Áine is a mage from Kinloch Tower. She was there during the blight and had Cullen as one of her acquaintances.
She fell in love with him but was too shy to say something about it. Nevertheless, he was in love with her friend Amell and didn't know sh...
Anders blows up the chantry and Áine flees her tranquil destiny.
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"No, please, Maker! Not again!" Her knuckles turned white when she clenched the doorknob.
Someone had blown up the chantry.
Templars and mages were running up and down. Some mages tried to go back to their quarters, while some tried to flee. A few of the Templars were trying to contain the situation. The others were going to the chantry. It was chaos.
Áine stood there. She didn't know what to do. Images and thoughts from Kinloch overran her mind and blocked her senses.
"Please, please, please, Maker. Not again." She prayed with closed eyes.
There was no response from her body. She tried to run, to scream but nothing. The only thing working was her mind, and there she found the strength to act. She felt it. She knew she was not alone. The Maker was with her.
"Maker, though I am but one, I have called in your name. And those who come to serve will know your glory. I remembered for them. They will see what can be gained. And though we are few against the wind, we are yours."
There was fire somewhere. She smelled it before she could see it, and that's where she went. The closer she got, the tighter her heart got. It was coming from the library.
"Of course, it is coming from the library." She thought. "Wait a sec. Aren't the kids supposed to be in there now? Why always the kids?."
She ran. She had to help, but on her way, she saw so much. So much desperation, agony, blood, blood magic, and death.
Áine believed that some mages were born evil, as was everyone else: elves, dwarves, humans. What she didn't believe was that every blood mage was evil. Some of them were desperate or weak. Magic is all a mage circle knows. They have no contact with the outside world, with the 'normal' people. When they are in a bad spot, they turn to the only resource they have: magic. Some of them are strong enough to refuse blood magic and resist the demons' temptations. Some of them no.
What does a 'normal' person do when they are in a bad spot? They turn to the resources they have, may it be speaking, running, or fighting. It's in everyone to defend themselves. And that's the reason why she always thought mages should do some kind of community work so they could see the outside and the outside could see them. Nevertheless, those were thoughts for another time, another place. She couldn't just be there watching.
She heard screams, laughter, growls. Kinloch all over again. She tried, Maker she tried, but every sound around her evoked images she wished she had forgotten. The bodies in the library, the rage demon killing a templar, Amell's face, a dagger, Aiden, scars, Cullen. With Cullen's face in her mind, she stood still. Where was he? She searched among the templars, even among the dead, but she didn't find him.
