The moment Holli woke, she remembered the previous day, and she was up and dressed, hurrying to the infirmary to see if Loewe was awake. She ran into Cole out in the hallways.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing," she replied, explaining about the healing yesterday and where she was headed and why.
He decided to come with her. She practically burst into the infirmary. He was sitting up, looking as if he had just woken himself. Even she was up earlier than usual for this.
"Good morning, Mr. Loewe," she greeted cheerfully.
"Good morning, Lady Herald," he replied.
"How are we feeling this morning?" She asked excitedly.
"Exhausted, but hopeful."
Holli took the edge of the blanket. "May I?"
He nodded.
She pulled the blanket back, taking a look. His legs even looked different, pinker. Holli poked and prodded, trying to find any dead spots. His eyes were wet as he could feel almost everything she did. The tears did fall when he could wiggle all of his toes, turn his ankles, and bend his knees almost entirely unassisted. His wife was beside him holding his hand, tears flowing freely from her eyes as well. When he scooted to the edge of the bed, letting his feet touch the ground, feeling the cold stone on his soles, a sob escaped him.
Adan and Holli were at his side, each taking an arm to help him stand. His legs were weak and shaky, but with their assistance, he was standing. And this time he was openly sobbing. After a few moments he dropped back onto the bed. His wife climbed onto the bed with him, wrapping her arms around him tightly, both of them rocking back and forth.
She had done it. She'd healed him... There were still spots with limited to no sensation, but they wouldn't stop him from regaining the ability to walk on his own.
Holli felt a hand take her own, and she looked to see Cole holding onto her, watching Mr. and Mrs. Loewe with a smile on his face.
"We should give them a moment," she told Cole.
Adan looked like he agreed with the idea, and so they left the couple to process the life-changing event that just happened. She and Cole walked out into the hallway, where she whirled on Cole, a beaming smile on her face.
"I did it, Cole!" She jumped up and down holding his hands. "He's healed; he'll be able to walk again."
Cole scooped her up, pulling her into a hug and spinning her around. He was happy when she was happy. When he set her back down, they still kept holding each other.
"His joy... and his wife's," Cole said. "The air hums it."
"He'll still have a long way to go, but if he does the work, he'll get there," Holli said, letting him go. "I'm sure of it. Come, I need to tell Solas."
They made their way to the rotunda, Holli still riding high from her accomplishment.
"Solas!" Holli called, and he turned to look at her from his seat. "Mr. Loewe stood up. He moved his legs. He'll be able to walk."
Solas's smile didn't quite reach his eyes, but he still tried. "Well done, Holli, that is amazing. Truly."
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing; you need not concern yourself."
"I am concerned. What's wrong?" Holli pressed.
Solas seemed kinda tense.
"Voices echoing a scream you couldn't stop, your heart breaking in silence," Cole said, watching Solas.
Holli looked from Cole to Solas questioningly.
"One of my oldest friends has been captured by mages, forced into slavery," Solas reluctantly explained. "I heard the cry for help as I slept."
"Did you tell Hawke? We could go save them," Holli said. "Or we could just grab a couple of the others and go ourselves."
"I'll not risk you for this," he told her, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"If they're hurt, I could heal them."
He gave her an indecipherable look that lasted an almost uncomfortably long time.
"And I've been in riskier situations," she reminded him. "I'll be fine."
"I have spoken to Hawke; he's preparing now. If you want to come, I suggest you do the same."
Holli nodded, about to turn away to do just that.
"My friend is a spirit of wisdom," Solas told her. "I do not know if you could heal them."
"I'd still try," she said.
"I know you would."
-
"Shut up."
Holli had never seen Solas so angry. Not even at her after the whole Haven thing. She practically gaped at him as he spoke to the mage who'd hurt his friend. Of course she understood it; it was just a shock. Solas was always the epitome of calm; even when he'd been angry with her, he'd been calm about it.
"You summoned it to protect you from the bandits," Solas practically spat the words.
"I—yes," the mage admitted.
"You bound it to obedience, then commanded it to kill. That is when it turned."
