Chapter Text
''What have you got for me Leliana?'' Maxwell Trevelyan asked the spymaster as he entered the war room just before dawn, following up with a yawn. The Inquisitor was tall and handsome, with short dark brown hair and a light covering of stubble across his jaw. He was a natural leader, and his selfless acts of bravery had made him a well respected figure across Fereldan and Orlais. Within the Inquisition, Maxwell’s easy going attitude and willingness to listen to others ensured the unwavering loyalty of those within the organisation, despite being a mage.
''A huge explosion in the Hinterlands, magical in nature but of a type we have never seen before.'' Replied Leliana. “With the world’s current view on magical anomalies, I believe it would be wise to investigate as soon as possible.”
“I was having a rubbish dream anyway.” The Inquisitor shrugged a shoulder, nodding at Cullen. “I assume you’ve already got the site locked down?”
“Yes Inquisitor, the local garrison have set up a perimeter but haven't approached. Their efforts have been focoused on keeping civilians away to stop word spreading, and we have Templars on standby should demons make an appearance.” The commander gave his report, efficient as ever.
“Seems to me you have everything covered already.” Maxwell grinned, then turned serious. “Alright, I’ll head straight there.”
“I would advise taking Solas and Dorian.'' Cullen said. “I’m sure three different types of mages would have a better chance of determining the magic at work.” Maxwell detected a slight undercurrent of worry in the Commander’s tone, and understood his concerns. The sight of the sky tearing open was still fresh in everyone’s minds, they didn’t need another magical disaster.
''Right, Josephine, could you send runners to fetch Solas, Bull and Dorian? Tell them to meet me by the stables in ten minutes.'' Maxwell asked ambassador Josephine Montiliyet.
''Right away Inquisitor.'' She responded smoothly, scribbling on her note board before pausing. “Should I not also summon Lady Vivienne?”
“Vivienne on the road with Solas and Dorian?” Maxwell raised an eyebrow. “They’d kill each other off before we got there. In any case, Solas is the best bet on finding out what we’re dealing with.” He then went to his quarters to fetch his staff and equip his armour, before heading towards the stables after dodging all of the gathered nobles. Waiting for him was Solas and The Iron Bull. The Elf nodded his head at Maxwell, while the huge Qunari grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Ouch.” He winced, making Bull laugh. ''Where's Dorian?''
''You know those damn Vints, he's probably putting his breastband on.'' Bull said.
''Ah yes, the brute can make a joke.'' Said a posh voice belonging to Dorian Pavus. The Magister swaggered up to them, stretching out his arms slowly. ''Maybe soon it will be able to figure out how shirts work and dress itself.''
Bull growled, but turned to Maxwell instead of responding to Dorian. ''So what's the job boss?'' He asked.
”Yes, do tell me why my beauty sleep has been so rudely interrupted.” Dorian chimed in with a yawn.
''Massive magical explosion in the Hinterlands. Unknown origin and magic.'' Maxwell stated. Bull grumbled something under his breath about mages shitting everything up.
Solas looked interested, and looked at Maxwell curiously. ''Unknown magic you say?''
''That's why we're going.'' Maxwell nodded. ''Hopefully we can determine what forces are at work.''
''What the hell do you need me for then boss?'' Asked Bull.
Maxwell grinned at him. ''In case something huge tries to kill us.''
The party reached the Hinterlands after two days of hard travel. Maxwell was approached by scout Harding at the perimeter of the explosion site.
''Greetings Inquisitor.'' she said when he approached.
''What have you got for me Harding?'' Maxwell asked the scout.
''Local farmers say that a huge explosion caused a blue light to erupt across the forest. A lot of trees were flattened, and we estimate that the blast area is about a hundred square meters.'' Replied Harding, as efficient as ever.
The Inquisitor nodded. ''We're going in.''
The party moved into the forest, and the three mages set to work on trying to determine the magic surrounded them. The air felt unnaturally cold compared to the mild climate of the Hinterlands, yet somehow fresher. A steady flow of magic hummed around the mages, but none of the party could tap into it.
