Note: Another story? Yeah… So many plot bunnies, so little time. This one is mostly for practice and to get past writer's block, though. I thought I'd post it anyway, in case anyone is interested in reading it. Obviously, this is another Modern OC in Thedas fic, so it will have some similarities to Traveler, but hopefully not too many. Let me know what you think!

Edit: WARNING for people who have a flying phobia. The first part of this chapter may be difficult to read. I bolded the first and last sentence of the bad part. After that, just be aware that I can get pretty graphic in my descriptions of violence.

Disclaimer: Dragon Age still isn't mine.

Chaper 1: Come Fly With Me

I hate flying.

Oh, it's not that I'm afraid of heights or anything. It's the people. Why do there have to be so damn many of them?

I slide down further in my seat and continue messing with my phone as I wait to board. I'm headed to my sister's for the summer. Mostly because my mom wants nothing to do with me. She'd never say as much, of course, but I'm not stupid. I know. I don't mind spending time with Em, though, and her husband is pretty nice.

Family drama isn't the only reason for this trip. I have an interview. I get nervous just thinking about it.

So thanks, brain, for reminding us.

"Now boarding zone two for flight 2446 to New York. Welcome aboard."

I stand, sling my carry-on over my shoulder, and get in line. I take one last sip of my latte before tossing the rest in the nearest bin.

Half an hour later, I'm smashed between a large man who smells like he hasn't bathed in weeks and a wailing toddler. I've got my earbuds jammed as far in as they'll go and my music blasting to drown out the rest of the plane.

I really hate flying.

I jolt awake, neck cramping painfully. I absentmindedly wipe the drool from my chin and glance around in confusion, wondering what startled me. That's when the plane decides to dip, then bounce back up, turning my stomach over.

"We seem to be experiencing a bit of turbulence. Nothing to worry about, folks. Just a storm. But please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. Flight attendants, return to your seats as well. Thank you."

I check my seatbelt, but I never unfastened it after takeoff, so I'm good. The plane dips again and the toddler beside me resumes crying. His mother rubs soothing circles on his back, but it doesn't seem to help.

The turbulence just gets worse from there. I've never been scared of flying, but right now I have a white-knuckled grip on the armrests. A woman across the aisle is making the sign of the cross while the man next to her is cursing under his breath.

This isn't good…

No shit.

I try to regulate my breathing, to slow my racing heart, but the plane shudders violently and drops abruptly. I can see lightning outside and the clouds look ominously green.

Wait a minute…

At the same moment I realize something is off, I hear someone ahead of me say, "What the hell is that?!"

Everyone nearby collectively shifts to get a better look out the windows. The clouds aren't just Bad Weather Green… They're flashing with bright green light.

What the hell?

Suddenly, there's a loud cr-crack-BOOM! Louder than any thunder I've ever heard. The plane shudders again, drops… doesn't stop. Oxygen masks fall from the ceiling and people start screaming. After taking a moment to overcome my shock, I grab my mask and slip it over my head.

My mind is a chaotic swirl of panic, fear, and disbelief. Tears leak from the corners of my eyes. There's another loud boom, followed by a high-pitched metallic scream. Then a blinding flash of green light.

I realize that I'm going to die. This is it. But there's no regretting all the things I should have done, nor any memories flashing behind my eyelids. There's just blind terror and a lot of Oh God I don't want to die.

And then there's nothing.

Green light everywhere and a loud roaring in my ears.

Where am I?

Something crashes into me, hard enough to make me cry out in pain. For a second, it felt like a body, but then the thing coils itself around me and sinks into my skin. It burns and I scream but I'm not the only one. Someone else is screaming.

My body feels like it's being stretched, pulled, contorted in ways it shouldn't, and the whole thing is so painful I pray for oblivion.

What is happening?

The thought isn't my own.

My return to awareness is slow and agonizing.

The first thing I become aware of is pain. Everywhere. Then comes the acrid, suffocating stench of something burning.

When I try to open my eyes, only one of them obeys and even then all I can see is red. I blink rapidly and the color fades. I see fabric and realize my face is pressed into it. I try to pull back, but hiss as pain lances through my collarbone.

After a few breaths, I try again. My whole shoulder feels like it's on fire, but I grind my teeth and sit upright.

There's an arm in my lap. Just an arm.

It takes me a moment to process what my eyes are seeing, but when I do, I scream and fling it off of me, then scream again because the movement hurt like hell.

Why would there be-

I glance up and around and just blink my one working eye.

