Corrupted
[Intro: You were born amidst the Dalish elves, noble wanderers who refuse to join the society of humans who subjugated their homelands so long ago. The Dalish travel the lands in tightly knit clans, struggling to maintain their half-forgotten lore in a human world that fears and despises them. You spend your time hunting with your clan mate Tamlen in the forests, and is sometimes the case, your quarry is not always the local wildlife…]
I crouched down behind a clump of brambles and peered out into the small field ahead. I could see a group of deer grazing in the field. They seemed oblivious to me and my clan mate, Tamlen.
"On my signal, let's strike." Tamlen whispered.
The two of us drew our shortbows and aimed. I tensed and waited for his command. I already had my sight on the perfect deer. It was a plump doe that was slightly shorter than the rest. By the way her golden brown and white coat gleamed in the sunlight I could tell that she was quite healthy. She would make a great meal and a fine pelt for the clan.
Just as Tamlen was about to signal to me, loud shrieking erupted from nearby. Alarmed, the herd of deer fled into the forest.
"Damn it!" Tamlen hissed.
I could hear what sounded like human men shouting. They were creating such racket that the wildlife was scattering. Deer, birds, and rabbits alike were fleeing from their hiding places.
How many of those cretins are bumbling about in these woods? I wondered.
"Sounds like shemlens," Tamlen growled. "Probably aiming to raid our camp! Well not today. Not if I have anything to say about it!"
Tamlen took off in the direction of the clamor. I followed closely behind. It sounded like there was a small group of humans. If so, I knew my clan mate would need some back up. Humans were violent and greedy by nature, and if given the chance, would act out on those vicious tendencies. They would capture or possibly kill Tamlen if he confronted them alone.
I could hear their voices and footsteps growing louder and louder. When we reached a small clearing, I spotted three human men picking their way down a rocky hill rather ungainly. They were howling in terror. Apparently something had spooked them and they were fleeing from it.
What pathetic creatures. I thought. Gods know how such wimpy things could've taken over Thedas.
Without a word to me, Tamlen leapt down into the clearing right in front of the three humans. Evidently they hadn't noticed us, because they looked terrified by Tamlen's sudden appearance. One was so scared that he slipped in the mud and fell.
"It's a Dalish!" The fallen man exclaimed.
"And you three are somewhere you shouldn't be." Tamlen said, aiming his shortbow at one of the men.
"Let us pass, elf. You have no right to stop us!" One of the men said. He had reddish-brown hair and beady blue eyes.
"No? We'll see about that won't we?" Tamlen remarked.
When the third human started helping up his fallen companion, I came up beside of Tamlen, taking aim at one of the humans with my own shortbow. When they saw me, their expressions went from confident back to nervous.
"You're just in time. I found these…humans lurking in the bushes. Bandits, no doubt." Tamlen said.
"We aren't bandits, I swear! Please don't hurt us!" The reddish-brown haired man cried.
I narrowed my eyes at the three human men. Upon closer inspection, I could see that they were unarmed. They must have been some lord's sons running around in the forest, looking for some wildlife to torment. Or perhaps they aimed to kidnap some elven women and rape them?
"You shemlen are pathetic. It's hard to believe you ever drove us from our homeland!" Tamlen spat.
"W-we've never done anything to you Dalish! We didn't even know this forest was yours!" The first man said. His entire backside was streaked with mud from where he had fallen just minutes earlier.
"This forest isn't ours, fool. You've stumbled too close to our camp. You shemlen are vermin. We can't trust you not to make mischief," Tamlen said. He glanced at me. "What do you say, lethallin? What should we do with them?"
"Kill them all. The others will never know." I scoffed.
"I like the sound of that. Do you have anything to say in your defense, shems?" Tamlen said.
"I…look. We didn't come here to be trouble. We just found a cave -" The third human stammered.
"Yes, a cave! It had ruins like I'd never seen! We thought there might be, uh…treasure." The reddish-brown haired man added.
"Treasure? So you're more akin to thieves than actual bandits." Tamlen said.
"If you've been there, you should have treasure to prove it." I said.
