Pride, Wolf and Rebellion

Revelation

Fen'Asha woke disappointed from another restless, hollow sleep.

She was called to breakfast, where her advisers fussed over what was to happen next. She was tired, holding her head up took great effort. She watched Varric collect elaborate sausages, watched him stack them into what looked like a little house, watched him cover the little house in some kind of sticky breakfast accompaniment, watched him devour his little house.

"Did some looking around last night," Thom Rainier was saying.

"Yeah," said Varric. "None of this makes any sense."

"We're going back through the eluvian," said Fen'Asha, rubbing her palm.

"That thing's been bothering you?" asked Varric.

Fen'Asha nodded. "Since the shrine."

"It's probably connected somehow," the dwarf said absently.

"That makes me feel a lot better," said Fen'Asha rubbing her temple..

Rainier grunted, pulled a mug up to his face. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Wherever the mirror leads us," said Fen'Asha.

Evidently, the mirror had designs on leading the trio through to the Deep Roads.

"You have got to be kidding me," said Varric. "I'll never understand these things." He looked back to the mirror they'd just shunted through, tapped on it with Bianca.

"Come on," said Fen'Asha, leading them down a spiraling staircase that seemed to burrow to the middle of Thedas. The ground glowered at them.

The path eventually gave way to a sprawling cave, one tempered with a grinding din. Fen'Asha followed the noise, turned a corner.

"Shit," said Varric, watching an expansive mining operation unfold before his very eyes.

There were countless shady figures working the rock, blasting away without precision, tearing at the stone, ripping up chunks of earth for whatever their purposes had in mind.

Fen'Asha moved them forward, trying to stay to the shadows. Her Anchor had other ideas, tearing and ripping once more with shards of emerald fire.

Rainier exchanged a look with Varric. "We can turn back," he said.

Fen'Asha shook her head. "I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth.

Varric shrugged, watching the miners. "They're using explosives," he said. "That's...not smart."

Fen'Asha clung to the rocks on the side wall, peering up at the massive mechanisms and walkways that dotted the operation. There was fire and rock and smoke everywhere. They circled the edge until they found a small campsite, complete with a glowing fire set in the middle.

And there was a guard. Of course there was a guard.

Fen'Asha put her hand to her staff.

He put his finger to his lips, hoping to keep them quiet.

For some reason, she agreed.

He gestured for them, urging them closer. "You're the Inquisitor," he whispered, pointing at her hand.

She nodded.

"There's no time," he said. "What the...Viddasala is doing is insane. She was sent to study magic, stop it at all costs. This hideous..." He looked down.

"Who are you?" asked Fen'Asha.

"I am Jerran," said the guard. "I was once a Templar, from Kirkwall.