"Oh my God…" I rasp, feeling sick. "Oh God."

I'm still in the plane. We crashed.

There are bodies strewn everywhere. Some are still in their seats. Others are draped over the backs of chairs or in pieces or on fire or all of the above. The guy next to me is still there but he's been crushed by the side of the plane caving in. The mother who was on my other side is nowhere to be seen, but her child dangles from the exposed wiring in the ceiling.

"Oh my God."

I tear my eye away and look for a way out. I hear a rustling and snap my head toward the sound, only to groan at the movement.

"Hello?" I call softly, hoarsely, then cough. The smoke is getting worse. "Is… is anyone still… alive?"

The rustling stops but something worse takes its place: a low growl.

I freeze, trying to find the source of the sound.

Wolves? Did we crash in the forest? Are they eating people?

I've got to get out of here.

With much effort, I push to my feet and try not to make too much noise. It's hard. Literally everything hurts. My right leg has trouble supporting my weight and I almost fall, but catch myself just in time with my left arm. My whole right side is messed up. I can't open that eye, can't feel my fingers on that hand, and can't walk on that leg.

Damn it!

I don't have a choice though. I can still hear growling and it's coming closer.

Slowly, I climb into the aisle and hobble towards a nearby hole in the plane, gritting my teeth and whimpering with each step.

I can hear movement behind me and try to move faster. My whimpers become grunts of pain as I drag myself along.

The hole is small and jagged, but it's getting really difficult to breathe. I'm not so sure that's just the smoke, though…

I stick my head through first, then my good arm. There's a small bush just outside and I use it to hoist myself out. I can't stay quiet anymore, especially when the metal rips through my clothing and cuts the flesh of my stomach and legs

When I finally make it out, I just lay there in the dirt for a moment, panting with exhaustion.

Then something growls again, but much too close. I roll over in time to see a monster crawling out after me. Its features are horribly disfigured and it has spines and claws and glowing eyes.

I died. I'm dead and this is hell.

I scream and scramble backwards as fast as my battered body will let me.

The creature is nearly upon me when I hear a shout and see a flash of metal. Something collides with the thing, lopping its head from its neck. I keep staring at it and screaming, even after it stops twitching.

"Hey," says a voice beside me. "You okay?"

I glance up to see a man in armor, wielding a sword… and promptly pass out.

My first thought when I come to again is that this passing out thing is getting tiresome. Granted, I'm in a lot less pain this time.

I open my eyes – yes, both of them – and see stone. A stone ceiling, to be precise. I sit up slowly and try to rub the sleep from my eyes, only to find out that my wrists are shackled.

The fuck…?

"She's awake. Go get the Seeker."

I suddenly become aware that there are people in the room with me. Armored people pointing swords at me. I freeze in fear, eyes darting around.

A sharp pain lances up my arm from my hand and I cry out, lifting it to see what's wrong.

What.

My hand is green. It flashes with the same light I saw right before…

I frown in confusion.

I'm dreaming. I have to be.

A loud bang has me jumping and turning towards the sound, eyes wide.

Someone steps into the room. It's a woman, also in armor, with short black hair and sharp features. Another woman comes in behind her and shuts the door. This one is wearing a hood and has red hair… I think. It's hard to tell in the dim lighting.

They both look eerily familiar and I wrack my brain trying to figure out why. The first woman circles behind me as the people with swords put them away.

It isn't until the black-haired woman speaks that I'm able to place them.

"Tell me why we shouldn't kill you now?" the lady says into my ear.

Holy crap! They look just like Cassandra and Leliana! I mean like professional-grade cosplay, win all the awards, A plus plus. Are these a bunch of crazy Dragon Age cosplayers? What the fuck is happening?

My mind races with possibilities.

"The Conclave is destroyed," the Cassandra look-alike continues. "Everyone who attended is dead." She circles around to glare. "Except for you."

It takes a minute for the words to register. "Conclave…?" I whisper, studying my sparking hand.

This is a very realistic dream…

The lady must get tired of waiting, because she leans in and grabs my arm. My hand flares. "Explain this," she demands.

"I… I…" I can't get anything else out as I shrink back.

"Spit it out!"

"I have no idea what's going on!" I start to cry involuntarily. "Where am I?"

I just want to wake up…

"You're lying!" she growls, grabbing my shoulders roughly.

The other woman grabs her arm and pulls her back. "We need her, Cassandra." The redhead turns back to me. "You are in Haven. Tell me, do you remember what happened? How all this began?"

