Death Comes For the Unlucky BY Kumiko

Death seemed to haunt every inch of the Din'an Sahlin. Then again, she suspected that this place had become so twisted and gnarled after centuries in the Fade, left alone by the Elvhen people. She remembered a time where this forest was beautiful, flourishing, where the people would visit the trees and talk to the ancestors that came before them; for these trees held a knowledge if you knew how to access it. Kumiko wandered, quietly murmuring to herself: Do you think I would have come here, if I'd not been at the Veil that day?

No answer. Her sister did not speak much, though she never really had. Unfortunately, Kumiko had inherited all of the passion and emotion after Mythal had severed Yukiko's soul into pieces to attach a spirit to the body that the shadow had lost. She swept her gaze around the forest. I wonder where Mythal is—don't tell me she isn't back, that you've not felt her. Do you think she'll remember me? No answer; the sisters' last fight had been after Mythal had been killed and the Veil had gone into place.

Kumiko was quiet, wandering through the forest without any weapons in sight; she was busy staring back through her memories. Though she had primarily grown up in the Temple of Mythal, the forest around her was familiar; the Temple was not terribly far from the haunted wood, or from the city that she'd soon enter. The shadow had missed her mistress, and now she was a real girl with a body that was truly hers—she was the one with a life now, not Yukiko. It didn't bother her to admit she'd been jealous of her sister, and the fact her sister was treated differently as they grew up.

Kumiko, the shadow, trained to be nothing, to be invisible.

Well... now she was the one who was visible.

It hadn't taken long for Vela to come across the Din'an Sahlin during her early explorations of the forest. After its discovery she had encouraged the growing group of elves that were beginning to call Arlathan home to stay away - it was clearly a much more dangerous place to be than other places within the tangled maze of trees and branches, and Vela did not want to be responsible for any early deaths.

However, as time had gone on and Arlathan's city had grown, there had never been any mention of anyone going missing within the darkness. Either because everyone had heeded her warning (unlikely, Vela knew what curiosity encouraged) or perhaps because it wasn't as dangerous as its appearance suggested. There was undoubtedly a power emanating from its depths, a magic that Vela could feel but not put a finger on. It made the Well whisper, and despite her warnings to others, she found herself back at the fringes of where the Din'an Sahlin started.

It was subtle at first. The tree trunks thickening and the branches overlapping. Slowly the light began to struggle until it was only the sharpness of her elven eyes that helped her to distinguish the path in the growing gloom. She didn't go much further than that.

Within the sem-darkness movement caught her eye, and the whisper of a voice had her ears straining. It wasn't one of the voices in her head (though, admittedly, sometimes it was hard to distinguish) so she approached, squinting at the shape of someone standing among the trees. Tall and svelte, Vela could just make out that the woman was another elf. Aneth ara, she called out to get the elf's attention. The closer she got, the more she could feel something tugging within her. It was a strange feeling, like deja vu, but she pushed it aside. Are you lost?

Kumiko stilled, tilting her head slightly as she turned, following the feeling until she stood in front of the stranger. Dark eyes wide, innocent if one didn't know her, Not lost. Honoring the ancestors... and leaving ancestors, she mused, as she dropped a small, leather pouch to the ground by the roots of a tree. The nearer she came to Vela, the more she recognized her — Fen'Harel had ordered her to leave this one alone; even though this one had tried to stop everything they had succeeded in doing. She'd obeyed, so as not to bring forth a wrath she could not defeat.

She settled next to the leather pouch, fingers sifting through the fine ash as she studied the woman. She had ashes from every Sentinel who had not survived the fall of the Veil, she had gone home to clean the temple, in case Mythal returned to it. Do you feel that? Yukiko's voice echoed in her thoughts, and she leaned against the tall tree, wizened and gnarled with age. Kumiko avoided looking at Vela, because of course she felt it. That familiar presence that had always felt like home to her.

Kumiko was quiet, as she spread the ashes around the roots of the trees quietly whispering in Elvhen, and as she whispered the roots of said trees glowed. Enough to truly light the forest. It was a quiet, almost lullaby as she returned the ashes of those that she cared for to nature, patiently and gently placing ashes. She had once done this for Mythal, it was only fair that she do it for the Sentinels, for Fen'Harel. As soon as the last bit of ash is scattered, Kumiko is quiet, and the trees begin to lose their glow. Faint whispering can be heard, until the last bit of light has left them in the dark once more.

The dark was where the Shadow was most comfortable, so she stayed silent, watching the other.

Though perplexed by the elf's response, Vela remained quiet. Instead, she watched with curiosity as the stranger dropped an item by the roots of a tree. There was a sliver of uncertainty as she watched the woman, a kernel of distrust that came with meeting anyone for the first time. Yet still, there was a tug within herself that she didn't understand which grew within her the more she looked upon the elf. An old familiarity... and as the woman started her ritual, Vela did not feel the need to stop her.

The roots began to glow and Vela's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as the whispers of the Well grew louder, more persistent. They mirrored the stranger's whispered words, and while Vela did not know what the words meant, the meaning of the ritual was felt in her bones. Mythal's shard stirred inside her and she lifted her hand to her chest, gazing around her at the roots that shimmered with their ethereal light.

