Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: The Trap

"Are you ready?" Cullen asked her as he donned his Everite lion's helm. He was wearing the new battle armor Herrit had made for him after ruining his last set at Adamant. Evelyn had always thought the whole 'knight in shining armor' cliché was gag-worthy, but watching him stride toward her, she couldn't help but admit she had been proved wrong.Beneath her 'Inquisitor's Helm' as Dagna called it - a special and unique design with enchantments that had been rushed to her for battle - the shadow hid her roaming eyes. "Ready. Perfect timing too, my mana's starting to bottle up." She flexed the power at her fingertips, making him cringe."No sense in me Silencing you, I'd rather you save it for the enemy."The two of them stood at the head of the column of soldiers ready to lead the assault on Suledin Keep. The previous night's mission had been a success. Not only was all the red lyrium destroyed, but a large number of the townsfolk were recovered. Apparently, they were kidnapped and forced to work the mine. Leliana's people were handling the situation as they took care of the second prong of the attack."You look handsome, by the way," she whispered as he took his place at her side."Focus, Eve.""I am focused." Her head was turned to him.He did a double take, staring into the darkness of her helmet. The sliver of light that showed her face, revealed her toothy smile. "Preferably, not on me this time." Little did he know that her flirting was part of keeping his lust for revenge at bay. He hated compliments almost as much as she did, so every here and there she threw him one. The two were still in a delicate balancing act; she with her magic, and he with his lyrium high. "On my command, you go and turn the door to ashes, then pull back. Sorin will provide you with cover.""My pleasure, Commander." For once, Cullen was utilizing her immense power. That and by his twitching, she could tell her mana was running too hot and needed to be released. Sorin's presence wasn't helping his sensitivity either, but soon he'd have other things on his mind that would distract away from their magic."Go, Inquisitor!"With that, her gaze narrowed on her task and she and Sorin fade-stepped to the large wooden door. Her partner threw up a barrier around them and gave her a wide birth as she placed her hands on the rough wood. Evelyn touched her mana, releasing the pent-up fury of her core engulfing the door in thick flames. The air around her waved from the magnitude of the heat, blurring out Sorin's outline off to her right. Evelyn listened to the creaking and crackling of the wooden fibers breaking, unable to withstand the Phoenix's might. When its fate was certain, she nodded to her fellow Marcher and they fade-stepped back to the line.The ethereal mist revealed her form back beside him, "It's as good as gone, Commander. And I didn't even mess up my hair."Pointing to one of the other archers, Cullen made a gesture and the signal to light the explosives flew into the sky. Owayne, Varric, Harding, and The Iron Bull were all down coordinating the effort led by Rocky to blow the mine into the next age. "We charge on the first explosion." Even if the enemy wasn't aware yet of the stealth mission in the mine, they would be as soon as the first fuse was lit. His command was carried back to the men behind them by his officers. From what was passed up to them, the mine operation was a success with minimum casualties.Evelyn's heart pounded as they awaited the first boom. Whatever was behind that door - Red Templars, Samson, or Ishmael - would not know what hit them. A glance to Sorin on her right showed him smirking at her, cocky bastard, she thought. "Think you're going to beat me in there, don't you?" He simply shrugged and turned his gaze frontward.The clang of Cullen's visor going down, made her turn to him, "Inquisitor, do not get too far ahead of us. You don't want to walk into a trap." His stern voice and eyes from within the lion helm carried a heavy weight looking so fierce."As your Sentinel, Commander, I have no intention of straying far from you.""Nor I," Cassandra seconded, "If it is as powerful as Michel says, you may need me to weaken it.""There will be plenty of demons to go around," Evelyn had informed her inner circle of the shocking discoveries and theories that yesterday brought. With a few of them resting and helping with the destruction of the mine, it left the Seeker, Korbin, Blackwall, Sorin, Solas, and Michel de Chevin for the assault on Suledin Keep. "Besides," she rolled her eyes and headed over to Cullen, "we know it's a trap already. It's too quiet for a fort with their front gate burning." Dark sooty smoke drifted high into the sky like a beacon, yet there were no sounds beyond the sounds of their rustling armor.BOOM!The ground trembled while the concussive force of the explosion echoed in the surrounding mountains. As soon as the initial shock of the detonation was over, the Inquisition's forces charged forth. The Knight-Enchanters fade-stepped ahead of the soldiers, giving a blast of force to the crispy door, easily obliterating it. A strong brassy baritone called to her before she could get through the opening, however, and she fell back with the Commander."Let Sorin and the others go first!" He yelled at her as they approached the gate. She grumbled back a few curses at him, but they went unheard.Looking ahead, she watched as her protégé cleared the gate, materialized, and signaled the all-clear. Evelyn should've felt relief that there wasn't a wall of Red Templars waiting for them, but it only meant there was an ambush prepared further in. Reading her thoughts, Cullen's sharp gaze cut into her before sweeping his eyes around the area.Evelyn snapped a barrier on the two of them and gravitated closer to his side. "A trap it is then?"Giving her a knowing look, he pointed and shouted commands for reformation, all the while never stopping their brisk pace. It was a bold strategy to continue the push deeper into the coming ambush, yet she wasn't sensing the Red Templars or the demon close by. They were certainly near, but it seemed they were going to sit and wait for them at the heart of the Keep."Seeker Pentaghast, I want you to lead an advance force ahead of our main one. Take Knight-Enchanter Cyrus with you and a dozen men. If there is an ambush ahead, let it not take our main force by surprise.""Yes, Commander," Cassandra affirmed striding ahead and taking the men with her, including Evelyn's pupil.The Inquisitor called after them, "Be careful!" Watching them jog ahead, she felt something akin to a mother longing after her child. She would've argued with Cullen, but she needed to stay beside him. Demons were screwed and slippery, and Ishmael was a powerful one able to cloak himself