"I-I was just on a plane to go see my sister…" I reply honestly, too confused to even consider lying.

"A what?" Cassandra-person asks harshly. The red haired lady just tilts her head to the side.

"Interesting." She turns back to talk to the black-haired lady. "Are you positive the apostate healed her enough? Perhaps she has head trauma that has not been fixed."

The other woman grunts. "That matters little right now. Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take her to the rift."

I watch the exchange with increasing trepidation. Another flare from my hand only makes it worse.

Cassandra – I might as well call her that – removes the shackles from my wrists and replaces them with rope.

"Come," is all she says, helping me to my feet and leading me out.

The building is an accurate replica of the Haven chantry. Either these people are very dedicated to the roleplay or my brain is good with details. One of those is less comforting than the other.

Someone opens the main doors for us and I squint at the harsh daylight, following Cassandra out.

A crackling sound in the distance catches my attention and I glance up.

There's a hole in the sky. A big, green, crackling hole. There are huge rocks suspended in a twisted beam and the clouds swirl ominously around it.

Oh no…

There's no way somebody could fake that, so there goes the crazy cosplayers theory. I could still be dreaming though. I desperately hope that I am.

"We call it the Breach," Cassandra says, also watching the thing in the sky. "It is a massive rift into the world of demons that grows larger with each passing hour." She turns back to me. "It's not the only such rift, just the largest. All were caused by the explosion at the Conclave."

"Shit," I mutter, still staring in horror. It's so much more terrifying in person than on a videogame.

"Unless we act, the Breach may grow until it swallows the world," Cassandra states solemnly.

At that moment, the Breach cracks loudly and flares. A second later, my hand echoes it, sparking and sending white-hot tendrils of agony up my arm. My legs give out and I clutch my hand to my chest as tears leak from my eyes.

Oh God, oh no, please no…

The pain is too real. It's all too real, and I'm not so sure this is a dream anymore…

Cassandra kneels in front of me. "Each time the Breach expands, your mark spreads and it is killing you. It may be the key to stopping this, but there isn't much time."

My mind is reeling. I barely even hear what she's saying, but I already know what she wants. And really, what choice do I have? I suppose I could just refuse to move, wait for this nightmare to be over. But what if it's not a dream? Cassandra would likely drag me along anyways. And even if it is a dream, what if I wake up to find myself back in the plane, dying alone?

I stand, still holding my arms close to me. "Okay," I whisper.

Cassandra pushes me forward. We walk through rows of tents and Cassandra is saying something, but I'm too lost in my own head. I only become aware of my surroundings again when we stop and Cassandra pulls out a knife. She carefully cuts the rope around my wrists.

"There will be a trial. I can promise no more." She releases my arm and stows her knife. "Come. It is not far."

I follow. There's little else to do, though I am very tempted to just make a run for it.

"Your mark must be tested on something smaller than the Breach," she continues. We approach another set of doors. "Open the gate. We are heading into the valley." Soldiers scramble to follow her order.

Cassandra sets a fast pace that I struggle to keep up with. I start to fall behind, panting with exertion, so Cassandra is forced to slow some. I can tell it annoys her by the sound of frustration she makes.

We haven't traveled all that far when my hand flares up again and I lose my footing, stumbling into a snow bank.

Cassandra helps me up, surprisingly gentle. "The pulses are coming faster now." She starts walking again. "Try to keep up. The larger the Breach grows, the more rifts appear, the more demons we face."

I fall in behind her, massaging my aching palm. We come to another bridge, though the gates are open on both sides of this one. Halfway across, something crashes into the path, causing the bridge to collapse with us on it.

By the time I roll to a stop, it feels like I hit every stone along the way. I groan, moving hesitantly. There doesn't seem to be anything broken, so I sit up slowly. Cassandra is already on her feet.

There's another crash, followed by a chilling roar. Cassandra takes out her sword and charges forward, yelling, "Stay behind me!"

Still recovering, I push myself to my feet and rub at a particularly sore spot.

More crackling, a little too close this time. I glance up to see the ground in front of me turn black and start bubbling.

Um…

I take a step back, thinking I might just hide behind something, when a monster rises from the spot and starts for me.

I scream and run away as fast as I can. I keep running, not daring to even glance back. It's not until I trip and face plant in the snow that I'm finally forced to stop. Cassandra catches up with me, demon apparently already dispatched, a scowl on her face.