"I-I have proof! Here," the reddish-brown haired man said, handing Tamlen a small stone carving. It was a statue of a woman with antlers like a halla, with a moon under her right foot. There were two hares on either side of her. At the base of the statue was some sort of ancient writing on it. "We found this just inside the entrance."
"This stone has carvings…is this elvish? Written elvish?" Tamlen murmured, half to himself.
"There's more in the ruins! We didn't get very far in though…." The reddish-brown haired man said.
"Oh? And why not?" I asked.
"There was a demon…it was huge and had black eyes! Thank the Maker we were able to outrun it!" The first human said.
"A demon?" Tamlen sneered. "Where is this alleged cave?"
"Just off to the west, I think. There's a cave in the rock face and a huge hole just inside." The reddish-brown haired man responded.
"Well what do you think, Kozume? Do you trust them? Shall we release them?" Tamlen asked.
"I say we kill one. The remaining two will make sure no one else comes out here." I said.
"Right." Tamlen said.
Before the humans could react, Tamlen shot the reddish-brown haired man between the eyes with an arrow. The other two ran off screaming into the woods. Once the humans were gone, Tamlen turned to me.
"Well, shall we see if there's any truth behind their story? These carvings make me curious." He said.
"Sounds like a good idea." I replied. The blubbering humans had piqued my interest with their discovery of an ancient ruin and I wanted to see it for myself.
"If we find anything, we can bring it back to the Keeper." Tamlen said.
The two of us picked our way down a worn out dirt path. It looked as if it hadn't been used in quite some time. As we walked, I felt an odd sense of foreboding creep over me. It only seemed to be growing stronger as we walked along the path.
If there were ancient ruins in the forest, wouldn't we know about it? I thought. We're the ones who live here!
Tamlen abruptly stopped at rock face at the end of the path. Thick brambles and moss were clumped around the outcropping. Sure enough, there was a gaping hole that led down into a tunnel. I was surprised to see that the humans had actually been telling the truth.
"This must be the cave. I don't recall seeing this before, do you?" Tamlen said.
"No," I replied. "We should check it out."
"My thoughts exactly. With any luck, we'll find something that will make us clan heroes!" Tamlen grinned.
With Tamlen right behind me, I slipped into the tunnel and began to make my way through it. The air was rather damp and reeked of decay.
At the end of the tunnel, there was a dilapidated chamber. It was dark and dingy, and gnarled tree roots had pushed their way in through the crumbling wall. Shafts on weak sunlight filtered in from holes in the walls and ceiling. Scraps of moss and lichen were growing in the corners.
"Well it looks like the shemlen were telling the truth. But these ruins look more human than elven." Tamlen murmured.
Several feet ahead, there was a large wooden door. I beckoned Tamlen, and we ventured deeper into the ruins.
I warily ventured through the ruins, keeping an eye out for the demon that the humans had allegedly seen. So far I hadn't seen anything more than rubble and fungus, but that didn't put mean anything. It was highly likely that there were fiendish creatures lurking in the shadows, watching us and waiting for the right time to strike.
"I can't believe this," Tamlen suddenly gasped. "You recognize this, don't you?"
I stopped in my tracks and turned around. Tamlen was staring at a strange looking statue in one of the walls. It sort of looked like a woman with wings. She wielded a spear in one hand.
"Er…it's worn…but it looks vaguely familiar." I said.
"Back when our people lived in Arlathan, statues like these honored the Creators. When the shems enslaved us, much of that lore was lost. This looks like human architecture…with a statue of our people. Can these ruins date back to the time of Arlathan?" Tamlen said.
"Perhaps, but there isn't much left down here." I responded.
"Yes…time and decay take their toll. But still, there's bound to be something of value here." Tamlen said.
Right when we turned away from the statue and began walking down the hall, two corpses jumped up in front of me. I was so frightened that I couldn't even yelp. All I did was make a sharp gasp.
Immediately, I unsheathed my twin daggers and started hacking at the nearest walking corpse. Tamlen unsheathed drew longsword and shield, and attacked the second one.
Dear gods! I thought. These things must be possessed!
It was unnerving to have to fight a foe that was a living dead creature, but it wasn't impossible. Tamlen and I were much nimbler than the shambling corpses, so we were able to dispatch them rather quickly. Knocking their head off seemed to do the trick. Once their head went rolling, their bodies crumbled onto the floor.
