The Protégé

Chapter 9

Regret vanished, intending to follow through on its promise to give Solas one week. Falon's body was pried from Solas by the Seeker, who grimly carried her back to the tunnels as Seranni and Utha covered him from Solas's furious attacks. The Architect closed the tunnel behind them, preventing him from following them and their troops. His scouts later found no trace of them in the tunnel. After that, he sent all of his forces away. Word leaked to the rest of Thedas about the Inquisitor's death, which was confirmed by her hilt being sent to her spymaster with a tear-stained note in Solas's familiar handwriting. The spymaster had been expecting it as another, more frantic letter had arrived from Dorian a few days before hand. Leliana had decided to try and send a note to all, including Solas, to return to Skyhold for a memorial.

The Architect had been busy as well. He locked everyone out of his lab to be alone with his fallen protégé. She had followed his orders to the end. Hopefully, whatever she had planned succeeded. That did little to ease his sorrow. He looked again at her body on the table and made a decision. Placing a clawed hand on her head, he closed his eyes and reached to that placed beyond this world. He found her there and pictured his magic pulling her back. He stuffed her back into her body and began pouring his magic into her. He felt himself falling apart as he transferred his knowledge, magic, and godhood to her. As she came to, she saw her master smile at her tenderly before crumbling to nothing. With that, the protégé became the master.

She opened the door and saw her nervous family waiting. They explained what had happened to her and the master's reasoning for bringing her back. It simply wasn't his world anymore, and he knew she would do well. They also told her of a memorial at Skyhold held in her honor. She smiled and said it's be rude to miss her own party.

All across the surface, memorials were being held in her honor. People from all walks of life celebrated her. It shocked a number of people, even the Dread Wolf himself, who realized what Falon had been trying to show him all along. He was immediately ashamed that someone he loved so much had to die over his lack of vision. He met everyone else at Skyhold, expecting rage. Rage was exactly what he got at first. Dorian was angry enough that he nearly slapped him. He stopped himself, though. "This isn't what she wanted. She made her own choice. That's just something we'll all have to live with, even you."

After that, Dorian hesitantly hugged him. "Seeing you finally fashionable makes me less hostile towards you. The three of us thought you'd be dressing like some robed hobo forever. I guess you wanted to dress up for her..." His tears cut him off. "Please tell me it's a lie. She has to be alive. Right?"

Tears began to roll down Solas's cheeks. Finally in front of his friends, he broke down. They were all there for him, comforting him and crying with him. Cole was the exception to this. He walked out to the front steps.

"Kid, what are you doing?" Varric's voice was thick.

Everyone turned to stare at Cole. "No one recognizes her at her own tavern. She doesn't mind. Cards shuffle around in her fingers. It's been so long since she's played. She knows I'll sense her. It's rude to keep a lady waiting."

With that he walked off towards the Herald's Rest, and the group followed. He waved to Maryden, who was singing for the gathered crowd before heading up the stair to a table in the corner where feminine hands were shuffling a deck of cards. This wouldn't be abnormal except for one detail. One hand was metal. Solas caught on first. He couldn't hug her fast enough. He'd never not listen to her again. She hugged him back and pressed her soft lips to his cheek.

"I'm so sorry. I'll spend a lifetime making it up to you," he frantically told her.

"We finally agree on something," she jokingly murmured back.

She then went on to greet the rest of the shocked party and fielded any questions over a game of Wicked Grace. Solas finally played with everyone and was surprised by Falon's prowess at the game. Several rounds later, he, Josephine, and Falon were the only ones left playing.

"You've gotten much better since our last game," Josephine commented to the Inquisitor, who simply smiled secretively in reply before betting everything. "That does little to comfort me. I'm all in as well."

Solas considered the woman at his side. She was smart enough to cheat Death. He was curious how this was going to end. He also bet everything.

Finally, the Inquisitor drew the Angel of Death, or at least this was the round she showed it. He laid down his solid hand. Josephine also did well, but she pulled a slightly worse set than he. Pride flicked through him. If the ambassador couldn't beat him, he couldn't see how Falon could. That thought was promptly corrected as Falon laid down the winning hand.

"Damn, she beat Ruffles and Chuckles," Varric muttered. "Maybe she's the god."

"Yes," Cole told him. The whole party looked at him. "The magister passed on everything to her, even his immortality." His gaze slid to her. "He knew you could do what he couldn't."

Falon smiled at him. "I know. I don't think he'd mind my having a day off."

Cole let out a chuckle. "Yes."

"Ah, shit. I'm not even surprised anymore," Varric muttered.

Everyone nodded in agreement. They spent the night drinking and celebrating until the small hours of the morning. Somehow, Falon and Solas managed to sneak up to her room without being spotted where they spent the rest of the night making up for lost time. In the Fade, Solas called off Regret, who was grateful for some reason. At the sight of Falon, Regret finally had mercy on itself and transformed. The two-eyed white wolf, Forgiveness, still had a long way to go before totally forgiving itself, but it was a start. Its master also took the first step that night in forgiving himself. After that, they quietly said their goodbyes and apologies, after accidentally stumbling in on Bull and Dorian. Solas followed her to the Deep Roads and to her other family. Together, they began to search for a way to undo the Blight.