Chapter Text
"We ambush them at nightfall," The Inquisitor pointed towards the setting sun. "Scouts report the band of Venatori is just beyond those hills, camped in an elven ruin."
Corypheus had been vanquished, but the Inquisition's celebrations were short. In the weeks following their victory, remaining fade rifts and forces of Venatori forced the Inquisitor to return to her duties. She refocused the Inquisition on the well-being of Thedas. Their numbers were scaled back, however.
Many of her companions had left. Solas disappeared following the battle with Corypheus. Leliana was now Divine Victoria, and the Inquisitor was confident that her spymaster friend still had agents scouring the lands for a sight of the mysterious elf. Cole returned to the Fade to continue his efforts to ease suffering and Sera had ventured off on Red Jenny business. Vivienne, angered over the dismantle of the Circles of Magi, formed a new Circle which rivaled the Chantry's College of Enchanters. The tensions between the two factions were closely watched by all those nervous of another civil war.
The Inquisitor looked around the camp and counted herself lucky for the companions that remained by her side. Iron Bull, Dorian and Varric were her constant partners on these expeditions. Cullen had joined this particular excursion to command a small company of their forces, leaving Knight-Captain Rylen in charge of the rest of the army. Cassandra and Josephine also remained at Skyhold, overseeing alliances and currently hosting a visiting party of the Grey Wardens, Blackwall and the resurfaced Hero of Ferelden in tow.
"Evelyn." A soft voice appeared at her side, drawing her concentration away from the map of The Dales before her. She looked up and met the brown eyes of her Commander, a smile spreading across lips.
"Any news from Skyhold?" she asked as he took her hand in his.
He shook his head as he gently brought her fingers to his lips, kissing her knuckles with care. Evelyn's cheeks flushed and she looked back down at the table before her. Rocks were placed in each corner of the maps and papers laid out. Their courtship was a new development and she still felt sheepish to show this side of herself in front of her crew. She glanced around and found that her friends were otherwise occupied.
Cullen nervously cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "I uh...I...expect the Wardens will have arrived by now," he mumbled.
He moved around the table to stand across from the Inquisitor, leaning forward on the wooden table with one hand and picking up a report with the other. Only a brief moment passed before Cullen felt Evelyn's fingers brush against his. He peered over the parchment to see her head still down. Her attention still held by the various paperwork, but with a slight smirk across her face.
It was only just before the Inquisitor faced Corypheus did Cullen finally kiss her. He hated himself for allowing the bulk of their forces to take so long to return from the Arbor Wilds, feeling guilty for leaving her with little tactical support. Evelyn had decided to take her team and confront the Elder One as soon as possible. She was rushing out of Skyhold when he grabbed her hand, pulling her into an embrace.
"Inquisitor...be safe," he had said, holding her gaze with pleading eyes. In that instant, he realized it may have been his last opportunity to express his feelings. He brought his lips to hers to share a brief but passionate kiss. Her eyes were heavy with worry, but she smiled and simply responded, "I promise to return, Commander." They both nodded in acknowledgment of their duties and rushed apart. Him to the few troops in Skyhold and she to join her companions to lead the charge.
That had been over a month ago and their responsibilities proved difficult in allowing the continued exploration of their budding relationship.
When Evelyn decided to leave Skyhold in pursuit of the Venatori, Cullen had insisted on accompanying her team. He claimed it was to work with his soldiers as he had urged Evelyn to let a small company of men aid in battle. But she knew it was because he wished to spend more time with her. Everyone, in fact, knew why Cullen had joined them. Evelyn didn't mind, though. She agreed that the extra men were a help, finding that even their small moments together made her heart feel full.
As the light disappeared beyond the horizon, Evelyn instructed her team to prepare for battle.
"The report from Scout Harding says that the group of Venatori are no more than a dozen," she said. "This should be a simple fight. Commander, I believe only a handful of your men need accompany us. The rest of you should stay here and make ready for our morning departure to the Fade Rift near Halamshiral."
There was a chorus of "Yes, Inquisitor," from the men and women before Cullen interjected. "I plan on accompanying as well, my lady."
Evelyn had been moving towards her horse when she paused at his words. "That won't be necessary, Commander."
Cullen stepped closer to her and dropped his voice. "Evelyn, please. I know this is routine, but I wish to be present should, Maker forbid, anything happen to you..." He looked intently at her, his eyes intense and face stern.
Unable to come up with any reason to say no, she sighed and nodded. "Alright, Cullen..."
