Faren Brosca was making his way to the new headquarters of the Grey Wardens to take up his new position as Warden Commander of Ferelden. He along with lover, Sereda had become Paragons, which made a total of three Paragons in the same generation.

A lot has happened over the past six months, Alistair and Elissa have become the new king and queen of Ferelden, Kallian had become the first elven Bann in history, both Theron had left to Orlais with his lady love Leliana to give detailed reports of the Blight and to meet Empress Celene, Daylen had travelled to who continue his studies on the Blight and his paragon of beauty, had returned to their kingdom to assist his brother-in-law's new regime.

He really wish he had help from the others, because the darkspawn had not retreated into the Deep Roads as they should have after Theron slays the archdemon. Most of the horde had scattered north from Denerim towards the Coastlands and from the rumours they had heard they had is fractured into warring tribes. The region was now in chaos as the darkspawn emerged from hidden lairs alongside the countryside.

He wasn't entirely alone, accompanying him was a young knight by the name of Mhairi. She was there to make sure that his journey to Vigil's Keep was a safe one. He would also be greeted by other Grey Wardens from Orlais in order to make his task much easier.

Vigil's Keep was a fortress located in Amarathine, once home to Arl Howe but now the property of the Grey Wardens order. This meant that he was effectively the Arl and would have to deal with the local nobles, but it was a small price to pay considering the benefits that came with it.

Soon the fortress came into view, but something was off. There was no greeting of the other Wardens or anyone for that matter.

Mhairi sensed it to and frowned. "What is going on? Why are there no Wardens here to greet us?"

They soon got the answer when they reached the gate and discovered that they were on fire.

"Something is wrong," she said and quickly drew her blade. "Quickly, Commander!"

Faren didn't need to be told twice and grabbed the handle of his hammer that had long belonged to the brother of his lover.

They then saw someone running out of the gate screaming as darkspawn chased outside. He quickly knocked two genlocks aside with his hammer and Mhairi stabbed one with her blade.

The Vigil's guards, beating in the head of a genlock. "I think it's dead," said Faren.

The guard blinked, and then turned. "It's you! Oh, thank the Maker!"

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know! They came out of nowhere! All I heard were screams and people dying; I got out as fast as I could and ran into these…" He looked down at the genlock and then back to him. "You need to help them. You need to do something?"

Faren bent down and looked at the genlock. "Are there any other Wardens alive?"

"I think there was a mage right behind me. He might have been a Warden, I don't know." Looking back at the fortress with panic over his face. "I'll see if I can't find some help. There has to be a patrol on the road."

Mhairi looked at him with a slightly panicked look. "We don't have a lot of time, Commander."

Faren looked up at. "Nice sword work. You're not just a simple guide, are you?"

Mhairi blinked and realised she hadn't properly introduced herself before. "Oh! Pardon me, Commander. I'd assumed proper introductions would be taken care of at the keep. I was a knight in the king's service until I was recruited a month ago, but I haven't taken my Joining yet. The seneschal sent me to bring you back, I was not expecting this"

"The darkspawn launched a sneak attack." He moved away from the genlock. "That's unheard of."

"This isn't a blight, how could they be so organised? I don't understand."

He nodded. Something else was at play here. "Perhaps something else is leading them."

Mhairi eyes widened. "Other than an archdemon, you mean? Frightening thought."

"Who is in command here?"

"Varel, the seneschal. He is the keep's steward, I believe, working for the Wardens."

Faren looked at the fortress. "Let's keep moving."

"Right, let's teach these evil bastards a lesson."


They cut their way through the courtyard, rescuing the guards that were trying to mount a defense. One was managing to hold the stairs, keeping the darkspawn off the wounded. Faren slammed his hammer on top of a hurlock's head, crushing it, then spun as he went forward, slamming the hammer into the next hurlock's chest. He punched a genlock emissary's face and while it was dazed snapped its neck. The guard blinked, and looked around in disbelief.

He saluted, and stammered a report. "The fighting is worse inside, Commander"

Faren jerked his head at Mhairi, and she handed him the medical supplies they'd recovered from the body of another guard.

"Let's go," he said.

"Yes, Commander."


Shrieks met them just inside the keep. He ducked under the claws, and plunged a dagger through the midsection of the first, before turning to deal with the second. He moved, and then swung his hammer across its head shattering its skull. He then spun and slammed the hammer into the chest of the third one sending it flying.

