Time Will Tell (DA:Inquisition Fanfic)

Chapter 5

Rounding the corner, my jog faded to a walk. I came to a stop a few feet from the damaged and blackened railing, my eyes drawn to the crackling rift before us.

My silent inspection of the Breach up close was interrupted when Leliana and several soldiers came trotting up behind us.

"How did you―?!" Cassandra asked, voicing my own question.

"A shortcut. The demons were kept occupied by trying to tear down the gate." I reached out with my mind at her words, brushing along the edges of the magic holding the gate. I gave an inward grin, as the gate had taken no toll so far.

"So, we need to get this closed." I turned to face the Breach again. "This rift is the first―"

"―and so it is the key," finished Solas. I gave a quick glance at him before turning to head down to reach the rift. As we went forward, I began to hear voices: the Divine's, Corypheus', and my own. They seemed to echo from the rift.

"That's your voice! What are we hearing?!" yelled Cassandra.

"You know this is red lyrium, Seeker?" said Varric, abruptly changing the topic so that I didn't have to try to answer Cassandra. My brow furrowed as we continued to pass by the huge spikes of red lyrium that protruded from the ruined walls and floors of the Temple.

"I see it, Varric," was her annoyed reply.

"But what's it doing here?"

Solas was the one who answered, and I found myself inwardly agreeing with him. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught how Cassandra flinched every time that Divine's voice echoed from the rift.

"Run while you can; warn them!" was the most recent line.

Hopping down from a small ledge to the gravely ground below, I watched as a scene from what had happened at the Temple played before us. Corypheus and the two wardens holding the Divine were blurry, however the Divine and myself were in perfect detail.

My gaze turned to Cassandra to see how she was taking this. Her face was hardened with determination as she glared at the Breach.

"Let's get this done. There will be time to talk later," she said, moving forward to catch sight of Leliana. Leliana was distributing her archers around the edge of the depression in the ruins of the Temple. A few warriors came down to fight beside us.

I watched the snapping and crackling green expanse of the Breach. My stance didn't waver when Solas stepped forward and began to voice the conclusion I had already come to in my mind.

"The Breach is closed, albeit temporarily. It will have to be reopened to close properly. However," he said as he turned to look at Cassandra. "Opening the Breach will likely draw attention from the other side."

"That means demons! Stand ready!" Cassandra shouted.

Only one is going to come through, though. I could sense the huge demon that now waited for the rift to be opened. All the others sensed me and were warned away. This one wishes to challenge, and so he waits.

I glanced over at Cassandra, one of my swords in hand. She nodded, confirming that they were ready. I raised my left hand, the mark eagerly connecting with the Breach. There was a flash of light and a boom as something heavy landed on the ground.

Oh, shit... Before us, rising from its crouch and roaring was a huge wrath demon. I could see the glow of a shield around it. This one won't go down easily.

"We need to strip its defenses!" Cassandra shouted as she and the others futilely battled against it. Catching sight of Leliana's arrows, I glanced between them and the demon. A wry grin spread across my face as an idea began to form.