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The path ahead wound down into the valley, toward whatever secrets the Hinterlands still hid.
The descent into the valley was eerily quiet, the crunch of their boots on frozen earth the only sound breaking the stillness. Then they rounded a bend in the path, and the scene before them stole Daniel's breath.
The entire valley floor was a frozen wasteland. Jagged spires of ice jutted from the ground at unnatural angles, their surfaces glistening with an unnatural blue sheen. Frozen bodies—some mid-spellcast, others with swords raised—stood encased in crystalline prisons, their faces twisted in final moments of terror or rage. The air itself felt heavy with residual magic, prickling against Daniel's skin like static before a storm.
"Maker's breath," Cassandra whispered, her hand tightening around her sword hilt. "Look at this. The apostates have gone mad with power."
Solas surveyed the devastation with a more measured gaze. "I see just as many templars frozen here," he observed quietly. "This was no one-sided massacre."
The lieutenant nodded grimly. "This is the western road area. We've had reports of skirmishes here for weeks, but nothing like... this."
As if summoned by their words, the sounds of battle erupted from further down the valley—the crackle of magic, the ring of steel on steel. Daniel signaled for silence, and the group moved forward cautiously, using the ice formations as cover.
Through a gap between two massive ice pillars, they saw the battle raging. A dozen figures—half in tattered mage robes, half in scorched templar armor—fought with desperate fury. Fire met ice met lightning, while templars swung their blades with grim determination, their lyrium-enhanced abilities allowing them to shrug off spells that would fell ordinary warriors.
Daniel exchanged glances with his companions. There would be no reasoning with either side—not here, not now. He gave a sharp nod.
The Inquisition struck like a hammer blow. Cassandra charged first, her shield slamming into a templar's back before he could bring his sword down on a wounded mage. Varric's crossbow sang, Bianca's bolt finding its mark in a mage's thigh before they could complete their spell. Solas wove barriers around them while Daniel called forth his newest ability—Energy Barrage. A dozen crackling orbs of lightning erupted from his staff, homing in on targets with terrifying precision.
The battle was brutal but brief. Caught between two forces, the rogue mages and templars stood no chance. When the last body fell, Daniel's interface flickered:
[45 EXP Gained]
[3 Enemies Slain]
He exhaled sharply, the acrid scent of ozone and blood thick in his nose. As the others checked for survivors (there were none), Daniel's attention was drawn to a patch of vegetation somehow thriving amidst the ice. His perception skills tingled again as he approached.
[Spindleweed Discovered: Tier 1 Common Herb]
[2 Spindleweed Added to Inventory]
[1 Elfroot Added to Inventory]
The plants were resilient things—spindleweed with its delicate blue flowers, elfroot with its familiar serrated leaves. Even in this frozen hellscape, life persisted. He harvested them carefully, tucking them away with the other herbs he'd collected.
Beyond the battlefield stood the charred skeleton of a farmhouse, its blackened timbers jutting toward the sky like the ribs of some long-dead beast. As Daniel approached, a faint blue glow emanated from within the ruins—one of the shards the Ocularum had revealed to him.
He picked his way through the debris, his boots kicking up ashes that still smelled of smoke despite the ice surrounding them. In what had once been the home's main room, nestled among the collapsed beams, the shard pulsed with an eerie light. It was about the length of his hand, crystalline and sharp-edged, humming with a vibration he could feel in his teeth.
Solas appeared beside him as he reached for it. "Interesting," the elf murmured, his keen eyes studying the shard. "I cannot say what it is, but there must be a reason the skull illuminated the object."
Daniel carefully lifted the shard. It was lighter than he expected, and strangely warm to the touch despite the surrounding cold. As he turned it in his hands, the light within seemed to shift and swirl, as if responding to his movement.
Varric peered over his shoulder. "Well that's not creepy at all. Looks like something a Tevinter magister would keep in his 'secret artifacts' collection."
