It was icier for spring, but whenever did the Frostback Mountains not nip you in the butt with frostbite.

  His breath was short and almost clogged his dry throat as he sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him.

  "Don't let him escape!" He heard a woman roar behind him with the clamor of stomping boots moving swiftly at his heels.

  Anri rushed through the Frostback Fir, the tail of his dark leather hunter armor coat flapping at his back, and feeling a weight upon his calf-length, buckled leather boots as he trudged through snow-covered ground. He frantically wiped aside stray tufts of his fine black hair, which were plastered to the sides of his cheeks. The tips of his elf ears were burning from the cold. His hazel green eyes constantly searched for gaps and pockets between tree clumps for an escape.

  The boots' approach was louder. He was tiring fast, having been on the run for days post the Exalted Council and the announcement of the Inquisition disbandment. His enemies were swift to move against him.

  "Goddamnit. They could've at least given me a bloody day off before chasing me across the damn mountains!" He huffed and wheezed as he pressed deeper into the dense and overgrown mountain forest.

  No longer thinking about his direction, he raced into a shadowy forest clump. It was only when he heard his own heartbeats that he realized the way at his back was silent. Bravely, he paused to turn around.

  "What the?" Nothing but shaded and oily-looking clumps of trees faced him. The moss-covered ground appeared unspoiled, except for where he had trekked. The forest held a soothing and calm feeling about the air. It was warmer and made him sleepy.

  A frown creased his forehead as he retraced his steps to where he felt sure his enemy had been following. Nothing. Only an eerily yet cozy forest surrounded him. His skin tingled with hints of magical energies.

  A child's laughter rebounded about his ears, sending sick shivers down his spine.

  "Andraste, let it not be a demon." His lips trembled at the thought. He had no problems facing demons before when he wielded the anchor to close fade rifts. He couldn't say why, but the thought of facing one now with only one good arm was unnerving.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  And he was tired, so... very... much...

  The laughter's echo increased in volume; its tones vibrated against his ears. But the sensation was soothing, making him feel his tiredness more keenly.

  Mister! You look tired. You deserve a rest.

  Anri felt his body mellow and weak to the voice. It was true, he had worked so hard and almost died more than a hundred times when he had sealed the rifts and went up against Corypheus and his Red Templar army.

  "Yes, I'm very..." His eyes drooped with threats of sleep.

  Yes, that's a good boy. Close your eyes and take a bre...

  "Oh no you don't, demon. He's mine!"

  A fireball soared past Anri's cheek. He yelped, feeling his skin go hot. It freed him from the Sloth demon's enchantment.

  He shook his head clear and saw the truth of his situation. He had stumbled into a demon's domain, but his enemy had persistently followed to the point of breaking him of its control... just to kill him herself.

  "If this kills us all, I'm not to blame." He pulled off the dual blade from his back holster.

  Anri masterfully swung the blade at the monstrous, emaciated demon with haggard skin and soiled crimson robes. It floated above ground with taloned hands priming a magical attack, which countered Anri's attempts to absorb his energies.

  tossed a vial of viscous-looking goo at the demon to counter its spiraling spirit attack for Anri.

  Elvhen! You don't have to do this? The demon attempted to charm the intruding elf woman and received the spirit-damaging attack instead.

  "I told you, is mine to kill!"

  The forest surroundings shook with violent quakes as the demon recoiled with what seemed like pain, but the attack had opened a static rift to the Fade to pull it back to the other side. The spatial tear widened as the demon was sucked into it. It remained but in a pending state: not opened nor closed and seemingly harmless.

  An icy breeze brushed Anri's cheeks as frost-covered firs and bushes enclosed him, along with a female rogue elf in leather armor and an army of bullish-looking Qunari footsoldiers.

  "Whelp, call me unlucky today," he grumbled before passing out from sheer exhaustion.

  "Bring him. I want to talk to him first before I kill him. He has a lot to answer for." Tallis ordered her men.

  One of the beefy giants scooped up the unconscious Anri on the ground like he was a rag doll and slung him on his shoulder.

  They marched out of the forest.