Maker. The world seems even stiller, the lights even crisper, the sounds even sharper, as pure terror courses through Byerly. Because - but Bastien is right; he estimated Byerly truly. After all, Byerly was not ever a true bard, was he? He was just a Fereldan knock-off. A cheaper model, formed after the Blight on the model of the Orlesian artist. Bastien is the real thing.

And he played Byerly with all a bard's skill. And now By is here. I hope you come after me, he says, and again he's a liar, because the chances of Byerly emerging from this alive are essentially zero.

And so. So. As the footsteps approach, By asks one last question, his voice low. No veil of insincerity now. He means this one.

"Were you ever really my friend?"