1Evelyn was in the Fade, home of demons and spirits and dreams. She had been prepared for this, had trained for this in the Circle, had done this in her Harrowing. But that had been a low level demon, barely a challenge. The demon that stared hungrily at her now was something else entirely.
"What are you?" Evelyn demanded. She wished she had her staff, but it had never carried over in her dreams. However... She glanced to her right and saw it: a staff, similar to her own - at least in looks - lying against a rock a few feet away.
Keeping her eyes on the demon, she side-stepped toward the staff, grasped it in fingers that trembled against her will.
"I am Envy," the demon said. It stepped closer. Evelyn stepped back. "Corypheus promised I would have you."
"That's unfortunate given that he failed," Evelyn said. She paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. "Why?"
"Because you are the Inquisition. I become you, and I have everything."
Evelyn's eyes widened. Wake up, wake up, wake up!
The demon lunged and -
Evelyn sat bolt upright in bed, gasping and panting, drenched in sweat. Her night shirt stuck to her chest which heaved as she desperately drew air into her lungs, eyes darting around.
She was in her room. She had woken up. Her breathing slowed.
"Inky?"
Evelyn twisted to look at Sera who was propping herself up on one elbow, eyes half-closed in sleep.
Sera looked at her for a moment before her eyes widened, and she sat up. "What's wrong?"
Evelyn placed her face in her hands and then ran them over her short, messy brown hair. "Dream. Or maybe not. I don't know."
"What? That's daft. You were sleepin', right? So it's a dream."
Evelyn shook her head. "It's not that simple, Sera. I had a dream I was in the Fade. A demon - Envy - said Corypheus had promised me to him. I..." She glanced at Sera's now pale and fearful face. She sighed. "You're right. It was probably just a dream. I'll talk to Solas – "
Evelyn cut herself off. Beside her, she felt Sera tense slightly. Solas and his disappearance were a sore subject, one they agreed that - like Mythal - they would never discuss. She had not been particularly close to Solas, but she had considered him a friend, and he was an expert when it came to the Fade. Without him here she felt lost.
She took a deep breath and said heavily, "I'll talk to Dorian in the morning." Taking Sera's hand in hers, she slipped her fingers through Sera's and held tight. The touch kept her grounded. Calmed her still racing heart. She met Sera's hazel eyes, lost herself in them a moment. She said, "We should get back to sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."
"Don't be sorry for havin bad dreams." Sera tugged Evelyn down onto the bed, pushed at her until she rolled over so that her back was to Sera. Sera pressed her front against Evelyn's back and held her close. Her breath caressed Evelyn's neck, sending a pleasant shiver down Evelyn's spine.
Sera kissed her neck, and she felt Sera's lips curve in a smirk. "Naughty, Inky. But I'm exhausted. Piss. Maybe later. Definitely later."
Within minutes Sera fell back to sleep, though perhaps a little more fitfully than usual. Evelyn sighed. She hated making Sera worry. Sera rarely admitted to it, especially after defeating Corypheus boosted her confidence that Evelyn could survive anything. But Evelyn knew Sera worried about her when she left Skyhold without her. While it was usually to attend some Orlesian ball that Sera had no interest in suffering through, trouble was drawn to her. Even more so now that the Inquisition had gained so much power and influence.
And now I'm having nightmares about demon possession, she thought. Sera had gotten used to her using magic, but despite Evelyn's hopes, Sera had grown no less afraid of it. Not that Evelyn blamed her, of course. While Sera could handle swords and arrows and axes and mauls, she became white as a sheet when confronting magic, and Evelyn admitted that there was something uniquely terrifying about having fire and ice and lightning - and even demons, perhaps especially demons - thrown at you that no non-magical weapon could come close to replicating. And her having dreams about demon possession would certainly not help Sera overcome that fear.
Evelyn glanced out the balcony glass doors, saw the sky beginning to lighten, and carefully got out of bed. She threw on some clothes and crept down the stairs and out the door.
She had lied about going to see Dorian. While he would certainly help, there was still one other person who knew the Fade as well as Solas - perhaps even better - and she knew Sera wouldn't like it.
Cole was in his usual spot in the tavern attic, when he wasn't in the infirmary tending to wounded soldiers and sick refugees. Right above Sera's room. Evelyn smiled. It was a good thing Sera didn't know that was Cole's haunt or her room would have been flooded with all of the random things Sera collected when she evacuated the tavern. Though now that she thought about it, the idea wasn't unpleasant. In fact, she actually kind of liked it...
Cole looked up when she approached. He sat cross-legged on the floor, and Evelyn joined him.
"You're worried. What's the matter?" Cole asked, and Evelyn appreciated that he didn't enter her mind to find the answer. Since confronting the Templar, he had grown more human, but he was still very much a spirit in some respects. The only major difference between him and a pure spirit currently, in Evelyn's opinion, was that he could learn and grow, but the difference it made was tremendous.
For one thing, he had learned to use his mind reading powers sparingly - or at least not to voice people's thoughts in public. Either way, it was a huge improvement.
She told him about her nightmare. "Sera had an extremely vivid dream months ago about me dying. Could this be something similar?"
"You've had dreams like this before. That's why you don't know. Being possessed is one of your greatest fears." Cole was silent for a moment, head tilted so that the wide brim of his hair hid his eyes. He was listening. "The others were all nightmares. But this one is real."
Evelyn paled, swayed, and placed her hands beside her to steady herself.
Cole watched her worriedly. "No, don't be afraid. You can defeat Envy. I promise. Envy is strong. That's okay. You're stronger."
Evelyn studied his face, her body numb and tingling. She searched desperately for any sign that he wasn't telling the truth and found none. Slowly, bit by bit, she relaxed.
"Thank you, Cole." Tears and overwhelming gratitude cracked her voice.
"There's something people do when they want to comfort someone. I...I would like to try it. Is that alright?" Cole asked haltingly.
Curious, Evelyn nodded. Cole raised his arms, stretched them halfway toward her, stopped. His arms hung there in the air for a long moment. Then he gently took hold of her shoulders and pulled her against his chest as he leaned back against the stack of boxes behind him.
Shocked, it took longer than usual for her to process what was happening: Cole was hugging her. Evelyn couldn't remember Cole ever touching her before - or making physical contact with anyone. Once the shock began to wear off, Evelyn relaxed into the hold, shifting to rest against him more comfortably. Cole's body was warm, though he had no heartbeat she noticed after a minute. Was he always warm or was he making it that way? If so, why make his body warm but not make a heartbeat? Maybe she would ask him sometime. But not now.
"Is this okay? Am I doing it right? I hope I am."
Evelyn smiled, eyes slipping closed from exhaustion. "You're doing great, Cole. Thank you."
"You're tired. You should sleep." Cole paused then said, "Sleep. Can't sleep. I'll go to the Fade. Demons live there. I don't want to dream."
Evelyn wanted to be angry that he delved into her mind, but she was grateful that she didn't have to be the one to say it.
"Don't be afraid. I can help you. If Envy attacks you, I can help you defeat it." Cole patted her shoulder awkwardly. "You can...sleep on me, if you'd like. If it would make you feel safer."
Evelyn blinked back sudden tears. "Thank you, Cole. I'll be fine, though."
"Okay."
They stayed there in silence for a while longer, Evelyn dozing despite what she said. When sunlight crept down the far attic wall, she forced herself to get up. She thanked Cole again and headed toward the war room. Now that she knew the threat was real, there were a few more people she needed to consult with.