It took only a few moments for the group to saddle up their horses and venture west. The elven ruins were only a few miles beyond the hill and it didn't take long for them to reach the outskirts of the small wood enclosure. The company dismounted their horses before slowing making their way amongst the trees. A fire was in the distance, in a clearing filled with rubble of stone. As they drew closer, it was clear that this was the Venatori camp. A handful of figures and tents were under the shadow of the decaying fortress.
Evelyn signaled for her men to hold as she crept towards Cullen. She pointed towards their enemies and both pair of eyes surveyed the area.
"It seems half our targets are ahead at camp. There's a pathway just to the left of them...I suggest you and your men move into the ruins. We'll take care of this group and be right behind you." She spoke in a hushed tone but with full confidence. These were orders and Cullen knew not to suggest otherwise. As he said earlier, this was a routine fight. He need not worry about her against a handful of Venatori. She had, after all, defeated an ancient darkspawn as well as ten dragons.
He nodded in understanding and gave her hand a quick squeeze before making his way to his men. The Inquisitor met with her team and began the charge and Cullen immediately sent his men to the left path that led to the rest of the ruin. He watched as Evelyn and Iron Bull ran into the center of the Venatori camp. Varric and Dorian flanked them, sending arrows and waves of magic towards their enemies. Cullen watched the battle cautiously. When he felt that his friends had the situation under control, he raced after his men into the crumbling fortress.
They encountered a few Venatori as they climbed, up and up, further into the ruin. But they were easy to dispatch. He was thankful and proud of how well-prepared and focused his soldiers proved to be. As the group neared the heart of the structure, Cullen saw a flash of green light bounce against the walls and his heart immediately sank. In an instant, he heard a loud bang as more flashes of green lit the area, followed by various screeches and wails. Demons.
Cullen turned towards one of his men, "Get back to the Inquisitor and let her know that there's a Fade Rift in here. Hurry!"
The man replied with a curt nod and shot back down the stairs. The rest sprang into action and rushed towards the noises. A bright green mass of light hovered in the middle of a large room. The roof had crumbled long ago, but the staircase remained around the edges of the room, spiraling upwards to the remaining two landings. The sky, now visible above them, was dark - no moon or star light to illuminate the room. What remained of the walls reflected the glow of the rift, casting the entire room in a violent, ominous light.
Demons began to pour out of the Fade and appear before them. It was clear to Cullen, quite quickly, that this would be a more difficult fight. He and his men steadily cleared out rounds and rounds of Terror Demons, but without the Inquisitor to close the rift, he knew the battle was far from over. It was then that a Pride Demon spawned, along with Rage Demons and Despair Demons.
Cullen cursed, breathing heavily as he watched his men continue to battle the monsters. He knew that if they were to have any chance at surviving this wave, he needed to draw away the Pride Demon's attention. Without hesitation, he rushed towards the large beast, slashing his sword at its legs. The monster turned and moved its large arm to hit the Commander, but he ducked and rolled out of the way. As he stood, the Pride Demon approached him. He realized that he had backed himself into the corner of the wall and the staircase that lead above. Knowing he had no choice, he backed up the stairs as the Pride Demon let out a sinister laugh, sending shivers down his spine. He didn't know how Evelyn had faced these monsters over and over again.
He had barely reached the first landing when the Pride Demon lunged towards him, shooting out bolts of electricity from his hands. Cullen jumped out of the way, landing hard on the ground, and a bit too close to the edge. He glanced over his shoulder and looked down below. His men were still alive, thankfully, and he noted that the Inquisitor had just arrived. There was a crashing noise as he got back on his feet and charged the demon, striking again with his sword as he ran between its legs. Evelyn must have disrupted the fade for the moment.
He got a few good hits in on the Pride Demon before he had to duck and roll again. He managed to raise his shield in cover just in time for another charge of electricity from the demon. The core of his attack bounced off, but Cullen could feel a tingle in his arm. The demon was winding up for another attack and Cullen knew his only out was to continue up the last flight of stairs. He hurried up to the last landing and prayed to the Maker that someone - anyone - would be able to aid him soon.
He looked down again at the rift and noted just how far up he had climbed. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His Templar abilities had weakened since he stopped taking lyrium and this was the first time he had become so aware of his lessened powers. As the Pride Demon caught up to him once more, he could hear his name called from below. It had to have been Evelyn.
The Inquisitor vanquished the last Rage Demon and was about to close the rift when she finally caught sight of Cullen two flights up.
"Cullen!" she screamed, beginning to worry.
"Bull, get up there! We need to draw away that Pride Demon!" she yelled, as she raised her left hand towards the rift. Varric was already running up the first staircase, Bianca at the ready. Dorian was beside her, shooting bolts of fire at the monster.
