Cassandra has faced many obstacles in her lifetime. Unlike most, she didn't become Seeker just from siting around the Chantry and look pretty. She earned her position when she exposed a dangerous conspiracy in the Chantry that could have teared the world of Thedas apart. Since then, she served them without question. Some had called her a thug while others call her a 'penniless, thugish whore'. She has dealt with cultist, blood magic, demons, even Darkspawn. Yes, she faced a lot in her time in the Chantry.
But a hole in the sky was something entirely different.
It had been an hour since the explosion at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, where a meeting was taking place between Templars and Mages in hopes of ending the civil war. This wasn't just any normal explosion that Cassandra has seen. This one was magical in nature, as Cassandra had concluded, and torn a gap in the sky. What was once a temple was now a chasm of rippling green light with a twisting green spire descending below. Pieces of the temple can be seen floating in the sky beside the spire. The once fertile landscape near the temple was now scorched, destroyed by the thing in the sky. The situation was soon worse when miniature rifts started spouting out demons from the Fade.
To make matters even more complicated, the hole in the sky was expanding every hour.
It was total chaos.
"Seeker Cassandra." She was interrupted from her thoughts when a soldier came up to her.The soldier had no helmet on, allowing her to see his light blonde hair and green eyes, along with his young face. He saluted to her by putting his right hand to his chest. "Leliana has requested your presence in the Chantry building."
"I will be there." She said. The young man once again saluted before he left her alone once again. Cassandra took one last look to the sky before she made her way to the Chantry building at the end of the town, snow crunched beneath her boots. She was currently in Haven, a little village nestled in the Frostbacks. The village was busy as every due to what was going on. Civilians were either locking up inside their homes or praying to the Maker for their salvation. Soldiers, either from the Chantry or Fereldan, were helping with the wounded who were unfortunate enough to near the blast or were foolish enough to engage the demons. A priest was standing on a large rock outside the village, some citizens kneeling down to him while he recite the Chant of Light. Two soldiers were helping a man, who had lost his left leg during a fight with a demon, carry him to a nearby infirmary that was set up.
A couple of citizens were coming to her, asking her about the rift in the sky. She ignored them, she had more important things to worry about.
She arrived at the Chantry building, the sound of soldiers and civilians filled the air. She looked to where Leliana was and found her near the building. She was currently inspecting a group of soldiers who volunteered to go with Cassandra to the temple. Cassandra made her way toward Leliana. Leliana must have heard her come for she turned around, allowing Cassandra to get a good look at her. She was wearing a light chain mail armor with a hood on, hiding her short ginger hair. Her light blue eyes watched Cassandra as she walked towards her.
"How are we doing?" Cassandra said as she approached her, the soldiers standing at attention to their commanding officer.
"We have several who would volunteer to go with you to the temple." Leliana said. Cassandra was pleased to hear this, seeing as this was the first good news since this whole this started. She wanted to lead an expedition to the temple. Whatever had done this, it must have left something behind for Cassandra to inspect. There was also a possibility that Divine Justinia was alive somewhere in the temple.
"I thank you for doing this." Cassandra said. With everything that was going on, she was surprised to see some volunteers who would go with her through demon-infested mountains to find out what had happen.
Leliana nodded. "I'm just doing what I can to help. However, you know that Chancellor Rodrick would protest against this."
"I know." She said. She didn't give a damn about the bureaucrat. Roderick just wanted to come to the Conclave so he can boast about how he was in the greatest historical event of the century.
"Just be careful out there." Leliana continued. "These rifts are sprouting out demons all over the valley, making it hard for our men to maneuver."
"I will. I will found out who did this and they will face justice." Cassandra said, with as much wrath in her voice. She composed herself. "Maker watch over you."
"And may Andraste's light guide you." Leliana left Cassandra to her own duties, disappearing into a crowd of people that were gathered around the Chantry.
Cassandra look at her volunteers. With the shortage of Ferelden soldiers in the area, some of the villagers were forced to take up arms when the rifts started appearing and demons were coming out of the Fade. Although the armor they wore was weak and out of date, it did well to hold out against the weaker demons.
"Soldiers," She started saying in a commanding tone. In response, the soldiers stood at attention. "You have all fought hard and well, but our work here is not done. We are going back to the temple and finding out what happened at the temple. I know that you are all tired of the fight and would rather sit it out, but we must not give up now. If we can found out who had attacked the temple, I promise you that they will serve justice." She narrowed her eyes to another soldier, who was in his early 20's, shaking like a leaf. "But if there are those of you who wish to stay behind and help Haven, then that is fine."