Mhairi was managing to keep the fourth shriek away from her, but was unable to get close. He flanked the beast, and when it turned towards him she took the opening to drive her sword through it. She panted. "Unbelievable, the keep has been overrun. How did the Wardens not sense the darkspawn coming? I don't understand it."

He cast his senses. He could feel more darkspawn, but where were the wardens? "How many Wardens are here?"

"Not many. A dozen, perhaps? There are other soldiers who came with them, however." She looked around the courtyard in fear and confusion. "For the darkspawn to have ambushed the keep so effectively—I didn't know they were capable of such a thing."

"It doesn't matter." He started up the stairs, to where he sensed darkspawn falling. Someone was fighting, at least. "We will defeat them."


The mage was unleashing fire on a genlock as they entered. One would think after so much time around Daylen, he'd actually be used to the smell of roasted darkspawn.

He shook the fire off his hands, then turned and saw them. He took a step back, then glanced at where the bodies of several Templars were strewn. "Er… I didn't do it." He shrugged. "Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not broken up about them dying to be perfectly honest. Biff there made the funniest gurgle when he went down."

Faren looked around the room at the dead darkspawn. "So you killed these darkspawn yourself?"

"Of course," said the mage. He then turned and looked at the dead Templars. "Well, they helped. A little. Before they tragically died." He then looked at them bowing. "I'm Anders, at your service - mage and wanted apostate."

"An apostate?" Mhairi's tone was aghast. "At Vigil's Keep?"

Anders immediately smiled at her, in what he probably thought was a charming manner. "You weren't here when we arrived. I'm sure I would have remembered such a lovely woman as yourself." He shrugged. "We were just stopping here on our way back to the tower. Just a short rest, they said, and now they're dead. Such a shame."

"I really don't care what you are."

"Then you and I will get along just fine, I think." He then looked at him seriously. "Look, I suppose I could help you with the rest of these darkspawn… or you could just let me go. They'll send more Templar is to fight me eventually. They always do."

Faren could still sense darkspawn inside and they could definitely use the help. "I could definitely use some help."

Anders didn't hesitate. "Then you have it."

Mhairi, on the other hand wasn't quite so eager. "Are you sure about this, Commander?"

Anders smiled at her. "I can't say I'm fond of these darkspawn, even though I'm no Grey Warden. Let's deal with them now, and we can discuss what comes later… later."

He was a Grey Warden. He just didn't know it yet.


They rescued a small group of servants and a single guard, sending them to the fall back point. Anders was indeed skilled, but not as skilled as Daylen, on the other hand he proved to be an able healer, getting the wounded back on their feet and able to flee.

Faren found the lever for the gate. As a group of darkspawn entered, he heard an unfamiliar voice and looked over to see a dwarf start taunting the darkspawn. "Oh, we're scared now. Don't come over here. Ha!"

The darkspawn began to head towards him, and then the barrel next to the wall exploded, sending darkspawn pieces flying everywhere. The dwarf's face looked a combination of excitement and crazy. "It'll take more than that to kill us, beasties. Come again if you dare!"

More darkspawn flowed in. Mhairi, perhaps inspired by the crazy dwarf, jumped off the ledge onto one of the shrieks. Faren soon joined her swinging his hammer at any darkspawn that got in his way. Anders assisted them by firing fire and ice at the darkspawn beyond their reach.


They wandered through the corridors until the entered the room and he stared as he sought an area face. It was Oghren, who was wearing legion armour, taking the head off a genlock, then caught sight of them and actually gave a cheerful wave before going back to fighting.

A half dozen hurlocks were barely enough to slow Oghren down. Faren went for the emissary, vaulting up over the railing and calling upon his Templar training as he attacked. The emissary turned towards him far too slowly, and he sent its head rolling before turning to the alpha. Mhairi and Anders reached Oghren just as the dwarf brought the massive axe down with enough strength to cut a genlock in half vertically. He hid a smile at the looks on their faces.

"A-ha! There you are!" Oghren laid his axe over his shoulders. "When these darkspawn showed up, I thought, 'just you wait until the new commander gets here and you'll all be spitting teeth out of your arses!' Followed the screaming, and sure enough, here you are. Good on ya!"

"Oghren? You're here?" Alas he heard he was in in Redcliffe, with Felsi.

"Doubting your eyes, huh? I get like that, after the fifth bottle or so." He stretched, rolling his neck and shoulders. "Came here thinking I might try my hand at becoming a bona fide Grey Warden."

Mhairi narrowed her eyes. "He was here when I left. I can't believe the Wardens didn't kick him out."

"Hey! If it isn't the recruit with the great rack!"

