Da'len

Safe an Sound

"You'll have to do better than that," Dorian told Alexius the moment they stepped back into the present.

And Taniel was glad that Dorian spoke, because his head was spinning too much to form a coherent sentence. Maker, I hate time-travel.

The Herald scanned the room while Dorian talked and sighed in relief when he saw everything just as they left it, everybody ready to fight, but otherwise unharmed. Taniel turned back to see a defeated look on Alexius's face as he dropped to his knees. "You won," he snarled at them. "No point extending this... charade."

The magister turned to face his son. Relief settled over Taniel when he saw that he too was standing right where they had left him, his face no longer a gaping skull. "Felix..."

Felix crouched down next to Alexius, eyes sad yet relieved. "It's going to be alright father."

But Alexius shook his head sadly. "You'll die." And Taniel hated the way the magister's voice cracked. The image of Alexius and Felix lying dead a few feet from each other flashed in his mind and he felt his gut clench.

"Everyone dies." Felix stated, staring sadly at his father.

Alexius dropped his head and waited for the guards to take him. But Taniel stepped forward, his head having finally stopped spinning, and stopped them with an upheld hand.

"Where is she?" Taniel asked Alexius, moving closer to stand over him. The magister tilted his head back, far enough that the elf could see the strain in his neck, and looked at him with his brows furrowed in confusion. "The girl you captured," Taniel hissed at him. "The spy!"

Realisation flashed in Alexius's eyes before a tired grin settled on his face. "Friend of yours?"

"Where is she?" Taniel repeated and only the calming hand Solas placed on his shoulder kept him from grabbing Alexius by the throat.

But Alexius turned his head and looked past the Herald. To Dorian. "You should know. After all, it's your fault she got captured."

Taniel turned to face Dorian but the mage adamantly avoided his eyes. "I don't know where you took her," Dorian whispered furiously, shaking his head. "Alexius, please!"

But Alexius just laughed and turned back to Taniel. "You should hurry, Herald. The girl might not be alive for much longer."

Taniel spun on his heel and stormed through a door which he hoped would lead him to the cells. He could hear the guards lifting Alexius to his feet and taking him away, but he didn't care. He would tear the castle apart if that was what it took to find Avery.

"Lavellan!" Dorian yelled, running after him. "You're still injured! We need to stop the bleeding first!"

But Taniel didn't feel the pain in his shoulder anymore. Fear and adrenalin were pumping through his body and all he cared about was finding his sister. He turned blindly down a hall and stopped abruptly when he hit a dead-end. He spun around to find another passage that could lead to the dungeons, but found his way blocked.

"Dorian..."

"You need to calm down, Herald!" Dorian reprimanded him out of breath before taking a deep breath to calm down. "You won't find Avery this way."

"I need to find her, Dorian," Taniel said urgently, his hands moving restlessly at his sides.

"I know," the mage replied calmly, locking his hazel eyes onto Taniel's. "And I'll help you. After we bind your wound."

Taniel looked like he wanted to argue but Dorian just stared at him unflinchingly with his eyebrows raised until he gave in. "Fine. I promise I'll let Solas tend to my wound, but... Can you go with the guards to look for her? I want her to see at least one familiar face when they find her."