Within a week, Cassandra and Cullen had arranged for her to take a "trip to the Hinterlands", on which they would accompany her. She spent a good deal of her free time with Cole much to Sera's frustration and confusion. Each time she rebuffed Sera's questions, however gently she did it, she saw a little more hurt and uncertainty in those usually mischievous eyes. But what could she do? Tell Sera she was going off into the mountains somewhere so that when a demon tried to possess her it would be far away from Skyhold? That Cassandra and Cullen would cut her down if she failed?
Sera deserved the truth, she knew that, but each time she wanted to tell her, to just open her mouth and let the truth come spilling out, words failed her. Her throat closed up, anxiety exploded within her, crushing her, choking her. If she told Sera the truth, she would insist on coming with.
And Evelyn didn't want Sera to see her possessed. Didn't want Sera to see her be killed, or - Maker forbid - be forced to land the killing blow herself.
And so she didn't tell her, and tried her best to soothe Sera's worries in other ways. She failed, though, as her love making was now a little too desperate, her gaze a little too intense, her kisses lingering a little too long like she was trying to memorize the feel of Sera's lips.
When it came time for her to leave, Evelyn took one of Master Dennett's Ferelden Chargers, glancing forlornly at her favored steed, the creature dubbed The Bog Unicorn. If they were to try and draw out the demon, the Unicorn would too likely become a target for possession should Evelyn succeed in driving Envy out. As she mounted the Charger, she hoped someone would take of the Unicorn while she was gone. She and Cole were the only ones who went anywhere near the animal, and while the creature could undoubtedly survive without care, being as it was undead, she had no idea what would happen to it in the event of her death.
She made a mental note to speak with Josephine about possible arrangements. Maybe the mages at the new college, a bold noble or even a brave farmer looking for a loyal horse to work his fields. Ideally, Sera would take the Unicorn, but her repulsion for the creature had not lessened over the months since its arrival.
Speaking of... She stood up in her stirrups and looked around, hoping to spot Sera. She had been nowhere to be found that morning. Sitting back in the saddle, Evelyn frowned. They couldn't wait any longer.
And so she reluctantly headed out with the others. One last glance, twisting in the saddle to see the tavern, their rooftop, in hopes of catching a glimpse of Sera, yielded nothing. She slumped and was quiet as they left.
It had been three days since Evelyn left, and Sera was miserable. She hated herself for not going to say goodbye, even though she could see clearly from her bedroom windows that Evelyn was looking for her. But the past week had been so strange and unsettling that she had hid.
She knew Evelyn was pulling away from her, hiding something, but she didn't know what. As Evelyn had continued to deflect her questions, a growing doubt had begun to linger in the back of her mind. It wouldn't be the first time someone she loved had left her, though it had been a long time since she had loved anyone. But it was the first time she had thought a relationship might be a forever thing.
Scowling, she focused her thoughts on the lock in front of her. It was the sixth time in three days she had picked the lock to Evelyn's room (once each morning and once at night and sometimes randomly throughout the rest of the day). She should have been able to do it in her sleep. Perhaps that was the problem: it left her mind free to wander.
The lock clicked open, and Sera entered, locking the door behind her. She trudged up the flight of stairs and threw herself on the bed. She had tried sleeping in her own room in the tavern the first night Evelyn had been gone to no avail. It had been then she realized how little she slept on her own anymore. Even on nights that she and Evelyn merely spent curled up on the futon in front of the fireplace were then spent in Evelyn's bed. Each time it only felt natural; they sat together until their eyes drooped and they struggled to remain awake. Why walk all the way back to the tavern when she could sleep in a nice warm bed only feet away?
But the truth, she realized, was those were merely excuses so that she did not have to face any serious and scary thoughts. Like that it might be nice to move into Evelyn's room. Permanently. The thought made her heart pick up speed. She knew she loved Evelyn. She knew Evelyn loved her - or at least she thought she did. Why would progressing a step further in their relationship still frighten her?
Throwing an arm over her eyes, she decided it didn't matter why. Only that it did, and that her fears would likely not go away. Old habits die hard, after all.
She rolled over onto her side and buried her face in Evelyn's pillow. She would kill if anyone ever saw her do this, but it smelled like Evelyn and that comforted her. She lay there a moment longer before getting up, restless.
Something had been bothering Evelyn, she thought, pacing in circles around the room. She had lied about the trip, what it was for, perhaps even where it was to. But why?
On her fifth circuit of the room, Sera stopped at Evelyn's desk. She had restrained herself from going through Evelyn's things the past few days, not wanting to violate her privacy. Her worry only mounted, however, as she couldn't think of what might be wrong on her own. She wouldn't go opening anything or reading things in detail. Just riffle through a bit and see if anything looked promising…
She didn't have to go very far. In the first drawer, Evelyn had stashed an envelope with Sera's name on it. She snatched it up, tore it open, and pulled out the letter inside.
Dear Sera,
If you are reading this letter, it means I am most likely dead.
Sera froze, blood turning to ice. Numb, she forced herself to continue reading with mounting horror. Dreams about a demon named Envy...trying to possess me...didn't want to hurt you...I'm sorry...I love you.
Evelyn had told her the nightmare had been just that. Why would she lie about something like this? The excuses were in the letter, but that's all they were: excuses. Slowly, anger overtook fear. She crumbled the paper in a clenched fist.
Evelyn should have told me. I have the right to know. She knew that Evelyn was sincere in only trying to protect her. To keep her from following. Evelyn knew her too well. And now she had no idea where they had gone.
She sat heavily on the end of the bed and placed her face in her hands, struggling to think. She would find Evelyn, even if it meant searching every nook and cranny across Thedas. But she would never reach her in time unless she found a faster way to track her. She struggled to think but no solution presented itself. Even if Evelyn could be tracked with magic, Dorian was away doing something she hadn't cared enough to listen too, and Morrigan had left with her son weeks ago.
A high pitched neigh reached her eyes. For a moment, she was annoyed at having her thoughts disrupted. Then her eyes widened, an idea flashing through her mind. She didn't like it, but she saw no other alternative and if any beast could track Evelyn quickly...
And so Sera found herself creeping into the barn that night and locating the stall of the Bog Unicorn. Every instinct in her told her to stay far away from it, even more so once she arrived at its stall.
Thin beams of moonlight spilled through cracks in the wooden roof, splashing across the interior of the stall and the hide of its occupant. The gray leathery skin stretched taunt over bone, and the color of the mane reminded Sera of Leliana hair. An image of the spymaster astride the demonic beast flashed through her mind, and she shivered. Leliana was scary enough on her own.
The horse lifted its head, and Sera froze, her grip tightening on the tack in her arms until her knuckles turned white. Its usually dark sunken eyes glowed blue with an ethereal light as they met hers. It felt like the creature was looking through her instead of at her; a feeling she occasionally felt with Cole before he started spilling her thoughts to everyone within earshot.
She swallowed hard. "Right." She felt pale and dizzy with fear. Her heart galloped in her chest. "Right. It's all good, innit? You can find Inky, right?"
The horse tilted its head. The greatsword through its skull caught the moonlight and gleamed.
"Inky. The Inquisitor. Evelyn. Your master," Sera said slowly. She couldn't tell if the creature understood. But at the mention of a master, the horse whinnied and half reared up. Its hooves hit the floor with a thud. It shook its head, pawed the ground impatiently.
