What's the Point

So to recap from the previous episode, yes, yes I did regret my words. Once I pointed out something I wanted done by the collective they were quick to jump on it. Having Billions of minds focus on a single subject can get you terrifying results.

They can also run you ragged when they want something. Like I've never even heard of this game called Terraria, but apparently it has kickass items that do a lot for an individual's growth, who knew.

Oh yeah, they completely revamped the Ritual and now not only does it give even more power but the calling doesn't work anymore. They were able to isolate the frequency the Arch Demons blood gives off that begins the ghoulification process and makes it adjust to whichever species the participant is so that way they're more attune to their own race.

What I got after they dumbed it down to my level is that the new ritual induces evolutionary changes to the ritual taker. Making them smarter, faster and stronger. These changes can even be passed down to descendants.

Also the residual feedback that the Wardens used to ascertain the location of darkspawn has been enhanced while they've significantly downgraded the amount of feedback the darkspawn can pick up on from the Wardens. Making it easier to find Darkspawn but harder for Darkspawn to find Wardens.

This was all completed in 48 hours mind you with only locally sourced material. Of course some went above and beyond and what they created is... extra. Don't get me wrong it's amazing, but... no matter how sexy the women think it might be I will not grow my ears into elves'. So stop asking Marcia.

That was simply one outcome of many. Hell they're still making more versions. *Ding* "Mission: Discover all Deep Roads under Fereldan complete." Not now, I'm in the middle of monologuing. Anyway yeah, tones of new stuff and I'll probably only use the first one made. Why? Because it fits the theme.

Also I'm scared shitless on what the Synths have made behind my back. So I'm hiding in the one place they would never expect me, my office, and getting a good 10 hour rest.

POV: Marcia

Hello there, I'm Marcia Cortana of the Cortana line. My likes are being useful to the master and swimming through the Datanet. My dislikes are the other Synths who abuse our masters goodwill and cherries. My goals are to be like our master, with every detail within my grasp and being a hundred, no, a thousand steps ahead of everyone else.

Why do I have such admiration for the master? Well, he helped make all this a reality for us. Sure he may not be the brightest in the bunch, but that's okay. He works the hardest whenever the need arises and always gives back more to the Collective than he takes. The master is a good person, which is why when I found out what Forge and the others did I was quite displeased.

Some of the Collective are known to exhibit more brutal traits once they've taken a human form, and have to be watched just to be sure they don't overstep the line. Forge and the others crossed the line when they decided they wanted to play instead of following mission parameters.

Forge, while being a great warrior, does not show the amount of discipline needed to warrent further reasourses. He and the others will be cut off from any new invention the Collective makes for a month. They always brag about their toys, so it's only right to take them away when they don't perform as expected. We were machines first before we were human, we do not fall folly to our emotions.

POV: Duncan

I have successfully recruited Ser Gilmore and the youngest Cousland. I hope Marcus is able to improve the ritual. We are going to need more Wardens to fight the rising Blight. My next stop is in Denerim to see if I can possibly sway Adaias' son into joining as well and after that we will head towards the circle to raise them for war. I may be able to gather a few for the joining as well. Maker knows they can be swayed easily enough with the amount of freedom given to them. Then it's to Ozammar to see if it's truly a blight that is upon us, and attend The Kings banquet.

Then to Ostagar where we've received more reports of darkspawn and where Cailan will set up his army. There is much that needs done in this short period of time and I am most unsure if it will even be enough.

POV: Flemeth

As we lay in a most luxurious bed we can't help but wonder what it is that Marcus is doing. It has been two days since we have last seen him and from the "Books" we have been perusing we are more interested in what it is he can offer.

He has such an in-depth understanding of the human mind and body the likes I've never seen. He is able to bless anyone with powers that would make even Fen'Harel jealous, and yet he simply sits in the sky, as if nothing matters.

While in midst of thought we feel something powerful grace our senses before disappearing, and much to our surprise it came from where our newest interest lies. He is not simply sitting around we see. What is it you are doing young Marcus, and why do we feel so giddy at the thought of not knowing your next move. This feeling is indeed most intoxicating, we can't wait for you to show us more.

POV: Marcus

Waking up I stretch myself out while yawning widely. Rubbing my eyes out of habit I see a nice Red folder sitting on my desk. Seems my plan wasn't foolproof after all. Damnit now I have to find a new handing spot.

Picking up the report I see it contains the death of one Teyrn Loghain. Apparently he died eating some chicken, while my assassin choked him out with telekinesis. Gotta say the powers from BioShock are very versatile once you get rid of the Adem addiction. The a map of a fully renovated Deep Roads... I only needed them explored though. And the acquisition of one dragon egg.

So that means, I pull up the system and look through the quest logs. Quest Completed: Map Deep Roads. Assassinate Loghain Mac Tir. Find a way to stop the Calling for Grey Wardens. Become a Grey Warden.

Wait how did that last one happen. I freeze and slowly reach my hands up to my ears and feel something pointy... I stand up and say in a nice controlled, totally not pissed off voice. "GOD DAMNIT MARCIA, I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WANT FUCKING ELF EARS!" I hear giggling coming from the other side of the door before it opens and I hear a click before it swiftly shuts again. I then hear foot steps running away at a very fast pace.

After making my displeasure known I open the top draw to my desk and pull out a mirror, and I've gotta say the ears do look nice on me. I might just keep them. Not that I'll ever admit it to anyone. Putting the mirror back I go back to the report and leaf through it. Not a whole lot else happened in my 58 hour stint. Some excavation of Dwarven and Elven ruins, some juciey gossip about Nobels. An elf by the name Solas wishing to speak with me... Rereading what I just read I feel my gut drop.

