Chapter Text
Coming up to another bridge you find Leliana having some sort of argument through gritted teeth with a very loud old dude in a fancy white and red get-up. He's ranting and raving about shit they need to do and you, and Leliana is trying to calm him down but he just won't chill the fuck out.
What an ass...
When you get close enough he orders Cassandra to restrain you and get you ready to be sent off to someplace called Val Roy-Oh, whatever that is. It sounds vaguely French, which is probably good because you have enough mandatory elementary/middle school French classes on your side to be able to at least get the basics out. Stuff like hi and my name is and why are you tying that noose around my neck?
Okay, maybe not that last one.
Cassandra is just fucking appalled at being ordered around by the guy and she makes sure he knows it.
Arguing starts again. This round ends with-
"Justinia is dead! We must elect her replacement, and obey her orders on the matter!"
"Isn't closing the Jolly Green Giant Hole in the Sky more important than electing a new Lady-Pope?" You snark.
"You brought this on us in the first place!" He snaps back.
Okay, fuck this guy. He can get chomped on by a horde of demons for all you care.
You sit back behind Cassandra and Leliana, waiting patiently between Elfy EggMan and Sassy McHairyChest, as they argue your case with the old asshole. You've spaced out on The Breach now, watching as it swirls and pulses and shoots lightning. It's kinda hypnotizing if you pay attention long enough.
Then they're turning to you, asking you something, demanding you make a decision about-
Your hand crackles and flickers, which means The Breach is expanding again.
Shit...
"What?" You ask, almost whisper, completely lost now.
Varric, ever the helpful one, says, "They wanna know which path you think we should take."
"Wha- Me? Why me?! I have no idea!"
"If we charge with the soldiers we'll get there faster." Cassandra offers.
"Faster, but not safely. We can use our forces as a distraction and take the mountain path."
"We lost contact with an entire squad on that path. It's too risky."
"The soldiers have more fighting experience, right? They can handle themselves?" You ask. Cassandra stares for a second and then nods once. "Okay. So we take the mountain path. We can stay safe and check to see if that squad you mentioned is still alive."
Leliana gives you a little smirk. Just a small quirk of her lips that's gone almost too quickly to seem real. Varric's doesn't disappear, though. His smile turns into a full on grin. Solas is still passive, as usual.
Cassandra barks out orders, and as the five of you leave Rodrick bites out something that obviously sets her on edge. You want to say something to ease her clenched jaw, but you know you aren't close enough yet to have any god effects on the prickly woman.
On your way up the mountain path you end up saving some of that squad that stopped checking in from a rift and some demons. One of the soldiers even thanks you, despite knowing you're the one everyone says opened the tear in the sky.
You give her a sarcastic two-fingered salute and a not-so-sarcastic smile. "Closing rifts and saving soldiers. It's what I do."
She thanks you again. Gives you her sincerest gratitude. It's real fucking weird after being accused of shit all day.
After that comes the big-ass rift. One that spits out a huge thing apparently called an Envy Demon. You're sure you (figuratively) shit your pants when the fucker roars and whips lightning at everyone. He calls out some more of the spirit-y demons too, which makes the job of killing it just a little harder.
Then comes the fun part.
When the demon is dead and the rift is clear of enemies you have to close it, obviously. So you hold up your hand like you have twice now, imagine the rift closing, send all those thoughts out towards the vortex and-
Holy shit that hurts!
It's like closing twenty of the smaller rifts all at once, and the act drains you so bad that you feel dead on your feet once the job is done. Everyone cries out, fists raised, cheering like crazy.
Everything suddenly starts spinning.
They're all still cheering when you faint.