She aimed her mark at the green wisps and a moment later, a loud boom signaled that the rift was finally closed. She was breathing heavily and she grasped her left wrist before looking back up at her Commander. He was now backed against the edge of the landing. He had lost his shield moments before, attempting to block the demon's previous blow.
Time seemed to slow as Evelyn surveyed the situation, a sick feeling building in her stomach. She could see the Pride Demon charging up another attack. Iron Bull was rushing up the second flight of stairs, but she knew he wouldn't reach the top in time. Varric was firing Bianca, but the arrows hardly seemed to phase the demon. She knew Dorian's magic was weakening - he had run out of lyrium potions ages ago and he grew tired. Evelyn helplessly watched as the demon let out another laugh before swinging his arm towards her Commander. Cullen raised his sword with both hands as he planted his feet in a wide stance. His eyes closed as the demon made contact with the sword.
The blow was of impressive force and it immediately unbalanced Cullen, sending him flying backwards and off the ledge. Evelyn immediately screamed his name. Her whole body shook and her left hand ached with a pain she had never felt. It lurched in the direction of Cullen's falling body and a large glow of green appeared beneath him. The green swirled and sparked. As his body continued towards the floor of the ruin, it reached the green cloud and vanished. Evelyn eyes grew wide and she screamed again, this time in pain. Another force of energy shot from her mark, causing the green mass to disappear.
She collapsed onto the ground and held her hand. It was pulsing and the pain was excruciating - the worst the mark had ever felt. Her eyes felt blurry and her head fuzzy. In the distance, she could hear Iron Bull's roar and the whirling sound of his axe meeting the Pride Demon.
"Inquisitor," Dorian rushed to her side and knelt next to her. "Evelyn, are you alright?" He placed a hand on her back as he dropped his staff on the ground.
Evelyn swallowed hard and nodded, breathing heavily. "What the hell just happened?"
"I...I don't quite know..."
"He was there...right there and he was falling and..."
"It was something from your mark, maybe a Fade Rift..." Dorian said uncertainly.
Evelyn snapped her head up. "I sent Cullen to the Fade?"
"It's possible...It could be like what happened at Adamant," Dorian continued.
"I have to open it again! I have to go after him! I can't just leave him there!" Evelyn was in hysterics. She tried to stand up but found her legs weak, and she stumbled forward. Dorian caught her by the arms and held her tight.
"Evelyn, you're too weak right now. You've never even intentionally opened a fade rift before."
"I don't care!" she yelled, tears welling in her eyes. "I have to go after him." She aimed her mark before her and tried to concentrate her powers to open another rift. Her hand glowed but nothing happened. The pain surged through her hand once more.
"Evelyn! Please..." Dorian caught her gaze and pleaded with her. "Please...we need you alive. You have to rest."
She nodded as tears began to fall down her face. He was right. She was still Inquisitor. There were still Fade Rifts across Thedas and she was the only one who could close them.
Dorian put his arm around her as Bull and Varric rushed towards them. He gave his companions a look and they nodded knowingly.
"Can you find him, Dorian?" she mumbled through her sobs. "Can you go into the Fade and find him?"
"Evelyn, darling...we need to head back to camp."
She nodded wordlessly and let the mage lead her away. They returned to their horses and quickly returned to camp.
Evelyn immediately went to her tent, unable to respond to anyone's inquiries about Commander Cullen. The others could tell them.
Outside, Varric stood guard in front of her tent. Bull was talking to the soldiers, telling them the change of plans for the following morning. The rift in Halamshiral would have to wait. They would return to Skyhold as soon as the sun rose.
Dorian had gone off to his tent to retrieve a lyrium potion so he could access the Fade. An hour passed before the mage ran back to the Inquisitor's tent.
"Did you find Curly?" Varric asked.
Dorian sighed and shook his head. "He's nowhere to be found...I don't think he's in the Fade..."
"How is that possible?"
"I don't know. If only Solas were here..." Dorian trailed off as Evelyn emerged from her tent. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, and she shivered from more than just the cold.
"You didn't find him, did you?" she asked softly, her arms wrapped around her waist.
"Where could he be?"
Cullen hit the ground hard, his sword still grasped in his hand. He lifted his head to look around and groaned. It was dark. There were small balls of lights in the distance, but he couldn't make out anything recognizable. He strained his eyes trying to make out something. Anything. But exhaustion was catching up to him. His whole body ached and his head was whirling. Unable to fight it off any longer, Cullen's eyes closed. His head collapsed onto the grass beneath him.