Numb with terror, it took a moment for Sera's fingers to properly work the latch on the stall door. She braced herself when it swung open, but the Unicorn stood still. And despite her trembling fingers, the bridle went on easily. The horse lowered its head so she could work around the horn and so she did not have to fight to get it on. The idea that an undead demon possessed horse was better behaved than some living horses made her laugh, a small nervous laugh, but she felt some of her anxiety ease. Her fingers stopped trembling which allowed her to finish with the buckles on the bridle and move to putting on the saddle. The horse remained still through it all, only flicking its ears back to listen as she moved out of sight.
Sera double and triple checked that the girth fit snuggly around the creature's stomach. Still she wiggled the saddle around to make sure it was secure. The last thing she needed was for the saddle to slide off the creature's back because the horse was too skinny to properly tighten the girth. After that, she adjusted the stirrups. She had spent enough time riding with Evelyn know to know the exact length she needed them. Once she was satisfied everything was ready and secure, she led the horse out of the barn. It followed, head lowered.
When they reached the gates, Sera waved up at the guardsman, a former servant of a nasty nobleman. A friend of Red Jenny. He waved back, disappeared from sight, and a moment later the gates rose with a great creaking and clanking of chains.
She pulled herself up onto the Unicorn, which started prancing with excitement the moment she was on its back. She leaned forward, one hand gripping the reins and threading through its mane, the other placed against its shoulder as she tried not to think about how cool and leathery its skin was.
"Find her," she whispered.
The horse bobbed its head repeatedly, impatiently. Was that a nod? She felt the animal tense under her and braced herself. It lunged forward. Only her grip on its mane kept her from being thrown back.
It thundered over the bridge, hooves clacking against the stone. It picked up speed once it reached the other side of the canyon, and its hooves dug into the dirt, throwing up earth behind them. Sera held on, squinted against the wind stinging her eyes, tried to trust the creature knew what it was doing, where it was going.
Maybe half an hour later, the creature veered to the right off the path and bounded up a steep incline. Sera wasn't sure how long the Unicorn ran, only that it never slowed down, never seemed to tire. A weight lifted that she hadn't realized she had carried. She was three full days behind Evelyn and the others, but they had taken ordinary horses, living breathing ones that tired and ate and slept and drank. The Unicorn needed none of those things. It could cover ground in a way the others could not. Hope began to bloom in her chest. Maybe within a few hours or a day she could catch them.
The sun was beginning to rise when Sera felt the horse start to slow. Her whole body ached, and her eyes burned and itched from exhaustion. Still she said, "What's the problem? We haven't found them yet, you daft undead tit."
Once the horse came to a stop, it tossed its head, twisted to look at her and tried to lip at her hand – or at least she thought that's what it was trying to do, but it had no lips left – tilting its head so its horn was away from her.
"What are you on about?" She kicked its sides. It refused to budge. "Come on! We don't have time for this."
It whinnied low and shook its mane. Sera narrowed her eyes.
"Right. What're you playing at?" She yawned loudly. Now that the horse had stopped, and she didn't have to concentrate on staying on, she realized just how tired, hungry and thirsty she was.
"Oh..." She stared at the creature in surprise. "Um... Just keep going. I'll be fine once we reach them."
The Unicorn whinnied again. Tentatively, she pat its nose. It was cold and bony, and it made her skin crawl, but the gesture seemed to reassure the animal, and in a moment they were off again.
The horse galloped for at least another hour by Sera's estimation before it slowed to a languid walk and would not go any faster. It stopped beside a mountain stream. Grumbling, Sera got the idea and dismounted.
She was thankful for the water as it trickled over her lips and down her chin, and it wet her parched throat and tongue. But she would never admit that. Certainly not to a creepy demon possessed horse. Evelyn had tried to explain to her once that it was possessed by some sort of spirit, not a demon, but it was all the same to her. Dead things should stay dead.
Still, she grudgingly admitted, if anything had to be creepy and undead she would rather this horse than anything else. And she was beginning to see why Evelyn liked it so much, if it took the same care of Evelyn as it was trying to of her.
When she had drank her fill, she got back on the horse, and this time it took off at a slow trot. They were high up one of the mountains, the ground rocky and uneven, and a few pebbles tumbled down the slope under the horse's hooves. As they descended the other side, the going became slower. It refused to go any faster than a hesitant walk as it picked its way down the mountain.
The slow pace frustrated Sera. Every passing moment was one in which Evelyn could be getting farther away - or already dead. Her heart lurched at that thought. She tried to banish it from her mind. But it was stubborn and relentless, and she wiped gathering tears from her eyes furiously with a sleeve.
The unicorn flicked an ear back, listening to her ragged breaths, and Sera was forced to grab hold of its mane when it lurched forward suddenly. They descended the slope at a rapid pace, rocks and dirt sliding and tumbling down the mountain before them. Sera squeezed her eyes shut and clung to the horse's neck.
Sometime later it neighed, and she opened her eyes to see the slope leveling out significantly. The moment its hooves hit the leveler ground, it leapt into a gallop. The forest blurred around them. Sera pressed herself close to the horse's neck to avoid low hanging branches though some still scratched at her back.
The Unicorn wove through the trees. Sera had no idea where it was going, but she hoped it truly could find Evelyn. All thought was banished from her mind as she struggled to keep her balance.
She wasn't sure how long the horse ran before they left the trees and started up an enormous hill, but the sky was getting dark. Though the ground was clear and covered with thick grass, she spotted a few trees that had been uprooted and caught a glimpse of the forest continuing on the other side of the hill. Sera wondered if the forest had once stretched across the clearing. Perhaps an avalanche or mudslide had cleaved through it.
A flickering light caught her eye at the top of the hill, and her heart leapt. Smoke curled up into the night sky, disappearing into the faint glow that outlined the mountains on the horizon.
The Unicorn let out a neigh like a scream. Sera winced. A shout rose up from the top of the hill, and then Sera saw a woman appear holding a shield and sword.
"Cassandra!" Sera grinned. The Unicorn stormed over the top of the hill and came to an abrupt stop. Sera lurched forward. She leapt off the horse.
"Sera?" Cassandra frowned, sheathing her sword. "By the Maker, what are you doing here?"
Sera pulled the crumpled letter out her pocket. "I found the Inquisitor's letter." Her gaze swept over the camp. "Where is she?"
She got her answer a moment later when she heard Evelyn's voice call out, "Cassandra, what's going on?" A tent flap opened, and Evelyn was half out of her tent before she spotted Sera. She paled. Her eyes dropped to the letter in her hand, and the blood drained from her face.
Relief flooded through Sera. Evelyn was okay. She was alive. Then, just as quickly, it was replaced with anger. She stalked toward Evelyn, holding up the letter. "What were you thinking?"
Evelyn swallowed, got out of her tent, held her ground. "It's in there." She nodded to the paper in Sera's fist.
Sera stopped inches from her. "I've dated some right tits before but you...you..." She shoved Evelyn by her shoulders. "Piss. Can't think of a strong enough word."
"Sera, I was only trying to protect you." Evelyn reached out, fingers brushing Sera's arm.
Sera wrenched away from her, blinking back tears. She glanced toward Cassandra and Cullen. They were shuffling down the hill, giving them as much privacy as they could. Cole was nowhere to be seen.
"You could have died." Sera hated the way she choked slightly on the words. "And I'm so pissed at you."
Evelyn was silent a minute. Then she sighed heavily. "I lied."
Sera spun around furiously. "Yeah, got that one, thanks."
"No, I mean...it wasn't all in the letter. I didn't want you to..." Evelyn ran a hand through her hair. Sera kept silent, wanting to hear what she had to say.