Seeing the old magic always left Vela feeling a little off-kilter. It was foreign to her - an elf born in the modern world - but the combination of the Well and Mythal's shard inside her often left her with feelings of deep nostalgia. She could feel herself longing for a world that was not her own, drawn to things that were alien and yet achingly familiar.

Eventually the glow faded and the forest was left in darkness once more. It didn't take long for her eyes to adjust back to the gloom, and she faced the stranger once more. I'm sure they are grateful to have been returned home, she said softly. She paused, and then she asked: Are you an Emerald Knight? Whether she was or wasn't, there was no doubt in Vela's mind that she was not an elf of the modern variety. 

Kumiko tilted her head as the darkness engulfed the forest again. The other spoke of how she was certain the ancestors were grateful to return home. She raised her eyebrows, at the question. Some part of her said yes, but the part that was in control, simply stayed silent.

The silence was long, and the Shadow stood still, as if she were once again guarding her temple. After a long, drawn out silence she spoke: I am just a shadow. It was all that she said, drifting into another silence.

You're the one that drank from the Well? I remember you. Playing dumb seemed like the safest choice. She still had not figured out if they were still searching for Fen'Harel; while he was gone, she was not, and if they expected someone to answer for whatever they deemed to be a crime...

Well.

She'd just not get caught.

How does it feel, now that the Old World has found the New?

Shadow... an apt description, Vela thought. Though she did wonder whether the self-description ran deeper than just how quiet and mysterious she appeared to be. After all, Solas had once described the modern elves as shadows of who they once were. Vela simply stayed silent.

Vela's interest in the stranger was piqued when she realised the stranger recognised her. Yes, she said simply, and after a pause of putting two-and-two together, she asked: You were one of the Temple's guardians? Vela wasn't sure whether to feel guilty or not in the face of someone whose home she may have invaded. She hadn't wanted to spoil such a sacred place and had tried to traverse its grounds respectfully. And the Well? Her belief was still that drinking from it had been better than destroying it, especially since learning a shard of Mythal had remained within it. But would this mysterious elf feel the same?

Whether or not the elf was angry or not she couldn't tell, but the question presented to her was an interesting one. Strange, she admitted. Exciting and terrifying. But we have the opportunity to take the good parts of both and make something new. At least that's what we're trying to do with Arlathan. She motioned back the way she'd come, back toward where they'd already made a start at creating a better life for the elves.

There was another pause between them and Vela tilted her head to the side. I can show you if you're interested in staying.

Kumiko studied the woman, raising her shoulders in an apathetic shrug. If that is the title you wish to use for me, yes. She had been much more, servant of Mythal, follower of Fen'Harel, the shadow that injustice feared...

She does not offer anything more though, listening instead to the answer of her question. Does it bother you, that you've accomplished what Fen'Harel wanted? She inquired, softly. Because the modern elves of Arlathan were accomplishing what the Dread Wolf had sought; though whether they would continue on that path or fall to history as it repeated itself, was uncertain.

The elf tilted her head back to study the darkness above them. Waiting for an answer.

The Shadow decided not to take her up on her offer, instead pursuing her own line of questioning. At the mention of Solas, Vela's features immediately hardened, her jaw clenching as she took a slight step back and looked out into the darkness. A lot of things about what happened with Sol-... Fen'Harel bother me. Her words came out sharp, the hurt of all that had happened and not happened between them simmering below the surface. But she was not about to discuss her complex feelings for the man that had brought down the veil with a complete stranger.

There was a silence between them again and Vela swallowed down the lump in her throat, and her next words were said with less hurt as she composed herself and looked back to the Shadow. We both wanted this. We just... wanted to get here in different ways. She shrugged and held the base of her severed arm. It was aching again. What's done is done. She was just glad that it had not been as catastrophic as they had once feared. And if she'd known, if she'd been there to help...

No. There was no point in languishing in what-if scenarios. She'd learned that a long time ago.

Kumiko tilted her head, as the other woman's face hardened. The Shadow grinned slowly, Fen'Harel, Solas, The Dread Wolf... you never really knew him, as he deserved to be known. She moved to settle on the ground, reaching to grasp a handful of the ashes she had just deposited at the base of the trees.

Holding the ash out, she sprinkled it in front of her. He's gone, now. But I knew him. Better than most, probably. She tossed the ashes into the wind, Skyhold is not very homey anymore. But that was where the Veil was created, and that is where it had to end.

Her words are quiet, as she rested her hands in her lap, staring up at Vela.

Does it bother you, holding a shard of my Creator, when you loathe someone that she loved?

Vela's expression grew unsure at noticing the Shadow's smile, especially as she had insofar been pretty much expressionless throughout their interaction. It was a smile that set Vela on edge... it was a cold smile, a cruel smile, just as cruel as the words that came out of her mouth. 