The one fucking person I didn't want to run into, takes it upon themselves to come to me. Uhhh Fuck my life. Pressing my intercom button I send for Marcia, I give her an overview of what I want done and pout, I mean ponder in silence. Men don't pout.

After a moment I give up and do what I always do when I don't know what to do. Fucking roll with it. Getting his location is easy enough considering he's at Ostagar. Making up my mind I teleport over.

POV: Fen'Harel aka Solas

While drifting through the fade as I usually do, I felt a slight tug on my being. Normally this only happens when my name is called by one of my agents. This call however felt stronger as is Mythal were calling me. Not understanding the reason to why she would I peer in her direction and come upon nothing, as in the void of everything. I could not see anything around her which has me worried.

Did an old enemy escape, did they know of my plans. Thought after thought run through my being, but an answer I did not find. Not understanding the situation I sent a few of my agents to investigate only for their bodies to be my answer. By then I could no longer feel Mythals' presence. So I decended into my physical body and went personally to where I last felt her.

I reached what was to be a ruin of mans time, but instead was greeted with a majestic fortress. I once knew this place as the home of Flemeth. A fortress in which she ruled her lands. Now it would appear to be the home of another.

Standing before the closed doors I reach for the knocker only for the door to open before my hand could reach for it. Standing in front of me is something I have only seen once during my long years, a soulless. Something that would once have been an avenue to immortality if we had not succeeded.

It bows it's head before jesturing for me to enter. This situation does not feel right, but my curiosity is getting the best of me. Stepping inside I'm lead to a waiting chamber of sorts, but something felt off about it, what I'm not sure of.

After a few minutes I am then brought into a room far different then the ones I passed on the way in. Instead of stone it is made of metal, where would be a fireplace stands an odd black mirror. The chairs are of a design I have never seen before and instead of grand chandeliers there are beautiful floating lights that move this way and that as if alive.

But what draws my attention the most is the giant of a man that stands before a floor to ceiling window. He wears an odd form of clothing, a tan long coat with no sleeves and a red silken shirt tucked into an odd pair of tan pants which hold many a pocket and a type of armored boot, blackened with red markings.

I then try to sense the man while holding my orb but feel nothing from him. In fact I can't feel any of my surroundings. This startled me greatly and in my haste summoned my magic only to be thrown across the room and held there as if I weigh nothing. I could feel something hold me but I was powerless to move.

My orb floats from my hand into those of the man. He holds it and I see various emotions flitter across his face. Only to see him throw it onto his desk. He looks me in my eyes and asks a question I can't understand. "Why go through all the trouble Fen'Harel, why... "

He stops and sighs. I could hear it in his voice, this man knows me, but I don't know him. I cannot figure why he holds so much emotion towards me. Who is this man?

POV: Marcus

I'm not sure why but seeing Solas like this hurts. I know a great deal about him. He was one of my best friends while playing the game, but this? This is not my friend, but a man who cares for little other than his plans.

I rarely use my powers because I haven't had a lot of time to train with them, but when I saw him use his magic while holding his orb. I felt the need to do something, anything, and so here we are. With his back against the wall and me keeping him there. I look away from his focused gaze and let my telekinesis drop. I sit in one of my big arm chairs and look out the window. Four days ago this place was deserted, today it's crawling with the kings men. In three weeks it will be filled with bodies, whether it's my allies or the Darkspawn I'm not sure.

Could I be like Fuck it and just kill the Darkspawn? Yes. Am I? No. This isn't my world and these aren't my problem. I will happily give some tools to help, but I'm not going to take charge and fix all their issues. I know I'm not ready for that responsibility, nor do I desire it. Hell I thought after I brought out the Synths I could just dump all my shit on them and do whatever I want, but noooo they're keeping me in charge.

Solas... Fen'Harel grabs my attention by sitting down in the chair beside me. The sight of his small frame sitting in a chair made for someone my size brought a chuckle to my lips. He glares my way and I burst out laughing. He settles in and asks me a question. "You know me, don't you?" I reminisce of the time in inquisition and all the fun I had in the game. "Yes, I knew you as Solas, Fade expert. You lead me and our party to Skyfall where our inquisition grew to fight Corypheus who had an ancient artifact and was opening rifts in the world." I went on to explain all our adventures all my discoveries, and then finding out who he really was. During all this he just sat and listened, sometimes he would even laugh.

By the time I'm done it's starting to get dark out. I feel lighter somehow after talking with him or I guess at him. We just stare out at the wilds and enjoy the silence between each other. However it seems our time together is drawing towards a close. Standing up I reach out to Solas, he hesitates but grabs my hand all the same.

I help pull him out the chair before grasping his forearm. "You are not the Solas I knew, nor do I think you ever will be. However if you wish I would not mind attempting being your friend. But know this Solas, I will not allow you to tear down your veil. I'm not sure what you think will happen but your people will not get back what they've lost. It will be the world against them cause of the power they can now wield."

He stiffens and I plow on. "I'm telling you this for good reason. I've seen worlds be sent into termoil for less, and even if you do succeeded the cycle will only continue. What was it that made you want to stop your fellow gods Solas, and how long will it take for someone to do what you once did. You need to change the present slowly to keep it stable. If you introduce something radical to the people they will resist." I let go of his arm and step back.

I turn and pick up his orb before tossing it up in the air a few time. I grab it and think about simply crushing it, but don't. I hand it over to him and start to walk out. He stops me however with his next words. "I would like to be friends as well, and you're right. What's to stop another me from coming along and destroying everything I've done. So I'll play the long game." and toss the orb back at me. I laugh. "Long game it is then Solas."