"Were those walking corpses?" Tamlen breathed. "This place is haunted!"
I stood there for a moment, trying to regain my composure. My heart was racing and my mind was reeling. I had always thought that the living dead were just some legend that adults told children to scare them. But this…this proved otherwise.
Get it together, Kozume. You're an elf, not a sniveling shemlen. I thought.
I took a deep breath and released it slowly. Tamlen and I then continued to walk down the hallway. When we reached another oaken door, we went through it. The doorway led into a large chamber. In the center was a bizarre mirror with a statue of men wielding swords on either side. There was a small set of stairs leading up to the mirror.
When Tamlen started to approach the mirror, I began to hear a low growling noise. I grabbed his arm and yanked him backwards fiercely.
"What-" He said.
"Ssh! I think I hear something." I whispered.
We stood there, neither of us daring to breath. I heard what sounded like claws scraping on the stone floor. The low growling started back up again.
I put my hands on the hilts of my twin blades when I saw movement behind the mirror. My breath caught when I saw two blood red eyes looking right at me from the gloom. A massive, bear-like beast came out into the open. It was absolutely hideous. It was furless and had raw looking skin with sharp spikes protruding from its body. Its teeth and claws were mangled yet were still extremely sharp.
The beast let out a bloodcurdling roar and charged at us. Tamlen was so terrified that he was frozen in place. I had to shove him to move him out of the charging beast's path. The beast's claws missed Tamlen's face by mere inches. Tamlen shrieked.
I quickly unsheathed my twin blades and lunged at the twisted beast. I managed to stab it a couple times in the flank before it rounded on me and snapped at me with its fangs. I barely managed to avoid its slavering jaws.
"Be gone, foul beast!" Tamlen roared.
Tamlen swung his blade fiercely at the beast's face. His sword sliced open its cheek, causing blood to spurt out. It roared in agony and rage, and reared up on its hind legs. It was most likely intending to crush Tamlen beneath its massive paws, so I had to act quickly. I slashed its stomach open with my twin blades before it could smash Tamlen's head. Entrails and blood fell out onto the floor.
"Get back!" I commanded.
Tamlen leapt backwards just before the beast crashed to the floor. By this point, blood was streaming out of the beast in torrents. The floor was now slick with dark, vile smelling blood.
"By the Creators! What…what was that thing?" Tamlen exclaimed.
"I have no idea. I don't want to stick around to see if there are more of them. Let's go back to camp." I said.
"Wait, let's not rush off. You aren't going to leave without taking a closer look at the mirror, are you?" He said.
I rolled my eyes. Apparently a near brush with death wasn't enough to dampen his adventurous spirit.
"I don't trust that thing and neither should you." I said.
"It sat here for who knows how many centuries. What could be so dangerous about it?" He remarked.
"That thing is creeps me out. We should go." I said.
"Nonsense. I want a closer look at it," He said. "Don't worry, I won't break it."
Tamlen slowly approached the mirror. His eyes sparkled with curiosity and awe as he examined it.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I wonder what the writing says." He murmured.
"Perhaps the Keeper might be able to translate it." I said.
"Maybe but she's not here to help us. Maybe this isn't-hey, did you see that? I think something move inside of the mirror." He said.
I blinked. I hadn't actually seen anything, but then again, I wasn't really paying attention to the mirror. It had an evil aura to it and I wanted nothing to do with it. The fact that Tamlen was so close to it was driving me mad.
"Tamlen, get away from that thing." I urged.
"Look! There it is again," He said. "Can you feel that? I think it knows were here. I just need to take a closer look."
Disregarding my desperate pleas, Tamlen went closer to the mirror. When he started touching it, I decided I had had enough. I went up the stairs and reached out to grab Tamlen's arm, but stopped when I saw the mirror rippling beneath his touch.
"It's…showing me places. I can see…some kind of city…underground?" He said.
I stared into the mirror, but I was unable to see what he was seeing.
"And there's a great blackness…." He said.
My heart stopped when I saw a dark figure inside the mirror. My mind screamed for me to flee, but I was unable to. My feet felt heavier than stone. I was paralyzed by my own fear.