"We are with you, Seeker." One of the soldiers said. "I would follow you to the Fade if it means keeping my family and country safe."
Cassandra nodded. "That is good to hear. Any objections?" The volunteers were silence, meaning that they had made their minds. "Good. Lets move out." She watched as they started marching out of Haven and into the path to the mountains. Cassandra followed behind them as they made there way to the temple.
She will find out who did this, and she will make them pay.
Celestia's sun rose over the horizan as ponies and creatures alike were preparing for another day. From the settlements in the San Palomino Desert to the Frozen North, ponies were rising up from their beds to another glorious day of peace in Equestria. Ponies greeted one another as they hurried to get to places they need to go. Shops and stalls opened up as they sell their wares to anypony willing to buy. Fillies and colts hurried along to school as they talk among friends at the school yard. Yes, it was another glorious day in Equestria
In a small village called Ponyville, a castle made of crystal stood, shining its rays all over Ponyville. It was once a library before Tirek destroyed it in a massive 'battle of the gods' type of battle. Now the crystal-style tree is the new home of Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship. Inside the castle, the throne room was a mess as boxes and books were spread out. Fluttershy and Applejack were pushing a very large box with their hands. The princess sits in the center of the throne room with a stack of books and envelopes as she is reading a document in her hands while her magic guided the books in piles. Rarity was laying on her stomach on her throne as she is telekinetically polishing her left hand with a piece of cloth. Spike was siting on a smaller throne while reading a Daring Do book. A stallion is hauling a cart filled with books over to the center where Twilight is at. "Excuse me, princess." The stallion draws Twilight's attention. "Where do you want all these books from Princess Celestia?"
"The library. Third door to the left." The stallion nodded at Twilight. Before he left, he glancing up at one of the books at the top, which was now glowing and vibrating.
"Umm.......even this one that's glowin' and vibratin'?" Twilight looks up in alarm, dropping the papers and books she has before. She grabbed the book with her magic and sets it on the floor. The book had the seal of Celestia's cutie mark on it. Her six friends, including Rainbow Dash, who was helping with Twilight's decorations, noticed what was going and gathered around Twilight. After several seconds, the book quiets down once Twilight opens the book and skims through the pages.
"What is it, Twilight?" Fluttershy notices her friends alarming state. Pinkie Pie was peeking behind Fluttershy while Rainbow see's from above.
"It looks like........" Twilight stops at one of the pages. She read the top and her eyes were wide. ".....a message to Princess Celestia from my friends at Canterlot High."
All five friends gasped. "How is that even possible?" Rarity questioned.
"I have no idea, but..........." She now gasped. "....it sounds like they need my help."
After the long explanation of what the girls Sunset is referring to, which are called Sirens, Twilight Sparkle prepares to go back to the human world to assist her friends. Of course, it was impossible since the mirror only activates every thirty moons. However, Pinkie Pie, somehow, explained who Sunset was able to get her message to Twilight. With some careful calculation and some magic energies, she was able to get the mirror back in working order.
"Don't suppose we could join you this time around?" Applejack said, voicing her concern for her friend.
"Better not. It could make things pretty confusing if Canterlot High all of a sudden had two of all of you." Twilight explained.
The mares all voice their agreement, expect for Spike. "But I still get to go, right?" Spike said, eager to go back to the human world. "There isn't another one of me at Canterlot High, and you never know when you might need your trusty assistant."
Twilight smiled at her assistant and nodded. "We won't be gone long."
"Yes!" He exclaimed. Both of them made their way to the mirror, which was swirling with vibrant colors. Before they went through, they were caught up in a six-way hug and warm goodbyes from her friends. Soon they all broke off, the last being Pinkie Pie with a big grin on her face.
She steps over to her number-one assistant. "Ready, Spike?"
Spike cracked his knuckles and blow his breath. He dropped to a three-pointed stance, stretching his legs out before answering her. "Ready."
The princess hunches down determinedly, and they both rush toward the mirror. Spike plunges in first through the swirling aura, then Twilight. A flare of light was their for a brief second, before it died down.
The side of the statue at Canterlot High flared white as the girls stopped what they were doing and looked with interest. The watched as a violet skinned girl came flying out as if shot out a cannon and landed on the ground. "TWILIGHT!!!!!" The girls came rushing at her, including Sunset Shimmer.
Twilight got up and rubbed her head. "Ooh......" She said weakly and turns around to see her friends. "........I'm back." A yellow hand extended to her, revealing to be Sunset's hand. She looks at with suspicion and after a small argument, a small smile graced her face and accepted the hand. The girls all swarmed her and hugged their friend. "It's good to see you girls again, but I have some bad news about those new girls."