''What do you think Solas?'' Maxwell asked the elf, and was surprised to see him baffled.
''I have no answer for you Inquisitor.'' Solas responded, frowning as held his hand in the air, slowly flexing his fingers. “I feel a great source of power around us, but cannot tap into it.”
“Indeed.” Dorian nodded. “It is as though the very air we are breathing is thick with this magic, but it's incompatible with us.”
“The air we’re breathing is magic?” Bull growled, then proceeded to hold his breath. An unnatural roar from up ahead made the group freeze, and Bull let out the breath he was holding with a groan. ''It had to be demons.'' The party cautiously approached a clearing in the forest, and stopped dead at the sight.
A woman wearing robes reinforced with steel plates was facing off against a huge pride demon. All the trees were flattened outwards, facing away from where the woman was stood.
'Must be the source of the explosion' Maxwell thought to himself, studying the woman’s robes more closely. They were unlike any design he’d seen before, and the steel plates that adorned her shoulders and arms were of extremely high quality. As the party quietly approached, the demon roared at the woman, but what she did next caused the men to stop dead in their tracks. She looked up at the demon and shouted at it.
'FUS RO DA!' A huge shockwave emerged from the woman's mouth, and the demon was launched backwards. It landed on it's back, and before it could react the woman had gathered lightning in both of her hands, making her surroundings light up, before unleashing a powerful lightning bolt at the demon. The monster screamed, then turned to ash. Maxwell, Solas and Dorian all looked to each other in shock. Nobody could cast lightning that powerful, not without a staff, and that shout...
Before they could even process the woman's power, she whipped her head around to them and her hands sparked with lightning before she shouted over at them.
''Who are you?'' She yelled in a thick accent that the men didn’t recognise, a rustic sound akin to the Avvar. Maxwell held his hands up and slowly approached her. His companions remained in the cover of the trees. As he neared, he could make out her features more clearly. She had long auburn hair which flowed down to her shoulders in messy waves, framing a pretty face with startling green eyes and a light dusting of freckles.
''I'm Maxwell Trevelyan, we don’t mean you harm.” He called out. “We’re with the inquisition.”
''What in the name of Talos is the inquisition, what the hell was that creature and where am I?'' She asked him. The woman sounded exhausted, yet stood straight, with power still burning in her hands and gaze. “That’s close enough.” She flexed her lightning covered fingers slightly and Maxwell stopped where he was, hands still raised. What the unknown mage had said however made him frown. She didn't know what the inquisition was?
''Can I at least learn your name?'' He asked, and the mage stared at him for several long moments. Her eyes flickered over to his hands which were still raised peacefully, then up to his eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity.
''Ari'' She supplied eventually, her hands returning to her sides in a more casual manner, though lightning still flowed over them.
''Ari.'' Maxwell let out the breath he'd been holding. ''Where do you come from?'' He asked, and she frowned.
''Skyrim. I was just in the college of Winterhold, then woke up here. I need to get back before that bastard elf destroys it.'' Ari sounded rather panicked, so Maxwell spoke slowly.
''I think you're rather confused at the moment.'' He gestured around them. ''I've never heard of those places unfortunately. We're in Fereldan.'' This caused Ari to pale slightly.
''What do you mean you've never heard of Skyrim?'' She said. ''It's a whole country for Talos' sake.''
''Do you know what happened here?'' Maxwell's eyes flicked over to the destruction around them. ''There was a large explosion, magical in nature. We're here to investigate, but the magic surrounding this place and yourself are unknown to us.'' Ari stayed silent while the Inquisitor spoke but he could see the gears whirring behind her bright green eyes as she pieced together the information. ''Is there anything you can tell us?''
''That depends.'' She said, then gestured to the trees behind him. ''Tell your people to come out. Monsters have been attacking me in these woods for two days, and i'm in no mood for deceit. Tell them to keep their weapons down, or whoever has to scrape up your ashes will have to use a shovel.'' Her tone held a dangerous edge, but Maxwell nodded and gestured behind him, maintaining eye contact with Ari.