"It...It saw me! Help! I can't look away!" He cried.
Suddenly, a bright light exploded from the mirror. I was flung several feet backwards. The last thing I saw was white lightning filling the chamber, and then I fell unconscious.
XXXXX
I struggled to open my eyes. My vision was so blurry, I could barely see anything. I could sort of make out the hazy shape of a person kneeling over me. His face…I didn't recognize it. He looked human, but not like any human I'd ever seen before. He had a dark tan complexion and dark eyes.
"Can you hear me?" The man asked. "I am so sorry…."
I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me. I succumbed to the darkness once more.
XXXXX
The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself back in my tent. I sat up quickly, feeling alarmed. When I looked around, I saw that I was alone in my tent.
Tamlen? Dear gods, where is he? Was this just a bad dream..? Please tell me this was just a nightmare. I thought.
I stood up and went outside. The harsh sunlight was blinding. I had to blink several times to adjust my eyes. Once I could see again, I saw a male elf with pale blonde hair nearby. I instantly recognized him as Fenarel. When he saw me, he looked surprised and relieved.
"You're awake! You have the gods own luck, lethallin," Fenarel said as he approached me. "I'm so glad that you're back at camp. Everyone is worried sick about you…how do you feel?"
"I'm fine…where is Tamlen?" I asked.
"We don't know. The shem who brought you here saw no sign of him." Fenarel replied.
"There was a human?" I blinked.
"A shem brought you back a few days ago. You don't remember him?" Fenarel asked.
I rubbed my temples, trying to recall what had happened recently. All I could remember was being in a cave with Tamlen and then blacking out.
"I don't remember much of anything. I remember being in a cave and then…nothing." I murmured.
"He was a Grey Warden. He appeared out of nowhere with you slung over his shoulder. You were delirious with fever…he said he found you outside a cave in the forest, unconscious and alone," Fenarel said. "He left you here and ran off again. The Keeper has been using the old magic to heal you."
Honestly, I couldn't care less that I was alive and safe right now. All I could think about was Tamlen. Evidently no one had found him, which meant that he was probably still in the cave. If he was, he could be in grave danger. Just the thought of him being alone and wounded was enough to make me anxious.
"Is anyone looking for Tamlen?" I asked.
"Of course! Most of the hunters are off looking for him right now. But…the Keeper wanted to talk to you as soon as you awoke. Stay here, I will get her." He said.
Before I could object, he ran off. I sighed quietly. I couldn't believe that Tamlen was gone. He and I had been best friends ever since we were small children. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him.
No, there's still hope. If the positions were reversed, he wouldn't be giving up on you so easily. I thought. I must find him! If the clan could save me, then there is hope for him as well.
I was jumped out of my musing when I heard soft footsteps. When I turned around, I saw the Keeper walking towards me. Concern clouded her pale eyes.
"I see you are awake, da'len. It is fortunate that Duncan found you when he did. I know not of what dark power held you, but it nearly bled the life out from you. It was difficult for even my magic to keep you alive." Keeper Marethari said.
"Duncan..? Is that the one who brought me back?" I asked.
"Yes. He introduced himself as a Grey Warden," She said. "He thought that there may have been darkspawn creatures inside the cave. Is that true?"
I racked my mind, trying to recall what exactly I had seen in the cave. My memories of it were rather hazy. I dimly recalled encountering walking corpses. But darkspawn? No…I imagined I would remember seeing one of those vile things.
"There were walking corpses and other strange monsters…but I don't remember seeing any darkspawn." I said.
Keeper Marethari looked at me closer. Did she think I was lying?
"Walking corpses? That is dark magic, but not darkspawn. I know not of these other creatures you speak of," She said. "What else did you find? What is the last thing that you remember?"
"Well…I recall seeing a mirror…and Tamlen touched it." I replied.
"A mirror? And it caused all this? I have never heard such a thing in all the lore we have collected." Keeper Marethari murmured.
Her expression darkened and she started to pace back and forth. Her unease was making me more anxious by the moment.