to Cullen, influencing his mind. Hoping Sorin would trip over Ismael and kill him was wishful thinking. As skilled as her good friend was, he had not experienced such a powerful being as this one. This demon didn't fall under the usual classifications. He was a different beast with free will, not a slave to his inherent nature, such as Despair or Envy. They were predictable - Ishmael was not.Moving through the fort, everything was eerily quiet. The snow had stopped, but the frosty air still held a deep chill that was painful on one's skin. The old elven statues were layered in ice, yet the heat from the red lyrium crystals thawed areas and cracked some of the ancient statues beyond repair. Their dead eyes followed them as they searched for the enemy deeper within its bowels. Passing abandoned cages of cruel experiments involving several different species of creatures - from Mabaris to people to giants – a swell of nausea churned in her gut remembering her own experiences with it.Cullen muttered bitterly beside her, "Samson is ill. There is no excuse for this. Nor is there reason as to what he did to your leg, the Order, and--" She could hear the rage bubbling up as his tone became harsher."It is the song of the lyrium. Its will is hard to deny. You need to settle your anger, otherwise it will open you to Ishmael's influence."A hot breathy sigh steamed through his visor as he tried to steel his emotions. After a moment, the Commander cast a wary eye at her, "You resisted it though, twice."She snorted a clipped laugh, "My stubbornness is good for something it seems." Turning to Blackwall and Solas, she ordered them to collect what they could from the experiments Samson was conducting. The field tents around had been left at a moment's notice, with notes and supplies right where their owners left them. Dagna would certainly want to see their research - if one could call it that - into the crimson poison."Inquisitor!" A scout's voice carried to them from up ahead, "Seeker Pentaghast requests your presence immediately. We found something." Sharing a look with the Commander, they pressed forward spurring their soldiers on behind them through a large vacant courtyard. The only sounds to be heard were the booms of the explosions from within the mine and the crunching of the snow under their feet.On the other end was a large archway sealed by a magical barrier. Cassandra waved them over, "Inquisitor, Commander, what do you make of this?"The glowing blue wall emitted an odd energy. Evelyn moved inches away from it, but its resonance didn't change. "I hate to ask, but has anyone touched it?"Sorin snorted a laugh, "Of course, I did.""Naturally," the Phoenix gave him a pointed look. Cullen joined her after forming up the army behind them into defensive positions. "If I was Ishmael, what purpose would this have? Entrapment?"He shook his head, "The courtyard is far too large to trap our force here.""Hmm, a distraction?" They could just see to the other side, but it led to nothing but an empty barracks."For who? Who would he make this for?" The two snapped their heads to each other realizing the answer. It was for him."Wait, no!"Cullen placed a hand on the force field, but rather than repelling him, his form was swallowed by the shimmering barrier. Grabbing onto his pauldron reflexively, Evelyn was dragged after him, joining him on the other side. Looking back, they could see their friends trying to shoulder their way into the portal. Cassandra was using her dispelling abilities on it, but none were effective by the expression on her face. Korbin charged through the group with his battleaxe, only to be shot backward after striking it. Sorin shared a look of concern with her before his head snapped to some commotion behind them.Torn, they could see Cassandra barking orders at Sorin, Korbin, and Michael. The Knight-Enchanter quickly fade-stepped away, while the others raced from the archway as a battle erupted; Samson and his Red Templar army were upon them. They had sprung the trap.The Inquisitor threw her hands up, "You remember that thing about a trap? Fuck, Cullen!"Cullen's palmed his helmet, adjusting it, "Bloody fool, why would I do that?!""Because Commander, you're already falling under my control." The breath left their lungs as they turned to find Ishmael sauntering towards them. Evelyn placed a hand on Cullen's chest putting herself between the two men. "Now, the fun begins. I have to say, Inquisitor, I didn't expect I'd catch you both, but this turned out better than I thought!" His sinister chuckle and grin made his features dark and dangerous. The demon didn't appear threatening, but there was something in the way he carried himself that told her, he was in control. "So, who would like to break first? Who is the weaker link?""We will not yield, demon!" She knew she had to stay strong. This situation reeked of Cullen's past experience in Kinloch. It made her hand clench on the cold metal of his chest plate as if trying to anchor him."You both reek of fear and rage, delicious," he hissed. Ishmael smugly crossed his arms and tapped his chin with a pale finger, "I could torture you until your minds break or I could take Desire's approach and give you both everything you want until you willingly let me in... what to do, hmm?"Evelyn spun to face Cullen, "Hey!" His distant eyes shot down to her, brimming with rage, "I'm with you in this, you're not alone. Understand?" This would not be another Kinloch for him. They were together, and together they were stronger.His shield wrapped around her back, "Don't let go." There was an encroaching shadow creeping slowly towards them and she couldn't help but tremble slightly."I won't. We'll beat him, whatever is coming. Together.""That's right," Ishmael's tone was mocking, "love conquers all, and all that other shite that mortals like to quote to make them feel better. The truth is far less romantic. Your love is your weakness, and when I'm through with you, you'll be submitting to my every whim in its name."The darkness swallowed everything around them until all she could feel was his body against hers. When they were ripped from each other's arms by an unseen force, she cried out into the nothingness until the unnerving silence snuffed out everything like she was the flame of a candle. Panic filled her; she had lost him; he was alone and about to live his worst nightmares. In the dark she had no orientation; up was down and down was up. Evelyn felt like she was screaming his name but there was no sound. Cullen needed her, and she used every instinct she had to fight what Ishmael was doing. When her mana - flame and anchor combined - spraked, it created a hole in his plane of oblivion, yet it wasn't enough. In an instant, a hot burning pressure reached her ears and like hitting a wall, she succumbed to the Void.