"I was afraid you'd leave me." The confession came out in a rush. "Demon possession is always a risk for mages, but mostly in a general kind of way. I thought...with it being a real possibility for me, it might be too much. I didn't want to scare you away." Evelyn glanced down. "I know you're afraid of me. Of magic. I didn't want to scare you more."
Sera stared at her. "You daft tit."
She closed the distance between them. "I'm afraid of magic, not you. You're not scary. I know you're not."
"I'm a mage, Sera." Evelyn met her eyes dully. "Magic is a part of who I am. A huge part. You can't just make those kinds of distinctions like they mean anything for me."
Sera laced her fingers through Evelyn's. "Whatever. I'm still not going anywhere."
Months ago, before they had defeated Corypheus, when she had nightmares about Evelyn's death, she had tried to pull away then. She wasn't as stupid as everyone believed (everyone except Evelyn, never Evelyn), and she saw now that Evelyn was doing the same - pulling away not only in fear of hurting her but also to avoid being hurt.
"Inky," she said softly, squeezing Evelyn's hands gently, "I'm not going anywhere. It's you and me against everything."
Evelyn's eyes widened. Her lips parted slightly. "Sera..."
Sera kissed her softly. She looked away. "I can try not to. Be afraid of magic, I mean. I don't like you thinkin' I'm scared of you."
Evelyn closed her eyes, and rested her forehead against Sera's. Her breath caressed Sera's face. Sera heard her breathing hitch.
"Thank you," Evelyn whispered. "But you don't have to. Just offering means a lot to me."
"I'm going to try," Sera murmured. She threaded her fingers through Evelyn's hair and pressed against her as she kissed her soft and slow. Evelyn gripped her hips, holding her close.
When they finally parted, Sera grinned mischievously. "Might have got started on that whole comfortable with magic thing."
Before Evelyn could ask, Sera pointed to the edge of camp where the Unicorn stood near the other horses. The horses shuffled away nervously, as far as the ropes tied to their halters would let them. Evelyn stared.
"Oh. So that's how you found me." Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "You hate him."
Sera grumbled, cheeks tinged pink. "'S alright. For a creepy dead thing." She glanced up at Evelyn who was grinning at her. There was a light in her eyes, a hopefulness to her expression, a sense of peace Sera had never noticed was missing during their previous discussions of anything magic related. Her heart fluttered in her chest. I'll learn magic myself if it will make her smile like that, she thought.
Sera's stomach rumbled. Evelyn's expression morphed into one of concern.
"When did you last eat?" Evelyn peered at her. "When was the last time you slept?"
"Day or so ago," Sera said. "Only stopped once cause the stupid thing made me drink first."
Evelyn grabbed her some stew from the pot over the fire and a canteen of water. She sat Sera on a blanket near the fire.
"You need to rest. Stay the night. Then you go back to Skyhold tomorrow."
Sera stared at Evelyn. "What makes you think I'm goin' back? I came all this way, didn't I? I'm staying."
"Sera..." Evelyn looked horrible, which stemmed any anger Sera might have felt. "You can't stay. Please, I need you to go."
Sera took Evelyn's hand, tugged her down to sit beside her. "Inky, what's wrong?"
"We left Skyhold because we might fail. I didn't want to be there with all those people when - if - that happened. Cassandra and Cullen are with me because they can...do what must be done if things go wrong." Evelyn swallowed. "I can't ask you to do that, Sera, and I don't want you to see me like that."
"That's not going to happen. You'll beat that arsehole demon like you always do."
Evelyn opened her mouth to argue, and Sera continued, "But even if you don't...I want to be here. I won't leave you alone. It's you and me against it all, innit? We do this thing together."
Evelyn ducked her head. Her hands, resting on her knees, balled into fists. Sera felt her tremble.
"I'm sorry." Evelyn's voice was choked. "I should have told you the truth. But I still can't... I can't ask you... I don't want you to see what happens if it all goes wrong. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want..."
Sera pulled Evelyn against her, arms wrapped around her tight, and Evelyn buried her face in Sera's chest, shaking and choking back sobs. Sera lowered her head, spoke with her lips brushing unruly brown hair. She remembered being awoken late one night, tears still running down her cheeks from crying in her sleep, and Evelyn holding her close, soothing her. It had been another of those nightmares, the ones where Evelyn died.
Sera repeated the words Evelyn spoke then. "I may not know how this will all end, but I know you're worth it."
Evelyn clung to her, and Sera rocked her gently.
"I'm terrified of demons," Evelyn whispered. "I've always been terrified of demons. Of being possessed. Ever since I discovered my magic, I've had nightmares. But they were never real until now."
Sera didn't know what to say. Didn't know what she could say. Finally she settled for squeezing Evelyn tightly and saying, "You'll beat that arsehole for sure. Cause you're you. Can't be any worse than Coryphishit, that's for sure."
Evelyn's breathing steadied as she spoke, and Sera felt her stop shaking.
"You're right. I defeated an ancient would-be god magister." Evelyn straightened up to rest her head on Sera's shoulder. "A single demon is easy."
"It's all good, innit?" Sera kissed her forehead, laced the fingers of one hand through Evelyn's.
"Thank you, Sera." Evelyn shifted closer to her.
Sera tried and failed to stifle a yawn. Evelyn chuckled, drawing back.
"We should tell Cassandra and Cullen it's safe to come back. And then we should get you to bed - to sleep," Evelyn added at Sera's suggestive grin.
The Fade again. Glowing green clouds swirling above, platforms of rock floating in midair. Before her stood a tall, gangly creature, pink and hairless, with no eyes.
"Envy," Evelyn said.
"Inquisitor," the demon said. "It's time to take what's mine."
It leapt at her. Evelyn cried out, stumbling back, and then she was awake. She sat up, gasping for breath. Her head throbbed. It felt like her brain was being forced out of her skull.
She stumbled out of the tent, calling for Cole through gritted teeth. He appeared at her side in an instant.
He guided her to lay on the ground. Dimly she was aware of Cassandra and Cullen rushing to her side, of Sera hovering anxiously behind Cole.
"It's trying to get inside your mind, to pull you there," Cole said. His voice was calm and even, and Evelyn latched onto the sound. "You have to let it. The only way to defeat Envy is in your mind. But time moves differently there. What takes hours in your head is only seconds here. You need to slow it down in your head. Think about time slowing, like water trickling in a stream instead of pouring like a waterfall."
Evelyn closed her eyes, thinking hard about slowing the passage of time. A cool hand rested on her forehead.
"Let go," Cole said, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her.
She opened her eyes, about to ask Cole what he had done, and was greeted with the sight of a green tinged room. A stone walkway extended in front of her with rows of pillars on either side. Green smoke obscured everything to the left and right of the path. She looked harder through the smoke and saw grass and plants she couldn't make out on either side. Parts of the stone path were blanketed with twisted vines. Torches on the pillars guided her as she made her way forward cautiously. She passed flaming bodies, like those at the Temple of Sacred Ashes after the Conclave. Her hair stood on end.
She stopped dead at the end of the path. Cullen and Josephine stood there motionless and staring blankly ahead. A gasp caught Evelyn's attention. Leliana appeared from the smoke and strolled forward, a malicious smirk curving her lips.
"Is this shape useful? Will it let me know you?" It spoke with Leliana's voice, but there was an undercurrent, deep and distorted, to it.
"Everything tells me about you," Leliana continued. "So will this." She moved behind Cullen, held a dagger to his throat.
