The Wolf and the Halla

The Vir'abelasan

The path to the Well of Sorrows was not an easy one. They had fought through many a demon, and many a Templar changed by red lyrium into monsters. Oh no, it had not been an easy passage, but it had been well worth it. All these things that they had found, so many lost relics, and the sentinals, having been here all this time, it was amazing.

When they had been travelling to the Temple, they found a statue of Fen'Harel in the Courtyard. Adani was intrigued, the statue was covered in moss, and a plaque with elven writing lay at its base, small colorful birds perched along the stony wolf's back. They sung beautiful songs, and for a moment, looking into the hard eyes of a God, she felt a connection of sorts. Like she knew him better than ever.

Her thoughts were cut short by Morrigan, "Why would this be here?" Adani looked at her questioningly. "It depicts the Dread Wolf. Fen'Harel." She walked closer to the statue, inspecting it. "In Elven tales, he tricks their Gods into locking themselves away in the Beyond for all time. Setting Fen'Harel in Mythal's greatest sanctum is as blasphemous as painting Andraste naked in the Chantry."

"We kept statues of Fen'Harel outside of our camps." Adani said. "Some chantries display statues of Andraste's betrayed Maferath as part of the chant, do they not?"

"It might hold a similar purpose. A reminder of vigilance to the faithful."

"For all your 'knowledge' Lady Morrigan, you cannot resist giving legend the weight of history." Solas stated with heavy aggravation. "The wise do not mistake one for the other."

Morrigan turned to look at him. "Pray tell what meaning does our Elven 'expert' sense lurking behind this."

His brow furrowed. "None we can discern by staring at it."

"We can study this later." Adani said. Mostly to Solas implying that they could wander the Fade looking for answers, but saw no hope of that. They could not stay here.
...

Abelas had shamed her. Adani did not take well to having her pride bruised, but she tolerated his rude statements about the Dalish. "The people in the trees wearing masks of those they know nothing of." She knew the world had changed a lot, but they were the only ones trying.

What had he meant by she bore the mark of magic that was familiar? The way he had said it, like she should not have it. She didn't take kindly to his tone, but endured it. She had tried her best to respect the Temple and the God it stood for. She wouldn't stop just because his tone was rude.

Abelas looked at Solas as if seeing someone he knew. Then quickly looked away and returned to speaking of the Well. "I will destroy it before I see it missused." He turned to leave.

"No!" Morrigan shape-shifted into a raven and flew past him. He ran after her quickly. As he ran she heard him bark some orders to some other sentinals, in Elvhen.

An old man approached, using his staff as a cane as he wobbled over. He said a bunch of stuff in elvish that Adani didn't understand.

"This is our guide." Solas stated, "He wants us to follow him." Adani squinted her eyes, how did Solas know what the man was saying? How did he know old Elvhen at all?

They followed the cripple through the temple, dust kicked up everywhere they stepped. Adani was distracted from her goal by the shiny murals along the walls. One for most of the Gods. She was surprised to find one of Fen'Harel, another nod to the Great Betrayer in Mythal's Temple. Perhaps the stories were wrong.

Solas stepped up beside her as she ran her fingers along the cold wall, admiring the work. "It's strange. Like a secret that I'm never supposed to know." She turned her face to him and he nodded with a tight lipped smile. "But all I want to do is know the truth." The smile was gone. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the old man hollering in his wavy voice.

"He wants us to stay close." Solas said loudly, to the whole group. They all regrouped and followed the old sentinal out of the room.

....
They had fought their way to the top. The Templars would not win. She wouldn't allow it. Her arms became sore, but she kept swinging the staff, she continued to push all her magical energy through it. She was beginning to become drained, however.

The fresh air was a relief as they stepped out of the Temple. It cooled the sweat on her skin. They saw Morrigan flying up some stairs, with Abelas trailing behind. Adani pointed to them. "That must be the Well." She panted. "Let's go." She pushed her legs forward.

They were headed up the steps, when she felt a wave of nausea. She crouched down and waited for it to pass. Solas rushed to her from his spot behind her on the steps. "Hold." He yelled after the others. Iron Bull and Cassandra turned back, saw her sitting and rushed back down the steps as well. "What is it?"

Adani groaned. She tasted bile at the back of her throat. "I don't know. I feel sick."

"Are you injured" Solas asked her. She shook her head that she was not. She sat down hard on the steps. When she did she felt a sharp pain shoot up her thigh. She gritted her teeth.

"My leg." She grabbed at the source of the pain, but only weakly. Solas rolled her onto her side and saw the culprit of the pain and the nausea. Cassandra covered her mouth, Iron Bull looked skeptical that such a small thing could cause such a problem. A small shard of red lyrium, stuck out of the fabric of her pant. A small bead of blood popped up under the fabric. He grabbed the lyrium and yanked it out quickly, afraid if he did not it would only piece apart, leaving her forever damaged. He pressed his hand to the wound, tried summoning healing magic to his hands, but he was panicked.

He tried to slow his heart, to breathe slower. Adani put her hand over his. "Hey," He looked to her. "It is okay, vhenan," She said. His breathing calmed, his heart settled into rhythm. In truth he was afraid that she would already be infected by the lyrium. Already have it coursing through her veins. For now, however, he pushed those thoughts from mind. He was the only one who could heal her, so he did.

After Solas had used his magic to heal her wound, she still felt a little sick, so she swallowed down a bitter tonic of Deep Mushroom and Spindleweed. Only moments later she felt in full health. They trudged onwards to the well.

....

"The Dread Wolf, had nothing to do with Mythal's murder." Abelas said defiantly. He was disgusted with the knowledge and history misconstrued by these shemlens.

"I didnt say.." Morrigan started, but was cut off by a wave of the elf's hand. He was fed up. He had spent an eternity in uthenera, waking only to defend this place. Now that he had lost, what would he do?

He looked through the group. His eyes locked on Solas a moment and the apostate nodded his head. "Malas amelin ne halam, Abelas." Abelas nodded his head in thanks before leaving.

Adani sent questioning looks to Solas, angry that she couldn't decipher what was being said most of the time. "I said, 'I hope you get a new name'". Solas explained to the group or really to Adani, to assure her she hadn't missed anything.

She let Morrigan have the honor of drinking of the Well. Adani didn't believe that she could handle the responsibility that meant. She might be prideful, but she was not stupid.

...

Adani and the group went back through the temple, this time the Sentinals were absent. Gone with the wind, left after their service was done. Where they had gone, no one would know. Without anyone pressing her, she took her time looking at this bit of history she had the honor to walk through.

The temple was beautiful. The elves were mysterious, even to her. She longed to know more of how it was, of how it should be, but she would never find the answers she sought, the answers didn't exist anymore.