"Yes. A prize for the Wardens, to be sure." Disapproval dripped from Mhairi's voice. Faren shook his head. He wondered how much she actually knew of the wardens.

"I know, I know, too good to be true, right? Hey… who's the mage? Boyfriend? Should I leave you two alone?"

"Wow. A dwarf that smells like a brewery. You never see that anywhere," Anders joked. Faren crossed his arms and glared at him. "Uh, present company excepted of course."

"Huh. A mage comedian. Thought those normally died young."

For a moment, things actually felt like they were back to normal. "It's good to see you again."

"I find that hard to believe," Anders muttered.

"As do I," Mhairi agreed.

He wondered if either realised they were talking to one of the gatekeepers. Granted, the slightly less impressive looking one, but still one of the men who had held the gates of Denerim against impossible odds.

Oghren unlimbered his axe. "Now let's go introduce some darkspawn arses to my foot. Only polite thing to do."


They wandered through a corridor and found a man leaning against the wall. Faren could sense the team within the man right away. Even if he hadn't been mortally wounded, there was already little hope for him.

Mhairi let out a gasp, and ran ahead. The man blinked up at her. "Mhairi?"

"Rowland!" She turned to him. "Commander, Rowland was a knight recruited from Denerim like me. We must do something for him!"

"He looks beyond healing magic," Anders sighed. "Maybe a shot of whiskey for the pain?"

"I like the way you think," said Oghren.

Mhairi sounded near tears. "Stop joking! This isn't funny."

Faren moved to crouch down next to the dying man. "The… the commander?" Rowland blinked up at him.

"I'm here, Rowland. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

"We only had a moment's warning before they were on us, Commander. The seneschal ordered a counter-attack, but they came out of nowhere! There's one with them, a darkspawn who talks; his magic is powerful."

"A talking darkspawn? The lad must be delirious," said Oghren.

"There's something in my blood. It hurts."

Faren leaned down towards him. "Where is the talking darkspawn?"

Rowland grunted in pain. "It went that way, after… the seneschal…"

Those were his last words.

Mhairi close her eyes and clenched her fists. "I will avenge you, Rowland. I swear it."

Faren touched Mhairi's shoulder as he rose, and she nodded. There was work still to be done.


The voice was raspy, and strangely accented. "It has ended just as he foretold."

Faren held up a hand, and then crept forward. He saw the darkspawn kick a guard off the top of the battlements, then turn towards where another darkspawn was holding a prisoner, blade pressed against the man's throat. "Be taking this one, gently. We are wishing no more death than is necessary."

The prisoner glared. "Necessary? As if your kind has ever done anything else!" Faren felt a bit of surprise when he realised the man wasn't a warden.

"You are thinking you know of our kind, human? It is understandable. But that will soon be changed."

"Others will come, creature! They will stop you!"

There was no way for a stealth approach. Faren stepped out from behind the wall. "There it is," said Mhairi.

The darkspawn turned to them. "It seems your words be true, more than you are guessing."

"It is talking," said Anders staring in fascination by this phenomenon.

"Well, let's shut it up already!" Oghren roared reaching for his axe.

Faren started forward, drawing his weapon.

"Capture the Grey Warden," The darkspawn gestured. "These others, they may be killed."

He went for the leader, trusting his companions to handle the rest. It had been a long time since he'd had a fight that was truly a challenge, but this darkspawn was tough. Mhairi tried to come in to help, but it merely threw her aside. He had to step in to prevent it from delivering a killing blow before she could recover. Then he stepped back, giving it an opening to cast. It took the opportunity, and he sent forth energy of his own to disrupt the spell. He closed in as the darkspawn staggered from the dissipated force, and slammed his hammer across its chest. This knocked it off its feet before it could recover he slammed the hammer right on top of its skull, crushing it.

He started to give the instruction, but Anders was already freeing the prisoner and weaving the healing magic. The man got to his feet. "Commander, I owe you my life." He looked around, then his eyes widened. "Soldiers on the road. It seems we have more company." He winced. "Hopefully they're more hospitable than our previous guests."


His senses told him the darkspawn were gone. A few more survivors seemed to be trickling back to the where the guards were holding. A half dozen more hurlocks were laying at the feet of the guard he'd spoken to earlier.

He heard a few reports being given to the man he'd rescued, and then he saw the soldiers reaching the gate. He recognised the man leading them, and strode forward. Oghren, Anders, Mhairi, and the man they'd rescued fell into step with him.