Blood rushed to her cheeks in indignation, her expression a mixture of anger and pain. Her hand gripped the stump of her missing arm tighter as if holding onto it would bottle in all of the emotions that were so easily stirred to the surface. Again, her jaw was set, her eyes hard as she glared. Jealousy. She could feel it creeping like vines around her heart even though she logically knew she would not have been his first Vhenan, not with how many years he had lived before falling into uthenera. Was this one of his old lovers? Was that why she was seemingly trying to provoke her?

Still, she remained silent. Truth be told she wasn't even sure what she wanted to say, too many emotions fighting within her for a place at the front, for a chance to be heard and acknowledged.

Your... creator? This revelation pushed her roiling emotions to the side, and something deep within her stirred. 

Mythal.

Vela stared off into the distance, her gaze unfocused as she reached back for the shard within her, just as it reached for her. Mythal... loved Solas. A pained laugh bubbled to the surface as the shard of the ancient elf confirmed what the Shadow said. With this new revelation, Vela wasn't sure how to take it. Was it some cosmic doing that both his loves had ended up in one body? Had he even loved her at all, or had she just been a means to an end?

A violent shake of her head shook her out of her spiraling thoughts - she refused to touch on the subject of Solas in front of this stranger. Her eyes screwed shut as she was quiet for a moment longer before opening them to glare at the Shadow.

Kumiko. Your name is Kumiko. 

Kumiko watched the emotions cross Vela's face, intrigued. Truth be told, she had gained all of her sister's emotions, and yet, her favorite emotion was reaction. She enjoyed seeing the pain and uncertainty, the jealousy as it twisted around the hearts of others. They were together. She called upon him, as she called upon me. Gifted us bodies, as long as we served a purpose. Kumiko stated, unflinchingly. Fen'Harel served many purposes. Protector, friend, confidante. Teacher.

The ancient elf tilted her head back to study the trees above them. Yes. Vela had uttered her name, and she returned her gaze to the elvhen woman's, dark hues narrowing slightly. Though this body belongs to my sister, Yukiko. You may call us Ko.

Vela listened quietly, her face still stoic. Truthfully she did not wish to hear of Solas' past, at least not from a stranger. If she wished to learn more she would confide with Mythal in her own time and on her own terms. She offered the Shadow no answer, unwilling to offer her more ammunition on the subject. However, she tucked her words away. "She called upon him, as she called upon me. Gifted us bodies..." Now, that really caught her attention, and the implications of the Shadow's words certainly piqued her interest.

Ko, she repeated thoughtfully, mulling over the information she had been given and returning her narrow-eyed look. You are a spirit? At least, the Ko I am talking to? Gifted a body... and this body belonged to her sister. Her distrust for the woman warred with her curiosity, her thirst to know more. She would stay a little longer, she decided. At least to see what else she could learn.

Ko tilted her head slowly. Partially. The Creator was promised twins to serve her will upon the people; justice is best trained in the young, you see. She hummed, thoughtfully. We were born within minutes of one another, but the eldest child was born dead.

Kumiko watched Vela's features, searching for something. A reaction, probably, but what reaction was she trying to glean? Mythal, unwilling to only take one child, took the living and the dead in her hands. She separated half of the living child's soul, because spirits, for us to take physical form so quickly... we need a soul to cling too. It wasn't the same for every spirit, but often that was why spirits possessed living bodies over dead. They wanted that soul to make them more alive.

My sister, Yukiko, never smiled or laughed. Mythal had removed her emotions when she severed her soul. We were truly... each other's better half. Her voice was quiet, as she continued to watch the ex-Inquisitor. She trained me to serve in the shadows, and let everyone believe I had died at birth. Fen'Harel was... well, he knew me for who I was. She smiled softly. Mother could be cruel, when it served her purposes. Whether Mythal had considered Kumiko her child or not was irrelevant, because it only mattered what Kumiko felt.

Vela didn't quite understand why she was being offered this information so freely, but she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. She listened attentively, her brows slowly furrowing at the telling of the sisters' beginnings.

Disgust writhed in her gut, appalled that Mythal would do such a thing to not only what was likely a grieving mother, but also to a child. To split a soul in half just because she wanted... what? Soldiers? Followers? Spies? What had been the purpose, and had the ends really justified the means? Mythal's shard stirred within her, brought to life by Vela's judgement of her actions. Vela couldn't tell if the Evanuris was angry at being judged or regretful of her actions, perhaps a mixture of both.

For what it's worth, and Vela was aware her opinion on the matter was probably not worth a lot. I'm sorry that happened to you and your sister. If Mythal was supposed to have been the best of the Evanuris as Solas had attested, she dreaded to think what the others had been like. What they had done to their followers. To children.

Really, it only made Vela more determined to educate those who would listen on the truth of the Evanuris. The People deserved better than to idolize false Gods that used them as disposable pieces in their grand, egotistical games. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me, Ko. It has been... enlightening. But I must return home. Vela regarded the woman, her expression thoughtful. Despite the ancient elf being a complete stranger, Vela was fairly certain she had not been lied to. The hum of the shard within her and the whispers of the Well did nothing to contradict what she had been told. Still, Vela did not trust the shadowy woman.

Dareth shiral. Until we meet again. And she wondered... what sort of circumstances would those be?

[Vela exit]