"Stop these lies, demon," Evelyn said.
Leliana slit Cullen's throat. His body crumpled to the ground. She backed away toward bushes, smoke and a stone wall, repeating, in Evelyn's own voice, "Stop these lies, demon!"
Evelyn shivered.
As Leliana disappeared, Josephine stepped forward, laughing. She held the dagger in her hands. "Being you will be so very interesting."
She disappeared from Evelyn's sight. When Evelyn turned to face her, she was nowhere to be seen.
Josephine's voice came from beside her ear. "Do you know what the Inquisition can become?"
Evelyn jumped, spinning around, swiping at the air.
"You'll see. The Elder One promised you to me. He is gone, but I've been watching you. Watching the Inquisition. It has become so much more than I ever dreamed."
Cullen's voice came from the side. She turned to face him. "I am not your toy. I am Envy. I will know you."
And then Evelyn heard Sera's voice. "Tell me what you think."
A choked noise behind her. Evelyn turned to see a shadowy figure - herself, she realized with a jolt - clutching at its stomach and crumpling to the ground. There was a dagger in her hand. She dropped it.
She turned to face the demon. Her heart clenched at the sight of Sera's face twisted in anger. There was nothing in her eyes that Evelyn recognized. No warmth, no love.
It's a demon, Evelyn reminded herself. It's not Sera. Envy's only wearing her face.
Evelyn forced herself not to flinch when Sera slammed the dagger into the war table which had appeared from nowhere.
Sera snarled, "Tell me what you feel. Tell me what you see."
Evelyn blinked, and she was alone.
Sera balled her hands into fists. Cole knelt beside Evelyn, one hand on her forehead. Cassandra and Cullen stood with their weapons drawn. The point of Cullen's sword pierced the ground, both of his hands resting on the pommel. The tip of Cassandra's sword brushed the grass.
Sera hated this, feeling helpless. There were no baddies she could stick arrows in, no way to help Evelyn. She could only watch and wait and trust in Cole.
A hand rested on her shoulder. Sera turned to meet Cassandra's gaze.
"She will be alright," Cassandra said. There was a conviction in her voice that Sera drew strength from.
"Evelyn," Cole said, grabbing their attention, "can you hear me? Slow your mind. I need... Good, good." He frowned. "Can you hear me? That's not them. It's Envy, wearing their faces. It's trying to know you."
Cole paused a moment then said, "To be her, Envy must know her. How she thinks, feels. It's playing tricks, using familiar faces."
It took Sera a moment to realize he was speaking to them.
"She can't hear me. She's not listening. She's scared and confused, and it's taking advantage. It wears your face, Sera. But it's not you." Cole's tone changed, now fast muttering. "Cold eyes, no warmth, no spark of love when she looks at me. It's not her, it's Envy, but it hurts, and I am afraid."
Tears stung at Sera's eyes, born of frustration and impotence. She couldn't do anything to help. It felt like a punch to the chest, knowing the demon was using her - her face, her voice - to get to Evelyn, to hurt her.
"You're hurting, helpless, hasty. What happens to the hammer when there are no more nails?" Cole asked.
"You are you talking to?" Sera demanded. She hated only hearing one side of things. She wished she could see what was going on inside Evelyn's head the way Cole could.
"The demon," Cole said. He smiled, eyes closed. "She hears me now. Let me see if... Envy is hurting you. Mirrors on mirrors on memories. A face it can feel but not fake. I want to help. You, not Envy."
Sera frowned, opened her mouth to speak and stopped when Cassandra gripped her shoulder. Sera glanced at her. Cassandra nodded toward Cole. Turning back to him, she saw his face was scrunched up in concentration.
After a moment, he smiled, relieved. "Yes, it's me, Cole. You can hear me now. That's good. I will help you just like I promised."
Cole grimaced, an expression Sera had never seen on him before. Her heart twisted.
"I'm fine. Really. It's easy to hear, harder to be a part of what you're hearing. But I'm here, hearing, helping. I hope. Being human, more human that is, than what I was, it makes the hearing harder, being part of it more so. I have to make my thoughts loud, louder, real. Normally, you would be frozen as this happens. I wouldn't not be able to help you then. It's why you need to think about time, about slowing it, so that I can be here, so that I can help. Maybe."
Sera scowled. "He thinks he can help? That stupid arsehole. He said he could!"
"Sera," Cassandra scolded, "demons are difficult creatures to deal with. Particularly this one."
Cullen weighed in. "Envy demons are extremely rare. Only those at the top of the Templar Order knew how to deal with them. I'm sure Cole is doing his best."
"I don't want him to do his best. I want him to save Evelyn," Sera growled.
"Cole can only help," Cullen said. His tone had softened. Sympathy shown in his eyes. "Ultimately, the Inquisitor will have to save herself."
"I'm sorry. It's hard here. Too loud. Drowning my thoughts," Cole said, sounding pained.
Sera fell silent, picking at an imaginary thread on the cuff of her sleeve to hide her nerves.
After a moment of quiet, Cole said, "It's silent now. Good. Envy hurt you, is hurting you. I tried to help. Then I was here, in the hearing. It's - it's not usually like this."
Great, Sera thought. Shite's so friggin' weird not even Creepy knows what's goin' on. That's shite. Fear tugged at her. Better bring Inky back or I'll stick you so full of arrows. She frowned. Please bring her back…
Evelyn continued along the path in her mind, through a room where she knelt in front of Cassandra with a half dozen swords pointed at her.
"The Conclave was our last chance for peace, and now it is gone. Everyone is dead. Because of you," Casandra snarled, pacing in front of her shadowy duplicate.
Evelyn jogged to the other side of the room. Tried to ignore the way the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.
She entered the next room and stopped. Another shadowy doppelgänger stood before her with two soldiers on either side.
"Our enemies have surrendered unconditionally," said one soldier.
The other soldier added, "The Inquisition's strength rivals any kingdom in Thedas."
The shadow Evelyn crossed her arms. Her eyes glowed green. She spoke with Evelyn's voice, slightly distorted, "Our reach begins to match my ambition - but we will strive for more."
Evelyn clenched her fists, forced her anger and fear out of her voice so that she spoke only with amusement. "Is imitating what you can't have your only pleasure, demon?"
"Accusing," said Envy's disembodied voice, both curious and vicious, sending shivers up Evelyn's spine. "Trying to find my weakness. Is that the woman you are?"
Envy laughed, and the figures before her exploded in a ball of fire.
I have to find a way out of here, Evelyn thought. She dashed for the other side of the room. There were pillars on either side and down the middle of the path with statues of dog heads, open mouthed, carved near the roof. When she reached the first pillars, the world exploded in bright glowing green and liquid fire.
She cried out, stumbled to the side, and fell into an alcove, away from the statues. Green fire poured from their mouths. The pillars in the middle began to rotate, periodically ceasing to vomit the strange fire.
Evelyn pushed herself to her feet. The only way to progress forward was through the fire. The wall on the opposite side of the room was lit up. Maybe there was a way to continue on from there?
Swallowing hard and holding her right shoulder, the one she had fallen on, she studied the pillars, the timing of the fire. The pillar turned, the green fire ceasing, and she sprinted across the room. She dove to safety as the pillar turned once more, and the fire resumed to flow.
Evelyn nearly fell, caught herself with her hands and scrambled to her feet. She turned to search for a way forward - and immediately wished she hadn't.
Pools of blood splattered across the stones. Burnt corpses, some still on fire, littered the ground. Three soldiers stood nearby.