"Ooh, Ooh, can we go to my place? I can make milkshakes!!!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly. Twilight nodded and all of them went to the desire location.
However, Rarity looked back at the base of the statue. "Umm...........is Spike coming???"
Twilight looked base at the statue with a worried expression. "S-s-spike?" The statue had done nothing and Twilight rushed over to it, banging on it. "SPIKE!!!!"
Cassandra and company made it to the temple. It was a hard trek up due to the conditions of the mountains. The demons and rifts made it even harder for them. Thankfully, they made it without any casualties and sustained minor injuries. Added to the fact that no demons were nearby or they would have never made it.
What they saw, however, would make even the bravest of souls weep.
The temple was in ruins. The once great statues depicting Andraste in her heavenly light were crumbled or floating. A big hole was in the center of the pieces that were floating in the sky. Red Lyrium was growing around the temple. A large hole was made in the center, the larger rift dominating the spire. They saw corpses littered the ground. They had been petrified exactly how they perished, mouth agape in agony, boney hands reaching the sky for a savoir that never came. There must have been hundreds scattered around the temple, little flames were flickering off the mangled bodies
'By the Maker, the explosion did this?' Cassandra thought. She would expect some ruined bodies or ashes, but this was something she was not prepared for. She steeled herself and turned to face her soldiers, who were all terrified of what happened here. "Spread out and search the area. If you find something, call for me." The soldiers did as they were told and spread out to different parts of the temple, carefully navigating through the bodies. Cassandra searched the area she was in, which yield no results. Everywhere she looked, only smoked bodies and ash meet her.
Minutes have past and Cassandra had found nothing. She was just about to call it off when a soldier came running up to her. "Lady Seeker, we found someone alive."
"Where?!?!" Cassandra was surprised that someone was alive, considering the state in which this temple was in.
"Down the hall, Milady." She followed the trooper to the once marble steps and down the open hallways. She and the trooper found themselves in the center of the blast, the large rift pulsating and twisting. Soldiers had there swords drawn to the figure lying face first to the ground. She approached the figure and kneeled down. She turned it over, looking at its face.
She had tattoos on her face and knife-like ears, indicating that she is a Dalish elf. Her long hair was light brown. She had soft, red lips and a lithe face. She has a slender body, as is a feature of the elves. Her armor was scorched in some places. Her body was reeking with magic, which means that she is an apostate mage. Her chest was moving up and down, indicating that she is alive.
"A rift open where we we're at." The soldier said, recounting what he had seen. "At first, we thought demons were coming out. But she came out of the rift and fell unconscious."
Cassandra was surprised. No living soul can walk through the Fade and live to tell it. The last time someone had done that was over a thousand years ago, when Tevinter magisters attempted to invade the Golden City and take the throne of the Maker. In responds, He transformed them into hideous creature known as the Darkspawn and cast them down to the darkness of Thedas, thus starting the Blights.
What she couldn't understand was what was a Dalish elf doing in the temple. The Dalish were a rarity in Ferelden, especially since the last group left Ferelden after the Battle of Denerium. They were nomadic, never settling down in one place for too long. They had a grudge against humans after they took their lands promised by Andraste. Added to the fact that she is a mage..........
'Did she do all of this?!?!?!' Cassandra was now glaring at the body before her. This elf had probably caused the explosion and killed the Divine. She stood back up and turned to one of the troopers. "Take this elf to Haven and have her chained up. I will question her soon." The soldier nodded and ordered two men to pick up the elf. Cassandra turned around and began walking back to Haven.......
.......Only for bright flash of light to illuminate the area. Everyone present had to cover their eyes. The light faded after a minute, Cassandra and the rest of the men looked at what had came out of that light.
The naked body before them looked like a human, a male at that. It's chest and arms were leaner and muscular, it's hair was green and spikey and it's ears were pointy, like an elves. It was unconscious as well, his chest rising and falling.
"By the Maker, what is that thing?!?!?!" One of the soldiers said. "It looks like a human, but it came out of the Fade, just like the other survivor!"
"It's probably a demon." Another one said. His accent was different from the others, indicating he was probably from Orlais. He withdrew his sword from his belt. "It's unconscious, maybe I can get a jump on-------"
"No" Cassandra said, placing a hand on the soldiers chest, stopping him. "This one looks different from the others. Take it with us and chain it." The soldier sheathed his sword and did as he was told. Three other men helped him lift the body off the ground.
Cassandra looked at the elf and the thing as they are dragged back to Haven. She will have answers, even if she must kill them for it.