Cassandra joined them, her face unreadable. "Is it dangerous?"
Solas shook his head. "Not in itself, I think. But its purpose... that remains unclear." He reached out, hovering a finger just above the shard's surface. "There is magic here, old magic. Not like anything I've encountered in the Fade."
Daniel carefully wrapped the shard in a scrap of cloth and secured it in his pack. "One down, three to go," he said. "Let's keep moving."
As they left the ruined farmhouse behind, the weight of the shard in his pack felt heavier than it should have.
Then they saw a ruins of Fort loomed ahead, its once-proud walls now reduced to crumbling stone and splintered wood. The lieutenant motioned for the group to halt just beyond bowshot range, his voice low as he pointed out the defenses.
"Fort Connor," he murmured. "Or what's left of it. Used to be a Chantry outpost before the war. Now it's crawling with templars."
Daniel studied the shattered gates, the scorch marks along the broken battlements. The courtyard beyond was littered with debris—overturned carts, broken barrels, and the occasional frozen corpse still clad in tattered robes. But what caught his eye was the glint of blue light near the center of the courtyard, partially obscured by a group of armored figures.
"There," he said, pointing. "Another shard."
A cluster of templars stood guard around it—two knights in heavy plate, their swords gleaming with lyrium-fed power, and three archers perched atop the remnants of the walls, their bows at the ready. The air around them crackled with suppressed energy, the telltale sign of templar abilities at work.
Cassandra's jaw tightened. "They've turned this place into a stronghold."
Varric sighed, loading Bianca with practiced ease. "Well, we're not getting that shiny rock without a fight."
Daniel nodded. "Then we fight."
The battle was swift and brutal. Solas's barriers flared to life around them as they charged, absorbing the first volley of arrows. Cassandra crashed into the nearest knight like a battering ram, her shield slamming into his chest with enough force to send him stumbling back. Varric's bolts found their marks with deadly precision, one archer tumbling from the wall with a cry.
Daniel summoned his magic, feeling the crackle of energy along his staff. With a sharp motion, he unleashed Energy Barrage—a dozen bolts of lightning streaking toward the remaining archers. The air sizzled as the projectiles found their targets, sending bodies jerking before they collapsed.
His interface pulsed:
[30 EXP Gained]
[2 Templars Defeated]
The courtyard fell silent save for the ragged breathing of the victors. Daniel wasted no time, striding toward the shard and plucking it from the rubble. Like the first, it hummed faintly in his grasp, its glow pulsing as if in recognition.
"Two down," he muttered, tucking it away.
But the fort wasn't empty. As they moved deeper inside, the air grew thick with an unnatural presence—a sickly red glow emanating from the far wall. There, embedded in the stone like a grotesque growth, was a vein of Red Lyrium.
"Maker's breath," Cassandra hissed, recoiling. "They're mining it."
Before them stood another group of templars, their armor tinged with the same crimson hue as the lyrium. Their eyes burned with fanaticism, their movements jerky, almost feverish.
One of them raised his sword, his voice ragged. "The Herald of Andraste comes to test us! Prove your faith, brothers!"
The fight that followed was far uglier than the last. These templars fought with reckless abandon, their strikes fueled by the corrupted lyrium in their veins. One knight's blade grazed Daniel's shoulder, sending a jolt of unnatural pain through his nerves. But between Solas's barriers, Varric's pinpoint shots, and Cassandra's relentless assault, they prevailed.
Daniel's interface flickered again:
[46 EXP Gained]
[3 Templars Defeated]
[Obtained: 4 Lambswool]
[Obtained: Weapon Fragment (Research Material)]
[Obtained: Soldier's Nemesis (Rare Bow)]
[57 Weapon Damage, +3% Attack, +4% Guard Damage Bonus]
[Obtained: Bowstring (Research Material)]
Varric let out a low whistle as he examined the new bow. "Now this is a beauty. Might have to retire Bianca for this one."
Cassandra shot him a glare. "Don't be ridiculous."