"I was hoping for answers when you woke, but there are only more questions," She sighed, crossing her arms. "And Tamlen remains missing. He is more important than any lore in these ruins. If he is as sick as you were, his condition is grave…Duncan returned to the cave to search for darkspawn, but we can't rely on him to find Tamlen as well. We must go ourselves and quickly. Do you feel well enough to show us the way, da'len? Without you, we will not find it."
"Yes, I am up to it Keeper. I feel fine." I said.
"I am relieved to hear that. I am ordering the clan to pack the camp so we can go north. Take Merrill with you to the cave. Find Tamlen if you can, but do it swiftly." She said.
"Yes, Keeper." I responded.
"Go quickly. Tamlen's life hangs in the balance." She said.
I turned and walked away from the Keeper. All I could think about was finding Tamlen. I was willing to do anything to find him. He was my best friend and I refused to give up on him. There was still hope and I knew it.
I walked off to find Merrill. I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice Fenarel calling after me. I didn't notice until he accosted me. He was breathless and looked rather anxious.
"Is the Keeper sending you back to that cave to look for Tamlen?" Fenarel asked.
"Yes. I'm going with Merrill." I said.
"I want to go with you. The Keeper probably won't approve, but I can help you find Tamlen." He said.
I was about to say no, but when I saw the look in his eyes, I decided against it. There was no harm in taking him along. An extra warrior would be helpful. If the Keeper got angry, I would just take the blame.
"All right. Come with us." I said.
Fenarel smiled. "I'll follow you, just to make sure that Merrill doesn't go running to the Keeper when you tell her I'm coming." He said.
Together, we went to go find Merrill. We found her standing by one of the aravels. She appeared to be lost in thought. When we approached her, she turned and looked at us.
"The Keeper told me I was to accompany you back to those caves. As her apprentice, I may see something that you missed. But our main objective is to find Tamlen, of course. We must make haste. He may not have much time." Merrill said.
"Fenarel is coming with us. Do you have any objections to that?" I asked.
"That depends on the Keeper. I thought we were supposed to go alone." Merrill said.
"The Keeper is fine with it." I said.
"That's good enough for me. Now are you ready?" Merrill said.
"Let's head out now." I replied.
"Then let us make haste while the daylight lasts." She said.
I walked towards the forest, trying to recall the route that Tamlen and I had used to reach the cave. My memory was slowly coming back to me. I was able to find the old dirt path relatively easy. Once I found the path, it led us straight to the cave.
For some reason, I was expecting it to be an easy task to reach the cave, find Tamlen and return to camp, but that certainly wasn't the case. About halfway down the trail, I began to smell a fetid stench that made me sick to my stomach. Fenarel and Merrill must have smelled it too, because they immediately began complaining.
"Dear Creators! What is that stench?" Fenarel exclaimed. His eyes were watering and he covered his nose.
Suddenly, three demonic looking creatures burst out of the woods. Upon seeing them, I was absolutely revolted. They were hideous things, with an aura of pure evil about them. Their very flesh even corrupted and they had wide, fish like eyes. They had no hair and their lips were peeled back, revealing sharp fangs. All three creatures wore mismatched armor of leather.
They began charging at us as soon as they appeared from the woods. Their weapons even looked as sinful as they did. Crudely made and tainted black, they might not have been the best craftsmen, but I imagined they knew how to use their weapons well enough.
As soon as one came within my reach, I lashed out at it with my twin blades. My twin blades lacerated the creature's throat, releasing a torrent of dark blood. I heard it hiss as it splattered on the ground. Seconds later, the creature fell lifeless to the earth.
Merrill and Fenarel had dispatched the other two fairly easily. Merrill struck one down with her magic and Fenarel had killed the other with an arrow to the chest.
The three of us peered at one of the dead darkspawn. The stench only seemed to be getting worse. I felt the urge to heave, but I fought it down with all my might. I wasn't about to look weak in front of my clan mates.
"What were those things? Were they darkspawn?" Merrill exclaimed.
"I imagine so," I said. "It would make sense."
"I've never seen anything like them! You can smell the evil on them. Where did they come from? Were they here before?" She asked.
"No. Perhaps they followed the Grey Warden here." I replied.
"Or maybe he followed them here…well, we'll find out soon enough. Let's hope that we don't find any more of these monsters," She said. "Before we go, are you all right? Were you hurt during the fight?"