As the man approached, he took a knee. The rescued man followed a heartbeat later, then the rest of the soldiers. Surprise showed on Alistair's face, and then was quickly hidden. It was like the man kept forgetting he was king now.

Alistair walked forward. "It looks like I arrived a bit late. Too bad. I rather miss the whole darkspawn-killing thing."

Mhairi belatedly dropped to her own knee. "King Alistair!"

Alistair looked around, concern showing on his face. "I'd wanted to come and give the Wardens a formal welcome. I certainly wasn't expecting this. What's the situation?"

"What darkspawn remained have fled, your Majesty. The Grey Wardens who had arrived from Orlais appear to be either dead or… missing," said the rescued man as he and Faren rose to their feet.

Alistair looked startled. "Missing? As in taken by the darkspawn? Do they even do that?"

"I do not know, your Majesty," the older man continued. "I know only know that we cannot account for all the Wardens."

"I see." Alistair gave him a concerned look that turned to relief. "At least the Warden Commander is still here, and alive. That's something, right?"

Faren just smiled at his old friend. "Looks like you need to re-join the Wardens after all."

"Toss the throne aside, spend my time of entering at your side just like old times?" Alistair smiled. "Very tempting." He sighed. "What happened exactly?"

"We are still piecing that together," said Faren looking grim. "I only arrived a few moments ago myself and then I find my whole fortress overrun by darkspawn, which could talk."

Alistair's eyes widened. "Talk? I've never heard of such a thing." He sighed. "You have quite a task ahead of you. Really, I like to help you fight darkspawn, but you're on your own for the moment."

"Hey! What am I? Chopped nug livers?" Oghren grumbled

"From the smell, that's not a bad guess," Anders laughed.

"I came here to join the Grey Wardens, and from the looks of it, you could use the extra hands! Where's the giant cup? I'll gargle and spit!"

Faren shook his head, at least having Oghren around would prove entertaining. "You're not allowed to spit."

"Heh. That's what I always say…"

"I… suppose all are welcome, in this dire time," said Mhairi as if every word was being dragged out of her.

"Joining the Wardens, hey? Well good luck with that," said Anders.

A woman in Templar armour stepped out from Alistair's soldiers. "King Alistair! Your Majesty, beware! This man is a dangerous criminal!"

Alistair shrugged. "Oh, the dwarf is a bit of an arse, but I wouldn't go that—"

"She means me." Anders hung his head.

"This is an apostate who we were in the process of bringing back to the Circle to face justice!"

"Oh please. The things you people know about justice would fit into a thimble. I'll just escape again, anyhow."

"Never! I will see you hanged for what you've done here, murderer!"

"Murderer? But those Templars were—oh, what's the use? You won't believe me anyhow."

"It seems there isn't much to say," said Alistair watched as Faren stepped forward. "You have something to add, Commander?"

"I do. I hereby conscript this mage into the Grey Wardens."

"Never!" Rylock said.

Alistair gave her a serious look that was fitting to a king. "I believe the Grey Wardens still retain the Right of Conscription, no? I will allow it."

"If… if your Majesty feels it is best," she glared, then turned and stalked away.

"Ha! Way to go kid! Welcome aboard!" Orghen cheered.

"Me? A Grey Warden?" Anders actually sounded pleased by the idea. "I guess that will work…"

Mhairi smiled. "Congratulations, ser mage. I look forward to fighting at your side."

"Then if you have everything under control, I will need to take my leave," said Alistair gave him a concerned look.

The rescued man nodded. "I believe the estate has been secured, yes. We have suffered great losses, but the darkspawn are gone and there are survivors." He stopped suddenly then turned to Faren. "Oh… excuse my manners. I am Varel, seneschal of Vigil's Keep. And I am most grateful for your timely rescue, Commander." He bowed. "I will aid you in ruling the lands of Amaranthine."

"You said there were survivors?" Faren asked.

"Some of the soldiers and Vigil staff survived behind a barricade. But none of the Orlesian Wardens made it." Varel bowed. "Come and speak to me soon. There are many matters to attend to, not the least of which is the Joining. You will need to replenish your numbers."

Alistair looked at him worriedly. "The security of Ferelden relies on the Grey Wardens now, even weakened as the order is," Alistair sighed. "It will be up to you to deal with the vestiges of the Blight before the situation grows out of control. No easy task, but I'm confident you are up to it."

"I'll be fine, Rookie," Faren smiled and Alistair shook his head at the mention of his old nickname. "Give my love to Elissa."

Alistair smiled. "Good luck, Commander. May the Maker watch over you."