''Come out guys, weapons down.'' Footsteps approached from behind, Solas leading them forward. Maxwell noticed how Ari's lip curled slightly in distaste upon seeing the Elf, then freeze upon seeing Bull.
''Stop.'' She took a step back, alarm in her eyes as Bull frowned at her. ''By the Nine, what are you?''
Bull looked offended. ''Never seen a Qunari before?'' He asked.
''Qunari?'' Ari echoed, surprised at how eloquently the huge horned man spoke despite his appearance. Maxwell decided to draw attention away from Bull and press on with his questions.
''You mentioned that you were at a college.'' He said. ''What sort of college is this?''
''Where one goes to study magic.'' Ari replied, her eyes remaining fixed on Bull.
''So, you're a student?'' Maxwell continued, and Ari's eyes flicked towards him before returning to Bull. ''Don't mind Bull, he's a good guy.''
''Especially for redheads.'' The Qunari winked at Ari, and Maxwell's heart dropped, expecting to be blasted by a lightning bolt. Instead Ari only blinked heavily. Once, twice, before taking a short step back and straightening, the lightning in her hands dissipating. The Inquisitor sighed slightly in relief as Ari observed them all once more.
''I'm a master, not a student. I teach.'' She said eventually.
''I see.'' Maxwell nodded. ''So, what was happening at this college before you arrived here?''
''We discovered an ancient artifact of unknown power and origin. A Thalmor agent tried exploiting it for his own ends. We confronted him, and in the battle he did something wrong, and it exploded next to me.'' The word Thalmor rolled off her tongue with obvious distaste.
''Who's we?''
''The other masters.'' The group noticed a flash of concern in her eyes.
''And the magic of this artifact, is it the same as the magic in the air around us?'' Dorian broke his silence. Ari paused for a moment, then nodded. ''Is it possible that this artifact transported you here?''
''It seems the only logical explanation.'' Ari nodded her head thoughtfully, looking up at the sky. ''We understood next to nothing about the artifact, it's true power and potential are unknown to us. And now I suppose it will remain that way.'' She looked back at the group.
''Bull?'' Maxwell inquired.
''Either she ain't lying.'' The Qunari said, rubbing his chin. ''Or she banged her head so hard she thinks she's telling the truth.'' Ari narrowed her eyes slightly at the huge man and tilted her head lightly to the side, weighing him up.
'The way he speaks, the way he's measuring me. He's not some brute, he's extremely intelligent.' She thought.
''Crazy as it sounds, I think she's telling the truth.'' Bull finished.
Maxwell studied Ari for a moment, watching warily as she stared at Bull. Her shock and fear had been replaced with genuine curiosity, and the Inquisitor assumed that she knew how much more there was to the Qunari. ''Just then you shouted that demon off it's feet. What kind of magic was that?''
''The dragon language. What is this Inquisition then?'' She changed the subject, pointing up to the clouds behind them. ''I assume it has a connection to that?'' The breach, while closed, was still obvious in the sky
''The Inquisition is here to stop the ones who caused it. We're the good guys, so to speak.'' He grinned. ''Would you be opposed to returning to our headquarters to answer some more in depth questions about all of this?''
''And if I am?'' She replied, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. The bright green orbs bore into his brown ones, a clear challenge. Maxwell was unfazed.
''Then I'd have to seduce you.'' He shrugged with a lopsided grin. ''Though it would be hard to spout poetry with demons interrupting.'' He thought he saw the flicker of a smile appear on her lips for a millisecond before vanishing, and she nodded slowly.
''On the condition that you answer my questions on the way.'' Ari said, then looked over them all. ''But the minute I suspect you're trying to double cross me, i'll kill you all. Understood?''
''Understood.'' Maxwell grinned. ''Now, let's get out of here before another Pride demon shows up.''