"Nothing I won't recover from." I said.
"You…do look quite pale, now that Merrill's mentioned it." Fenarel said.
"I'm fine." I said.
"Well, I'll keep an eye on you. You've only just recovered from your illness." Merrill said.
We continued down the path to the cave. When I started to see the entrance just up ahead, Merrill suddenly stopped. She was peering at a little makeshift campsite.
"I wonder whose campsite this is. Do you remember it being here?" Merrill inquired.
"It probably belongs to the shemlen who found me." I said.
"You're probably right. Didn't you say he was headed back to the cave? If so, he's not here now. And we've seen no signs of Tamlen. Maybe we should…." Merrill paused and narrowed her eyes. She looked around warily. "Wait…do you hear that?"
"No…I hear nothing. No forest creatures. It's too quiet." I said.
"Exactly. The forest is too still. Something's in the air...something unnatural." She said.
"Tamlen said he felt the same thing in the cave." I murmured.
"And now it's affecting the forest? Perhaps the mirror unleashed some sort of sickness. That would not be good." She responded.
"That's an understatement." Fenarel said.
"The sooner we find the cave and Tamlen, the sooner we can leave. Take us there quickly." Merrill said.
That's what I was trying to do! I thought.
"Come this way." I said.
I led the way down the tunnel and into the ancient ruins. Upon entering, Fenarel and Merrill looked around. They both seemed awestruck.
"So these are the ruins? Interesting," Merrill said. "They're definitely of human origin, yet elven artifacts are scattered amongst them. Nothing explains the monsters though. Anyways…we must find Tamlen, or what's let of him. I can't imagine he's still alive with those creatures about."
I shook my head, preventing such horrid thoughts from entering my mind.
"There's still hope. I refuse to give up on him." I said firmly.
"You're right. We should explore farther before I go on about my fears. My apologizes." Merrill said quickly.
I led the way through the maze of hallways and chambers. Along the way, we encountered small groups of darkspawn here and there, but we were able to deal with them fairly easily.
When we arrived in the chamber that had the mirror in it, I was surprised to see that there someone was already there. A human man was standing in front of the ancient mirror with his arms crossed, studying it.
The human didn't seem alarmed by our arrival. He slowly turned around to face us.
"So you were the one fighting darkspawn. I thought I heard combat." The human said.
He narrowed his dark eyes as he looked at me. Normally I'd feel indignant that a human was staring at me, but for some reason, I felt uneasy under his gaze. This was no ordinary human, for sure. I knew he was a Grey Warden and was clearly a skilled warrior. He wore leather armor that was covered in straps and buckles, running all the way up his arms and legs in a manner that was quite unlike the other human warriors I'd seen in Ferelden. He had dark hair and swarthy skin, and he had twin daggers on his belt that looked absolutely lethal.
"You're the elf I found wandering the forest, aren't you? I'm surprised you have recovered." He said.
"So…you're Duncan, the Grey Warden who saved me." I said.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you. The last time we spoke, you were barely conscious." Duncan replied.
"Andaran atish'an, Duncan of the Grey Wardens. I am Merrill, the Keeper's apprentice." Merrill said, bowing slightly.
"Your Keeper didn't send you after me, did she? I told her I'd be in no danger here." Duncan said.
"We're looking for our brother, Tamlen." I answered.
"So you and your friend Tamlen both entered this cave? And you saw this mirror?" Duncan inquired.
"Yes. Tamlen touched the mirror and I blacked out." I said.
"I see. That's…unfortunate. The Grey Wardens have seen artifacts like this mirror before. It appears to be Tevinter in origin, used for communication. Over time, some of them simply…break. They become filled with the same taint as the darkspawn. Tamlen's touch must have released it. It's what made you sick, and Tamlen too, I presume." Duncan responded.
"Shouldn't we destroy it, then?" I asked.
"I agree. So long as the mirror exists, it's a threat to anyone nearby." Duncan said.
"I don't fear this sickness. The Keeper knows how to cure it." Merrill said.
"She may have weakened it, but she cannot cure it," Duncan said. He then turned his gaze back on me. "Your recovery is temporary. I can sense the sickness in you, and it's spreading. Look inside yourself and you will see."