Was Solas going to kill this guy? He looked like he wanted to rip his throat out.
"The summoning circle," Solas said. "We break it; we break the binding. No orders to kill, no conflict with its nature, no demon."
"What? The binding is the only thing keeping the demon from killing us!" The mage said. "Whatever it was before, it is a monster now!"
"Inquisitor. Please," Solas pleaded.
Holli looked to Hawke, who was eyeing that demon sceptically. But he did agree, giving Solas a nod before giving the rest of them instructions on how to break the summoning circle.
"Holli, you just keep back," Hawke told her.
Holli nodded, watching the others run in. Could she heal a spirit? They didn't really have physical bodies. Could they even be hurt? Corrupted? Obviously. But hurt...
When they destroyed the circle, the demonic form Solas's friend had taken was immediately shed, and in its place was what looked like a woman. She was glowing and obviously otherworldly, and she did look hurt the way she dropped to the ground. Holli jumped off the rock she'd been on, hurrying over to where Solas was crouched in front of her.
"Lethallin. Ir abelas," Solas said, his voice gentle.
"Te'abelas. Enasal. Ir tel'him," she replied.
Holli wished she knew what they were saying. It hadn't occurred to her to try and learn the language of the elves. Maybe she should.
"Solas?" Holli asked. "Should I try?"
"You can. But don't blame yourself when it doesn't work."
He said something to his friend and then indicated for Holli to shoot her shot. Holli crouched beside him, reaching out, but her hands went right through. Still, she tried, closing her eyes and reaching out with her magic. It wasn't like reaching out to a living, breathing person. It was like her magic could find no foothold, no place to even start. No injury to heal.
She felt Solas's hand on her shoulder.
"At least you can say you tried," he told her.
"I'm sorry."
"Nothing for you to be sorry for, da'len," he said, turning back to the spirit.
Holli stood up and moved away, giving them space. Solas was clearly gutted. When he finished speaking, he did something, and the spirit disappeared. He stood up, staring at the sky, taking a moment to gather himself before turning blazing eyes to the mages who'd hurt his friend.
"Thank you," the man from before said, followed by a couple of other mages. "We would not have risked a summoning, but the roads are too dangerous to travel unprotected."
"You tortured and killed my friend," Solas accused, advancing on them, ready to take them all on if need be.
"We didn't know it was just a spirit! The book said it could help us!"
"Solas!" Hawke called, ready to stop him.
Solas did freeze; everyone did. Would he attack anyway? But then his shoulders sagged, the fight gone. Or at least he'd managed to smother it down.
"I need to be alone. I'll meet you back at Skyhold," Solas said.
Holli looked to Hawke, hoping he would stop him. Solas shouldn't be alone right now.
"Solas," she said, a pleading note to her voice.
"Go with Hawke, Holli; I'll be fine."
Holli bit her lip and watched him go. She understood the desire to be alone after something like this. But that didn't make her worry any less.
"Come on," Hawke said. "Solas can take care of himself. He just needs time."
Hawke ushered her away, since she was obviously the most reluctant to leave. She walked with Cole back towards the horses while Hawke dealt with the stupid mages who'd caused this mess in the first place.
The trip back to Skyhold was quiet, with a heavy atmosphere over them. It was only her, Cole, Hawke, Fenris, and Varric. They had left Skyhold so quickly. Holli and Cole wouldn't have even been with them if she hadn't gone to tell Solas about her success with Mr. Loewe. For all the good their presence had done. Can't heal spirits.
Once back at Skyhold, they stabled their horses, and she and Cole just walked. There had been no word from Solas, and she hoped he was okay wherever he was.
"What happens when a Fade spirit dies?" Holli asked Cole.
"Whispers slipping through fingers, fading but not really. And never the same again," he replied.
Holli nodded as if she understood, but she didn't really. What would happen to Cole if he died?
That was a painful thought. She took hold of his hand, and he squeezed it back.
She should probably go and check on Mr. Loewe and see how he was going. Everything with Solas had just happened so fast.