While the others secured the area, Daniel turned his attention to the Red Lyrium. The vein pulsed like a living thing, its jagged edges seeming to breathe. He motioned to the soldiers. "Destroy it. All of it."
As they set to work with hammers and chisels, Daniel explored further. Near the back of the fort, he found a chest half-buried under debris. Inside lay a simple but well-balanced dagger—Recruit's Dirk.
[Obtained: Recruit's Dirk (Common Dagger)]
[39 Damage, +2% Attack]
But it was the letter on a nearby table that gave him pause. The handwriting was precise, almost elegant, but the words...
•Brothers, we must listen to the call of the Maker Himself, who has given us the duty to destroy these mages. By their rebellion, they have forfeited their right to live. They are not people, and any order that asks us to end this just and righteous battle is a lie, a test sent by Him to separate the faithful from the foolish. Join us off the West Road and fight for a worthy cause."*
Daniel's fingers tightened on the parchment. This wasn't just zealotry—this was hatred, distilled into ink.
His interface pulsed once more:
[50 EXP Gained]
Cassandra approached, her expression grim as she read over his shoulder. "This is what we're fighting against. Not just rogue templars, but this."
Daniel folded the letter carefully. "Then we make sure it doesn't spread."
The sound of cracking stone echoed through the fort as the soldiers finished dismantling the Red Lyrium. The air itself seemed to lighten as the last of its corruption was purged.
Two shards found. Two more to go. And somewhere out there, a templar leader preaching annihilation.
Daniel adjusted his pack, feeling the weight of both shards and responsibility. "Let's move."
The acrid scent of smoke still clung to their clothes as they emerged from Fort Connor's ruins, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the war-torn landscape. Before they could even catch their breath, the unmistakable sounds of combat echoed from beyond the next ridge—the sizzle of magic meeting steel, the guttural shouts of men and women locked in mortal combat.
"Again?" Varric groaned, rolling his shoulders. "Don't these people ever get tired?"
Daniel didn't answer, already moving toward the noise with staff in hand. Cresting the ridge, they saw another chaotic skirmish—three templars in battered armor battling two mages whose robes were singed from close calls with fire. Unlike the frozen tableau in the valley, this fight was fresh, desperate, neither side willing to yield an inch.
Cassandra's sword slid from its scabbard with a hiss. "We end this. Now."
The Inquisition's intervention was swift and merciless. Daniel's lightning arced across the battlefield, striking a templar mid-charge and sending him spasming to the ground. Varric's bolt took a mage through the shoulder just as they were about to unleash a fireball. Cassandra and Solas moved in perfect tandem—her shield bash creating openings for his precise ice spells to immobilize their foes.
[46 EXP Gained]
[3 Enemies Defeated]
As the last body fell, the lieutenant wiped his blade clean, his expression grim. "We need to secure this entire area," he said, gesturing to the surrounding hills. "This road leads back to the tunnel connecting to Crossroads. If we don't clear out these war bands, they'll keep ambushing our supply caravans."
Daniel nodded, already scanning the terrain. "Then we sweep the area. Any templars or mages still fighting—we put them down."
What followed was a brutal, methodical purge. They moved from camp to ruined camp, from makeshift barricade to hidden spellcasting nooks. Some groups fought to the last breath, screaming curses or prayers as they fell. Others tried to flee, only to be cut down by precise arrows or well-placed spells. The air grew thick with the stench of blood and burnt flesh, the sounds of combat gradually giving way to an uneasy silence.
By the time the lieutenant signaled the area was secure, Daniel's arms ached from spellcasting, his mana reserves nearly depleted. His interface pulsed repeatedly:
[135 EXP Gained]
[9 Enemies Defeated]
Cassandra leaned against a shattered cart, wiping sweat from her brow. "Lieutenant," she called, her voice hoarse from shouting orders. "Isn't the Witchwood near here?"