"Are you in earnest when you say the Inquisition's duty is to the people? For when I am you, the people will never forget what you do to them."
Evelyn's stomach churned. She wanted to vomit. Resting her hands on her knees, she closed her eyes and gasped for breath. A bitter, acidic taste rose up in the back of her throat, and she spat to try to get rid of it. It didn't work.
I have to keep going, she thought. I have to defeat Envy. I can't let this happen.
She straightened up, pushing off her knees, and strode forward. Metal bars blocked the way through. She would have to cross the room once more and hope she found a clear path.
Fire ceased and she sprinted across the room. Once more, the way was blocked with metal bars. She grit her teeth, biting back a snarl of frustration.
There was another open section across from her. She dashed for it. This time, to her relief, only a pile of crates, taller than herself, and three more unmoving, unmovable figures blocked the way. She scrambled up and over the crates. Now the only obstacle that remained were two fixed statues pouring a constant stream of fire.
Looking to her right, she noticed a door. Maybe she could find something useful behind it. But when she entered the room beyond, there was nothing of use. Only a few locked chests, a bed and a lit fireplace.
As she tried to break the lock to a chest, holding out hope there was something within that could help her, Envy's voice rang out again.
"Do you see how glorious my Inquisition will become when I am you?"
And then, miraculously, another disembodied voice spoke.
"You're hurting, helpless, hasty. What happens to the hammer when there are no more nails?"
Her heart leapt. Cole! With all of Envy's mind games, she had forgotten that Cole had promised to help.
"What are you?" Envy growled. "Get out! This is my place!"
Cole didn't speak again. Evelyn looked around the room, waiting - hoping - for him to appear. But he didn't, and her heart sank slightly.
But he's here, she told herself. I may not be able to see him, but that doesn't mean he isn't helping me.
As she headed for the door, Cole's voice stopped her.
"Wait."
She paused, then turned around, and wandered toward the middle of the room, looking around for Cole.
"Envy is hurting you," came his voice from behind, but when she looked, there was no one there. "Mirrors on mirrors on memories. A face it can feel but not fake. I want to help. You, not Envy."
"Cole, where are you?" Evelyn asked. Then hesitantly, "That really is you, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's me, Cole!" He sounded excited and relieved. "You can hear me now. That's good. I will help you just like I promised."
Evelyn looked up. Cole hung upside down, halfway through the ceiling. She wondered where her life had gone so wrong that things such as that no longer fazed her.
Cole grimaced. Evelyn had seen that expression on his face only once: when they had returned from confronting the Templar who had killed the real Cole.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Really. It's easy to hear, harder to be part of what you're hearing. But I'm here, hearing, helping. I hope. Being human, more human that is, than was I was, it makes the hearing harder, being part of it more so. I have to make my thoughts loud, louder, real. Normally, you would be frozen. Time moves differently here. It's why I needed you to slow it down, so that I can be here, so that I can help. Maybe."
Evelyn frowned. "What do you mean?"
Cole squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm sorry. It's hard here. Too loud. Drowning my thoughts." It sounded like he was in pain.
A moment later he continued. "It's silent now. Good. Envy hurt you, is hurting you. I tried to help. Then I was here, in the hearing. It's - it's not usually like this."
Evelyn half threw up her arms in exasperation. "The least I can ask for is that things make sense in my own head!"
Cole chuckled. "It never works like that."
A screech pierced the air. Evelyn shivered. She backed away from the open door. Glancing up at the ceiling, she saw Cole had moved. She turned around. He sat on the headboard of the bed.
"Any ideas on getting out of here?" Evelyn asked.
Cole was silent for a moment. Then he jumped down from the bed and stood in front of the fireplace. "All of this is Envy: people, places, power. If you keep going, Envy stretches. It takes strength to make more. Being one person is hard. Being many, too many, more and more, and Envy breaks down, you break out."
"So we tire Envy into submission."
Cole looked away for a moment. "Maybe," he said. "I hope it helps. It's better than waiting here to lose your face."
Evelyn was less than assured by Cole's lack of confidence, but he was right, and Evelyn couldn't think of other plan. She nodded.
Cole jogged out of the room. She followed. He stopped in front of the last pair of statues, green fire pouring from their mouths.
"Ideas are loud here. Make them louder. Think of water."
"Think of water?"
"Yes."
Cole vanished from sight. Evelyn concentrated, thinking hard about water, its taste, its feel, the sound of waves lapping at the shore, crashing against the rocks, the soothing patter of rain against her bedroom windows.
"That thing can't help you," Envy snarled, as the fire disappeared. "I will see more!"
Water replaced the fire, splashing against the stones. Evelyn cautiously stuck her hand in the stream. It was cool, refreshing. Grinning, she stepped through, enjoying the water cascading over her, soaking through her clothes.
She stood there for a minute, recuperating, steeling herself for what was to come.
She continued into an empty room, smoky with benches. A strange feeling stole over her. There was a flash of blinding white light; she felt weightless a moment, and then the light died and she felt her feet on the ground.
The room had changed. There were cells on each side, and there was now a long table in the middle of the room. Cassandra stood on the side nearest her, Chancellor Roderick opposite her. A shadowy figure lay on the table, a sword through its chest, blood pooled beneath it and trickling to the floor.
Envy spoke. "Betrayed allies will curse your name. Like the first Inquisition, you will bring blood and ruin and fear!"
"Unless you don't," Cole's voice said mildly. "You don't have to. None of this is real unless you let it be."
"Get out, thing! I am learning!" Envy snarled.
Evelyn crossed the mist filled room. As she passed the table, her suspicions were confirmed: the figure on the table, the one neither Cassandra nor Chancellor Roderick acknowledged, was her. She took a deep breath and tore her eyes away. She studied Chancellor Roderick, her heart throbbing. She couldn't shake the memory of Cole helping him through the Chantry doors, blood staining his robes or his body laying lifeless in a tent. For all they had fought, he had been a good man trying to do right by the people. She regretted that she never got the chance to know him better.
The next door led into a stone prison, a long hallway with open doorways on either side, presumably leading to where the prisoners were kept. In the hallway stood another shadow figure, this one standing in judgment of Mother Giselle.
"What do you say to your crimes, heretic?" it asked in Evelyn's voice.
Mother Giselle stood tall. "This a farce! I demand justice!"
"Have it," the figure said offhandedly. "Take her to the gallows."
Evelyn felt herself start to sweat. She didn't know why. It wasn't even warm. And then she noticed her fingers start to twitch, like they were aching to hold a weapon. She felt light headed, closed her eyes, tried to focus on her anger not her fear, tried to turn terror into rage.
It worked. For the time being.
"Mother Giselle is no heretic!" she growled.
"Any who challenge the word of Andraste's Herald will be corrected," Envy replied.
The shadow figure and Mother Giselle exploded, and she was alone again.
She ran down the hall, not daring to look into the rooms on either side. The hallway was a dead end, though strangely the stones disappeared and vegetation had grown. Looking around, she realized she had to go into the rooms if she wanted to find a way out.
She paused, squinted slightly at the room to the right, and made out Cole standing against the far wall. She jogged over to him, glancing only briefly at the dwarf in the cell.
"It's dark, but it's not real," Cole said. "Think of sparks. Keep going up. You're more you there than you are Envy, and that tires it out."
"Good. I think."
Cole vanished in a puff of purple smoke and a torch appeared on the wall next to where he had been. It was lit with a green flame.
Evelyn took it carefully. Veil fire. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then, realizing Envy would force her into the room, she headed for the room across the hall. As she went, Envy hissed with fury.