I took a step back, feeling panic rising in my chest. I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. Despite my bravado, I certainly wasn't feeling fine. I could feel the foulness beneath my skin, poisoning my innards. I hadn't said anything to anyone because I was afraid that no one would want to come around me, in fear of getting infected.
"What should I do?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as even as possible.
"First, we deal with the mirror. It is a pestilence and a threat." Duncan said.
Unsheathing one of his daggers, he turned back towards the mirror and struck it as hard as he could. The mirror shattered loudly, shards of broken glass exploding onto the decaying floor below.
"It is done. Now, let's leave this cursed place. I must speak with your Keeper immediately, regarding your cure." Duncan said.
"What about Tamlen?" I asked.
"There is nothing we can do." Duncan replied. There was a glint of sorrow in his eyes.
"I'm still alive. He could be too!" I persisted.
"Let me be very clear: there's nothing you can do for him. He's been tainted for three days now, unaided. Through your Keeper's healing arts and your own willpower, you didn't die. But Tamlen has no chance. Trust me when I say that he is gone. Now, we should return." Duncan said.
I wanted to keep arguing, but by the look in Duncan's eyes, I could see that he was not about to stand down here and debate the issue with me. I sighed heavily and allowed my shoulders to slump. I had failed Tamlen and I was going to have to carry the burden on my shoulders for the rest of my life. I had allowed my best friend to die. I was never going to see him again.
"Very well. Let's go back to the camp." I said.
"I sense no other darkspawn nearby. So let's go." He said.
Reluctantly, I turned away and led the way out of the ruins. I went straight back to camp with my head down and my heart heavy.
Upon arrival in camp, Keeper Marethari greeted us. Her pale eyes scanned each of us closely.
"I'm relieved you have returned. And I didn't expect to see you again so soon, Duncan." Keeper Marethari said.
"I was not expecting to return so soon either, Keeper." Duncan replied.
"Dare I ask of Tamlen? What did you find of him?" Keeper Marethari asked.
"Nothing. He's gone." I said dully.
"I see. Merrill, what about the mirror? Did you bring anything back?" Keeper Marethari inquired.
"I can answer that, Keeper. I destroyed the mirror." Duncan answered before Merrill could.
Keeper Marethari's pale eyes darkened. "I intended to use it to find a cure for this mysterious illness. I trust that you had good reasons for your actions?" She said.
"There is much to discuss, Keeper. I have learned a great deal since I was last here." Duncan said.
"Let us speak privately within my aravel then, Duncan." Keeper Marethari said. "Merrill, warn the hunters. If there are darkspawn about, I want the clan prepared."
"Ma nuvenin, Keeper. Right away." Merrill said. She quickly left.
Keeper Marethari then turned her gaze to me. "Da'len, allow me some time to speak with Duncan. Seek us out at my aravel later, and we can discuss your cure." She said.
"Very well, Keeper." I said.
"Tell Hahren Paivel what has occurred. He now has the sad task of preparing a service for the dead. Now, follow me Duncan. I am eager to hear what you have to say." Keeper Marethari said.
The Keeper and Duncan walked off together, leaving me alone. Fenarel had disappeared already. I imagined he had vanished upon return to the camp so that the Keeper wouldn't see him with me.
I suppose I should go ahead and speak with Hahren, like the Keeper asked. I thought. Being stupid is what cost me Tamlen in the first place. I can't afford to mess up any more. From now on, I will do as I am told. No more running off on wild adventures and getting into trouble.
I went off to find Hahren Paivel as the Keeper had asked. I found him by a small campfire, talking to a handful of hunters. When he spotted me, he stood up. The other hunters at the fire turned their gazes on me as well.
"So you return with the Grey Warden, but without Tamlen. What happened, da'len? Is he truly lost to us?" Hahren asked.
"Yes, Hahren. He is dead." I said.
"So…another one of our children has perished. To think I'd live to see this…it seems the will of the Creators is that I sing the dirge for those I held in my arms as babes. I think I know why our immortal ancestors would sleep." Hahren said.
The old silver-haired elf turned away from me and let out a quiet sigh. Even though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was sad.
