my country. But this? Cults? Time magic? What he is doing now is madness. For his own sake, you have to stop him."

"It would also be nice if he didn't rip a hole in time. There's already a hole in the sky." Dorian said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"As for your second question. They are obsessed with you, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps because you survived the Temple of Sacred Ashes?" Felix replied, shrugging at Kayla.

"The fact that you, and only you, can close the rifts. Maybe there is a connection? Or maybe they see you as a threat?" Dorian continued.

"If the Venatori are behind those rifts or the Breach in the sky, they're even worse than I thought."

"D-do you have any suggestions?" Kayla asked. Her breathing became more shallow. This was too much.

"You know you're his target. Expecting the trap is the first step in turning it to your advantage. I can't stay in Redcliffe. Alexius doesn't know I'm here, and I want to keep it that way for now. But whenever you're ready to deal with him, I want to be there. I'll be in touch." Dorian said. He gave one more tilt with his head toward Kayla before turning on his heels to leave. Though he stopped, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Oh, and Felix? Try not to get yourself killed."

"There are worse things than dying, Dorian."

Both men left in separate directions. The almost eerie silence radiating between the statues glares. Cassandra was the first to speak. "This whole business is distasteful. Perhaps we are better off pursuing the templars instead."

"Pfft. I'd bet you ten royals whatever the templars are doing is just as weird."

"We may not have time. The Breach will not wait for deliberation." Solas retorted.

Kayla stood there while her companions chattered, trying to take in all she heard. Time magic, of all things? All in the use to get to her. Why was she chosen to be the target for all this? And to add to it, the thought of going to the templars only made it worse.

"Cookie, how about we get you to the fresh air," Varric said, leading the younger elf out with the rest.