Cullen. He stood behind the bars of the cell, angry and defiant.
"The Herald has questions, Commander," his guard said.
"Is it my turn to be branded a traitor for questioning what we've become?" Cullen spat.
Evelyn found herself drawing strength from his anger, felt it feed her own. When the light of the Veil fire flickered against the stone wall, a torch appeared. She lit it, and Envy hissed again, louder this time. She went to the next two rooms and lit the torches that appeared there. Each time Envy snarled louder, angrier.
The wall, which had previously been a dead end, now was covered in black bubbles. Evelyn spotted a torch on it. She lit it and a section of the wall vanished in a puff of purple smoke. She ran through the hallway, made the turn into another room and stopped dead at the sound of a familiar voice.
"Four days without shite to eat, and one day without water. What's her Lady Heraldship going to do, huh? Keep me here till I starve to death?"
Evelyn whirled around to face the cell. Sera sat inside, leaning against a wall, one knee up with her arm resting on it. A familiar position, one Evelyn had seen her take a million times. Sera's face was covered with dirt, and she looked beaten down, tired. But still defiant.
"What's she want me to confess anyway?" Sera demanded.
Her jailor didn't answer. He turned away and sat at a table to read.
With no one watching her, Sera's defiant expression crumbled, heartbroken. As Evelyn knelt in front of the bars, Sera hung her head.
"Thought you were different, Inky," she murmured. "Thought you weren't like nobles." A tear ran down her cheek.
Evelyn watched Sera, aching. She heard Cole's voice.
"That isn't Sera. You would never lock her up. Or starve her. This isn't real."
Evelyn took a deep breath, let it out. Growled, "I know." She stood up. "Envy made a mistake."
She threw the next door open - she hoped it was the last one, she was getting tired of doors - and ran up the stairs beyond it.
Envy snarled and hissed. "I haven't seen enough."
At the top of the stairs was door but before she reached it there was a blinding flash of light and then she was in another room. This one was filled with trees, corpses hanging from their branches, and twisted gnarled roots pushing up out of the ground. Two Orlesian soldiers cried the Inquisition was coming, that Val Royeaux was burning to the ground. Evelyn ignored them.
"I saw through your other lies, and I'll escape this one too!"
"Determination. Such a useful trait," Envy replied.
"You're letting the Herald see more to sketch her shapes," Cole said, "but what she sees makes her stronger."
"Quiet!" Envy snapped.
Evelyn crossed the room, burst through another door into sunlight. She was in the forest near a castle. There was stone road leading to it. She heard noise behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted two sloth demons behind her. She tensed, but they didn't move.
She took a few steps forward, and they followed. Still they made no move to attack.
Then she noticed the ground bubbling, turning green under her feet. She had to keep moving. She sprinted toward the castle, ignoring the demons trailing after her.
"You wish to be difficult? Then see the legacy of the Inquisition!" Envy's voice declared as Evelyn reached the castle and ran up the stairs. "Its followers hosts to demons! Your world - ashes! Show me what you'd do with them!"
"Or don't," Cole said, and Evelyn noticed him sitting at the top of the stairs, just beyond a pile of rubble, in front of two gated archways. "It can't make you, not anymore."
There was a lever on the section of wall dividing the archways. She pulled it. The doors in the gates opened.
"Almost there. Keep going up," Cole said.
"What then?"
"You're making it hard for Envy to think. It'll probably come out soon. It's angry, but that's okay. So are you."
Evelyn nodded to Cole. She waited a moment, caught her breath. The demons were still following her.
The courtyard was next. A series of spectral shapes appeared. Evelyn ignored them and ran up the stairs. Faltering when she heard shouts, she saw the specters run for her with swords drawn. The demons were upon them instantly.
Evelyn kept going.
"Almost there. Keep going up," Cole encouraged.
She did. Through another courtyard with more soldiers. She caught bits of conversation - "the Herald summoned these demons after Celene was murdered!" - and ran faster. Screams told her the demons were defending her again.
Into a room, up more stairs, back along the castle walls. She cried out, crashing to the ground, when green spikes shot up from under her feet. She had no time to recover; the stones under her bubbled, signaling another set of spikes. She scrambled to her feet and continued, hissing in pain and limping.
"Almost there," Cole said again. "Keep going up."
At the top of the stairs, she found an area littered with bodies. One soldier still stood. Spotting her, he snarled and swung his sword.
She was too slow to dodge; the sword tore into her shoulder.
"In Celene's memory!" the soldier cried.
Evelyn fumbled, trying desperately to grab her staff from her back. Her left shoulder seared with pain. Giving up, she snatched a sword from the ground and held it out in front of her. She clumsily blocked the next blow, the weapon almost ripped from her hands. The demons had been held back by the other warriors. They now reached the top of the stairs and growled, drawing the soldier's attention.
Evelyn dropped the sword and ran. Did injuries sustained in one's mind translate into real life injuries? She didn't know. She hoped not.
Finally, gasping for breath and limp more pronounced, she struggled up a flight of stairs leading to a large red door. This had to be it. Keep going up. There was nowhere left to go.
She grinned when she reached the top of the stairs. I made it!
Something grabbed her from behind, and she cried out as it spun her and shoved her back against the door. Another shadow figure, this one disturbingly more complete than the others, with sharper lines and distinguishable bits of clothing, hair, lips instead of one shadowy mass, but still far from complete. Envy.
"Unfair, unfair! That thing kept you whole, kept you from giving me your shape!" Envy cried, grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off her feet, sliding her up against the door.
That thing kept you whole... Evelyn would have to thank Cole after she defeated Envy. If not for him... She didn't know if she could have kept herself whole on her own. She suspected not.
"What could you gain from being me?" she demanded, struggling to speak. Corypheus had promised her to Envy, and she saw how that would have been a benefit when the Breach had been open and everything was in chaos or even if Corypheus had succeeded. But Envy couldn't think taking her place now, with the Breach closed and Thedas at peace, would still gain it the same advantages?
"What could you gain? What...ugh!" Envy was trying to pose as her and failing. It looked down and shook its head. Glaring back up at her, it lifted a glowing green hand to her forehead. "We'll start again. More pain this time. I was promised!"
"It's frightened of you," Cole said. He stood on the palm of a large statue.
"Get out of – " Envy snarled, turning its attention on Cole.
Evelyn took her chance. She shoved Envy away from her and spitefully slammed the top of her head into its nose. As Envy stumbled away from her, the world was again engulfed in a blinding white light.
And then she laying on her back, staring at the night sky with Envy being flung to the ground. She pushed herself to her feet, feeling phantom twinges of her injuries. They were easily ignored, however. She glanced to her left and saw Cole holding her staff. He tossed it to her.
"Don't let it hide!" she shouted as Envy rose, and blasted it with a ball of fire, knocking it to the ground.
Evelyn growled. Envy was one of more difficult demons to kill. It kept vanishing into the ground only to erupt upward under their feet. Cole had said that Envy hid, that was what it did, but Envy had not tried to hide. Perhaps acting right away had angered it enough to stay. Maybe it was furious that she had bested it in her mind and had decided to kill her in retribution.
She cast another barrier spell as Cassandra was knocked to the ground. Envy howled; Cassandra had gotten in a damaging blow before it could attack. It glared - or at least she thought it did since it didn't have eyes - and began to change shape.
Into the shadowy and incomplete copy of herself.
"Not again!" she shouted in exasperation. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sera falter, ease up on the bowstring a moment, and then pull it fully drawn and aim.
