Chapter Text
Someone desperately stretching out to her, and green. That is the last thing Atisha remembered before her eyes slowly drifted open. She thought back to what had happened. The color she saw wasn’t a regular green. It was not like the leaves of a tree in the spring. This color had hurt her eyes to look at, it was a blinding green that glowed.
A radiating pain suddenly surged through her coming from her left hand. She looked down in anguish and saw the ominous green light sparking from her palm. This green stung.
As her eyes were still adjusting from the blinding light as the door in front of her suddenly slammed open and two figures entered. The first, a woman who had a furious look on her face.
Judging by the symbol and craft of her armor she appears to be a seeker.
Atisha had run into a countless number of different warriors during her time with the bandits, she knew very well which ones to pick a fight with and which ones to avoid. Seekers were to be avoided at all costs. I am obviously in a jail, but what jail am I in and what is a seeker doing here? This can’t be good.
The second figure walked with more caution, less pace, and there was a sense of calm on her face. She has done this before. Be careful with her.
Angered words cut off her thinking. “Tell me why we shouldn’t kill you now?” It was more of a statement than a question.
Their eyes met. Atisha was not sure what emotion to display, after all she had no clue what was going on. The seeker slowly made her way around Atisha, circling her.
“The conclave was destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead.” she solemnly stated while circling her prey. “Except for you.” She was looking her dead in the eye now. Only about a foot between them.
Shit.
“Everyone is dead, and you think I am the cause.” She didn’t ask, she stated it matter-of- factly. This has happened throughout most of her young adult life, she has been the cause for ending so many lives. This statement wasn’t doing anything to help Atisha prove her innocence right now though.
She looked into the seekers eyes. They were hard, and her jaw clenched. Not good Atisha.
“Explain this.” The seeker said as she forcefully grabbed and held up her still sparking left hand.
“I wish I could, but I know as much as you do.” She was calm on the outside, but panic began to seep through her body.
In an instant, the seeker grabbed onto Atisha in an attempt to intimidate the answers out of her. “YOU’RE LYING.”
Nothing Atisha could say would satisfy the seeker’s desperate need for an answer. So, she remained silent while the seeker took out her anger on Atisha’s armor.
The hand of the quiet figure reached out and pulled the seeker backwards. “We need her, Cassandra.”
Cassandra the seeker. Good to know.
“Do you remember what happened? How this began?” the quiet one spoke with more urgency now.
“I remember running from something… Then a woman. And a green light, similar to the one on my hand. That’s all I remember.” She looked down for a moment in thought. I have a commendable memory. Why can’t I remember what else happened? Atisha looked up again. “People have been killed. Innocent people. That is not something I do.” Any more. There is no use in lying, but they do not need the full truth now. Especially the quiet one. She seems dangerous.
“A woman?” Maybe I shouldn’t call her the quiet one anymore, as she is now the only one bombarding me with questions.
“Yes, she…. helped me I think.” She helped me into the green. “I can’t seem to remember clearly.” She really was trying her best to remember. She has always been able to deduce and remember things perfectly, but this… this was stumping her.
Cassandra then backed her towards the door. “Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift.”
Leliana, the ‘not so quiet,’ quiet one. Noted. But rift? Never heard of a rift. I guess I’ll find out soon enough. Better than being a seeker sandwich.
Cassandra made her way back to Atisha. “What did happen? Not that you know the entirety of the situation, otherwise you wouldn’t be interrogating me.”
She looked at Atisha with a mixture of emotions. Anger, sadness, and annoyance. I’m probably being too straightforward. Note: be more gentle, seeker is sad.
“It will be easier to show you.” She said with deep sorrow.
Cassandra is tough, but feels deeply about things. She appears to be an honorable woman.
The seeker unlatched the chains from the floor so that Atisha could walk while still bound by restraints. They began to walk towards the door, and through what seemed to be a chantry temple rearranged to fit the current situation. Pews were scattered throughout and there was no sign of any priests or congregation.
As they exited the building Atisha was hit with a blinding brightness that made her recoil. Her eyes began to focus, and then she saw it. What in the name of…. Oh. This is very… not good. The sky was dark and dyed a shade of green. It reflected the huge blast of green ascending from the mountain and tearing a hole into the sky.
So this is a rift? There are parts of the mountain that seem to be floating around it. Magic? Shit. They think I did this. I may be a talented mage, but this… who is capable of this?
“We call it ‘The Breach.’ It’s a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour.” Cassandra stated as she wandered forward and stared into the broken sky. “It’s not the only such rift. Just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at that conclave.”
Who came up with these names, I wonder? Rift? Breach?... Focus Atisha. Big hole in the sky, remember?
“An explosion? You think I created an explosion that leveled the conclave and tore a hole in the sky? How would any normal person be able to do such a thing?” Atisha was beginning to become defensive, but she wanted answers as well.
“How would any normal person be able to survive such an explosion?” Cassandra countered.
Good point.
“I… I am sorry. You make a valid argument.” She knows better than to let her mouth run without thinking first. That is what gets you into trouble. Atisha would not make the same mistake again, especially when her life is on the line.
Cassandra let out a defeated sigh. “Unless we act, the breach may grow until it swallows the world.”
The breach let out another explosion. Atisha’s hand rippled from the pulse of the breach and crippled her with pain, bringing her to her knees.
“Each time the breach expands, your mark spreads… and it is killing you.” Cassandra knelt down to be face level with her.
Thanks. I noticed.
“It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn’t much time.” She continued.
“I agree.” I think I do at least. I did just wake up 10 minutes ago. “I think it is realistic to assume that the mark on my hand may be able to help in your efforts to do something to the breach. I will help in any way I can.”
Cassandra seemed shocked by her words. “You will...?” She still thinks I did this, doesn’t she.
“You still think I did this?!” She let her voice rise, but not to a yell.
“Not intentionally. Something clearly went wrong. You are the only survivor, and our only suspect.”
I need to figure out what happened, and soon. I have been guilty of many crimes, but I am not guilty of this crime.
“You wish to prove your innocence? This is the only way.” The seeker stated. “We need to get to the breach.”
She looked Cassandra in the eyes and nodded in agreement.
Someone has a lot to answer for, and peace needs to be restored. My name is “Atisha” after all.