"What is the matter with you? Don't you know how to fight?" she scolds.

"No!" I shout back, frustrated and confused and scared out of my wits. "Why the hell would I know how to fight a fucking demon?!"

"Oh," Cassandra's face falls. "I…" Her expression hardens. "Come along."

I stand and follow her again. We stop by the crates that fell when the bridge collapsed and she bends to pick up a dagger. She hands it to me and I give her a questioning look.

"You will need some form of protection, whether you know how to fight or not." She digs in a pouch on her hip and gives me a vial of red liquid.

"Health potion?" I ask quietly.

"Yes."

I tuck it in the pocket of my jacket that isn't ripped and clutch the dagger inexpertly.

We continue on. Each time we face a group of demons, Cassandra has me hide, then charges in to take care of them herself. It makes me feel guilty, though I know I'd only make things worse if I tried to help. I also worry that she'll die and I'll be left to face them alone. That makes me feel guilty too.

As we climb a flight of stairs that has me huffing and puffing like the big, bad wolf, Cassandra announces, "We're getting close to the rift. You can hear the fighting."

I listen and sure enough, I can hear the sound of battle nearby. At least, I assume that's what it is.

We come to a high ledge and Cassandra jumps down agilely. I have to sit on the edge and slide off. Even then, I land awkwardly. There are people ahead of us fighting more demons, so while Cassandra charges into the fray, I hide behind a broken wall until it's over.

"Where is she?" I hear a man ask after a moment of quiet.

"Come over here," Cassandra calls.

I emerge slowly, eyes darting around, expecting another demon to pop out at any moment. Someone – scratch that, Solas – is marching towards me. He grabs my wrist and leads me over to a rift.

"Quickly, before more come through!" He holds my hand up to the rift and it sparks, making a connection. I can feel something tugging at my palm. With a loud crack, the rift closes and Solas lets go.

I stare at my palm, watching as the light fades.

"Whatever magic opened the Breach in the sky also placed that mark upon your hand," he explains, obviously having noticed my preoccupation. "I theorized that the mark may be able to close the rifts that have opened in the Breach's wake. And it seems I was correct."

He sounds so proud of himself. I huff, "Congrats." When I glance up, his eyes are slightly narrowed. He appears both curious and a bit offended.

"Meaning it could also close the Breach itself," Cassandra supposes, walking up behind me.

Solas casts his eyes to her after a moment. "Possibly." Then he looks back at me. "It seems you hold the key to our salvation." If I'm not mistaken, there's a bit of sarcasm in there.

"Great," I mumble.

"Good to know!" another voice chimes in. "And here I thought we'd be ass-deep in demons forever."

I turn around and come face to face with Varric. I can't help but smile a little, despite everything.

"Varric Tethras," he continues. "Rogue, storyteller, and occasionally," he glances at Cassandra and winks, "unwelcome tagalong."

"Nice to meet you," I say genuinely. I may not want to be here and I still don't know what's happening, but seeing Varric is somehow a comfort.

"You may reconsider that stance, in time," Solas says and I can hear the smirk in his voice.

"Probably not," I reply, tone clipped.

"Aw, I'm sure we'll become great friends in the valley, Chuckles," Varric teases.

"Absolutely not," Cassandra interjects. "Your help is appreciated, Varric, but-"

"Have you been in the valley lately, Seeker?" Varric interrupts. "Your soldiers aren't in control anymore. You need me."

Cassandra makes one of her signature disgusted noises and walks away.

"My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions," the elven mage says to me with a cheerful smile. "I am pleased to see you still live."

"He means, 'I kept that mark from killing you as you slept,'" Varric adds.

If I was sure this was a dream, I'd have a little fun with this. As it is, though…

"Thanks," I grumble. After all, it is his fault that the mark is there in the first place. Let alone the fact that I shouldn't be here at all. I should have died in that plane crash.

Maybe I did.

Now that's something to consider…

Solas just inclines his head, eyes narrowed again. Then he turns to the Seeker. "Cassandra, you should know, the magic here is unlike any I have seen. Your prisoner is no mage. Indeed, I find it difficult to imagine any mage having such power."

I almost choke on my own spit. Varric gives me a couple thumps on the back.

"Understood," Cassandra replies solemnly. "We must get to the forward camp quickly." And then she's off.

"Well," Varric shrugs, "Bianca's excited."

I smile halfheartedly and start walking.

Varric continues. "So, what's your name, Lucky?"

"Lena," I reply quietly. "My name is Lena."