The soldier nodded, pointing southwest where the trees grew unnaturally dense. "Aye, Seeker. Less than an hour's march that way."
Cassandra's gaze met Daniel's, a silent question passing between them. "We should find and destroy the apostates' stronghold there," she said aloud. "Cut off the head of this snake before it can strike at Crossroads again."
Solas, who had been examining a peculiar rune carved into a nearby tree, looked up. "A sound strategy. The rebel mages use Witchwood as their base—eliminating that threat would secure the entire western approach to Crossroads."
Varric kicked a discarded staff aside. "And let's be honest, after all this, I could use some proper villainous mages to fight instead of these poor bastards." He gestured at the scattered corpses—templars and mages who had probably once been neighbors, maybe even friends, before the war tore everything apart.
Daniel flexed his fingers around his staff, feeling the lingering tingle of spent magic. The two shards in his pack seemed to grow heavier, as if resonating with his decision. "We'll rest briefly, then make for Witchwood at dusk. They'll least expect an attack then."
As the others moved to check gear and distribute healing potions, Daniel found himself staring at the treeline where the Witchwood waited. Somewhere in that unnatural gloom was the heart of the mage rebellion in these parts—and perhaps answers about these mysterious shards. The letter from Fort Connor weighed on his mind too, its hateful words a reminder that both sides in this conflict had fallen to extremism.
He took a deep breath, steeling himself. However this day ended, more blood would be shed before sunset. The only question was whose.
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Name : Daniel Carter
Race: Elf
Level 4 : 677/1500 EXP
Professions: Mage
Gold Coins: 1359 Coins
Weapon: Staff of the Dragon
Armor: Light Armor of the Dragon and Templar Scribe Scowl
Accessories: Lifeward Amulet
Inventory: Acolyte Ice Staff, Morning Star, Stiletto, Hunting Longbow, Fire Resistance Cowl, Mercenary Coat, Acolyte Fire Staff, Disciple Lighting Staff, Sigil of the Gamordan Stromrider, Apprentice Armor, Qunari Battleaxe, Amulet of Magic, Raider Hatchet, Disciple Fire Staff, Amulet of Willpower, Apprentice Mail, Qunari Buckler, Medium Adventure Armor, Mindleech Staff, Soldier's Nemesis, and Recruit's Dirk
Crafting Materials: 32 Elfroot, 50 Iron, 2 Blue Vitriol, 1 Dawn Lotus, 11 Silk, 10 Lambswool, 1 Royal Elfroot, 10 Ram Leather, 23 Drakestone, 3 Fire Essence, 3 Blue Vitriol, 3 Canine Leather, 4 Plaidewaive, 1 Frost Essence, 1 Fade-Touched Iron, 4 Blood Lotus, 4 Embrium, and 2 Spindleweed
Valuables: 3 Aquamarine, Silver Bracelet, 2 Figurine of Maferath the Betrayer, 2 Shadow Essence,
Gurn Gallstone Charm, Braid of Rank, Glass Halla, 1 Weapon Fragment, 2 Silver Necklace, 1 Ram Horn, 1 Bride's Blood Vial, 1 Silk Handerchief, 1 Glass Fox, 1 Silver Earring, 1 Dreamer Rag, 1 Miniature Throne, 2 Weapon Fragment, 1 Bowstring, and 2 Mysterious Shards
Potions: Lesser Health Potions x8, Lesser Regeneration Potions x5, and x5 Lyrium Potion
Skills: Chain Lighting, Flashfire, Barrier, Winter's Grasp, and Energy Barrage
Armor Schematics: Shokra-taar Schematic, Antaam-saar Schematic, Avvar Armor Schematics Acquired, Stone-Bear Armor Schematics, Vanguard Coat Schematic,
Weapon Schematics: Curved Dagger Schematic and Hunting Bow Schematic
Potion Recipe: Lesser Regeneration Potion recipe and Lyrium Potion Recipe
Bottles of Thedas: Vint-9 Rowan's Rose