Her mind flashed to Sera, heartbroken and imprisoned. Her next fireball slammed into Envy harder than the others, its explosion more powerful.
It was weakening. Only a matter of time now.
Sera's heart skipped a beat and the breath was knocked from her lungs when Envy changed shape. It was shadowy with large patches of area lacking any distinguishable features, but the overall shape... She knew that shape. The unruly hair, the outline of the armor.
That's not her. That's not my Inky. The words flashed through her head and then she loosed another arrow. It lodged itself in Envy's side. The demon screamed and snarled.
Sera felt a shift in the air.
"It's trying to get away!" Cullen shouted at the same time Cassandra yelled, "The demon is trying to escape!"
Sera aimed her next arrow at its leg, hoping to pin it to the ground. She loosed the arrow. It pierced through Envy's foot and into the ground. Growling, Envy ripped its foot free.
"Piss!" Sera said, eyes wide.
Thundering hooves and a scream-like neigh pierced the air. The Bog Unicorn charged Envy, head lowered. Its sword ran through Envy's thigh and drove into the ground.
Envy snarled, yanking on its leg but couldn't pull free. The Unicorn's eyes glowed blue with ethereal light. Envy howled in pain, like the Unicorn was hurting it somehow.
Envy grabbed the unicorn by the sides of its head. Its green eyes glowed brighter, and the Unicorn's eyes flared like they were having some kind of a contest.
The Unicorn screamed again, and Sera realized they had all been standing still in shock. She lifted her bow, pulled the string taunt and aimed. It wasn't Evelyn. It only looked like her.
But that didn't make it any easier when she landed the killing blow, an arrow through its eye. Envy crumpled to the ground. The Bog Unicorn struggled to pull its horn from the ground and cried out when it couldn't.
Sera watched, lowering her bow, as Evelyn dropped her staff and rushed to the distressed creature's side. Evelyn shushed it, running her hands along its neck and jaw, down its brow to its nose. The sword had dug deep into the ground. Evelyn guided the animal to free its horn. From the ground and then from Envy's leg.
That done, Evelyn stared down at the shadowy copy of herself. Sera tried to focus on the real Evelyn, alive and well, and not the fake one that recalled her nightmares. Evelyn gave the body a good kick and then, with a flick of her hand, set it on fire. Within moments it was nothing but dust.
"Sera?"
Sera blinked at the sound of her name. She hadn't realized she was staring at where the body had been. Evelyn approached her slowly. She was worried but there was something else in her eyes that Sera didn't understand.
Evelyn cupped Sera's cheek with one hand and clasped her hand in the other. "Are you alright?"
Sera smiled. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? We just kicked a demon's arse." She wasn't lying. Not exactly. The remembrance of the nightmare had thrown her, but it wouldn't last.
She studied Evelyn's face for any sign of pain. "What about you, Inky? Sounds like things got friggin creepy." She tapped Evelyn's forehead with a finger. "In there."
Evelyn looked tired. Drained. "It was...intense, to say the least."
"Creepy said I was there. Somethin 'bout prison and stuff."
"You heard that?"
"Yeah, Creepy kept mumblin to himself the whole time, only I guess he was really talking to you in your head."
Evelyn sighed. "It showed me how things would be when it took my place. I... I don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe later."
"Alright," Sera said, a little stung despite understanding. She brushed Evelyn's bangs away from her forehead. "Are you hurt?"
"No," Evelyn said, and immediately she let out a little hiss and rubbed at her shoulder.
"Honey tongue?" Sera couldn't see any wounds.
"Phantom pains," Evelyn said. "It's nothing serious. They'll fade." She turned away from Sera to meet Cole's eyes. "Thank you, Cole. I don't think I could have done it without you."
"I'm glad you're safe again," Cole said. "I don't like it when you're hurting."
Sera hesitated. Then, though she had to drag the words out of her, she said, "Thanks, Creepy. Cole. Means a lot."
Cole blinked owlishly. He looked a bit stunned. "You're welcome, Sera."
"And now," Cullen said, still panting slightly from the fight, "we should all get to bed. We start our return to Skyhold in a few hours."
Sleep sounded fantastic to Evelyn, and she gratefully lay on her bedroll while Sera tied the tent flap shut. She let out a happy sigh, the bed under her feeling far more comfortable than it ever had before. Finally, she could rest.
She closed her eyes momentarily. She opened them at the sound of Sera setting aside her bow and Evelyn's staff. Out of the way, but within a moment's reach. Sera pulled her shirt over her head.
Evelyn's mouth went dry. "Um, Sera, what are – "
"Hush up, you," Sera said, not unkindly, and continued to strip. Once fully naked, she knelt on the bedroll beside Evelyn. "Now you." She tugged at Evelyn's armor.
"Sera, I'm exhausted, I'm not – "
Sera shook her head. "It's not that. I mean, well, yeah, if you wanted, always. You're well fit. But it's not that. Trust me."
Evelyn eyed her, slightly suspicious. Where was Sera going with this? Nodding, she relented and allowed Sera to help her out of her clothing.
They lay down in their makeshift bed, Evelyn's bedroll against some folded up extra blankets for Sera, and pulled a heavy blanket over them both. Sera pressed close against her. Evelyn's chin rested on the top of her head. She held Sera and began drawing patterns along her arm with a finger.
Sera let out a quiet contented sigh, one Evelyn wasn't sure she was meant to hear. Not that it mattered; the way Sera melted in her arms, all the tension flowing out of her, said enough.
"I love you, Inky," Sera murmured, tracing her collarbone. "You're still stupid, though. And I'm still right pissed. You've got a lot of grovelin' to do 'fore you get back on my good side, you know."
Evelyn laughed softly. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. That's what you get for bein' stupid and keepin' secrets. Don't pull this shite again, yeah?"
"I won't." Evelyn buried her face in Sera's hair. "I'm sorry. I promise I won't keep secrets anymore." She kissed the top of Sera's head. "I was only trying to protect you."
"I don't need protecting, though," Sera said. "I can handle myself."
"I know you can." Evelyn sighed. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of Sera's hair. Enjoyed the feel of Sera's skin on her own. She hadn't realized how much she needed this. The intimacy, the closeness.
Maybe Sera had known. Or maybe Sera needed it too.
"Sera?" Evelyn kissed her forehead. "I'm still here."
She thought she heard Sera's breath hitch. "I know that. I'm starin' at your tits right now."
Evelyn rolled her eyes. She stroked Sera's back. "I'm not going anywhere."
Sera was silent and still for a long moment. When she spoke, her voice was soft. "You can't promise that."
"You're right. I can't." Evelyn shifted back, placed a finger under Sera's chin and tilted her head so their eyes met. "But I can promise you that I will always find my way back to you. In this life or the next."
Sera let out a teary laugh. "Honey tongue, you." She snuggled deeper into Evelyn's arms. "You okay? I mean, no more demons for real, right?"
"No demons," Evelyn said. She gently pushed at Sera's shoulder until Sera rolled over. Evelyn pulled her close, her front pressed against Sera's back, one arm around Sera's waist with Sera using the other as a pillow. She pressed a series of gentle kisses along Sera's shoulder. When they returned to Skyhold, she decided, she would ask Sera to officially move into her room.
Exhaustion stole over Evelyn. She tightened her grip on Sera slightly, and allowed herself to drift off to sleep, soothed by Sera's warm body against hers, by the sound of Sera's breathing.
She dreamt of pleasant things.