"Swiftly do the stars burn a path across the sky, hastening to place one last kiss upon your eye. Tenderly land enfolds you in slumber, softening the rolling thunder. Dagger now sheathed, bow no longer tense. During this, your last hour, only silence." Hahren murmured.
As I listened to him speak, it took all my willpower not to burst into tears. It tore me up to know that it was my fault that Tamlen no longer lived. Thanks to my stupidity, Hahren had lost yet another child. If I had had any sense, I would've talked Tamlen out of going to the ruins, not encouraging him to explore it. Had I had any sense, I would've kept him away from the accursed mirror, not allowed him to play with it.
It should've been me. Tamlen should be the one that's alive right now, not me. I thought.
"The Keeper wants me to tell you to prepare a service." I said.
"Of course. We've no body to return to the soil, but we shall sing for Tamlen. The Creators must come guide him to the Beyond. Tell the Keeper it shall be done before the clan is ready to move on." He replied.
"Thank you, Hahren." I said.
"Hmm. You know, it's imperative now more than ever to pass on whatever we know to the young. Let us tell these children of the fall of the Dales," Hahren said, indicating towards the four children playing nearby. "You can honor me by sharing the telling."
Normally, I wouldn't have agreed to sit around and tell tales to children. I would've declined and opted to go hunting instead. However, I decided not to decline this time. I had been responsible for Tamlen's death, so helping Hahren tell stories to children was the least I could do for him. Perhaps it would help these children learn a thing or two.
"Certainly, Hahren." I said.
"Come then. Help me as I go along," Hahren said. He then turned towards the children. "Children, hear of the tale of the Dales! Hear of the tale of what makes you Dalish!"
The four children stopped what they were doing and immediately came up to us. Their eyes were bright with interest.
"Would you care to begin, da'len?" Hahren asked.
"Of course. Long ago, we were slaves to the humans." I began.
"Yes, slaves to a terrible empire that humans built on the darkest magic. When it fell, we became free. We built a homeland in the Dales, worshipping the Creators and rebuilding the culture and history we lost in our long years of slavery." Hahren said.
"But the humans would not leave us be. They were resentful because we wouldn't worship their gods and because we put our people first. Over the years, their nations grew cold towards the Dales. In their eyes, we were blasphemers and cruel tyrants." I added. "So then the humans declared war on the Dales."
"The humans invaded our homeland in the name of their one god, denouncing our 'sacrilegious' nation. And so the Dales fell. They took our lands and dispersed our people, forcing us to live in their cities and abandon our gods. But many of us refused to relinquish our ways. We instead chose to scatter to the winds, wandering the lands. To survive and preserve our culture, the clans stay apart until the day the Elvhenan have a homeland once more." Hahren said.
"We shall return to the old ways to those of our people who have lost them." I said.
"We are the Dalish: keepers of the lost lore, walkers of the lonely path."
"We are the last Elvhenan. Never again shall we submit." Hahren concluded. "Now, you may leave."
The four children ran off, resuming their game. Hahren then turned to me.
"Thank you for your forbearance. You remembered the tale and the Oath of the Dales," He said. "I will let you get on with your duties now. I'm sure you have much to do."
"I suppose I should go now." I murmured.
"Of course. May the gods guide your path, da'len." He said.
As I walked away from the campfire, I felt the gazes of the small group of elves on me. I didn't feel like talking to anyone else right now, so I headed back to my aravel. All I wanted to do was mourn the loss of my best friend right now.
About halfway back to my aravel, I saw the Keeper and Duncan standing outside of the Keeper's aravel. I tried to slip by without them noticing me, but they both spotted me. The Keeper called me over. Groaning inwardly, I went up to them.
"Your Keeper and I have spoken. We've come to an arrangement that concerns you," Duncan said. "My order is in need of help and you are in need of a cure. When I leave, I hope you will join me. You would make an excellent Grey Warden."
I stared at him, wide-eyed with shock. I couldn't believe that he was suggesting that I leave my own clan, the very people I had known and loved my entire life, to go become a Grey Warden with him. I didn't even know what a Grey Warden was! All I knew was that they fought darkspawn. Why in the name of the gods would I want to fight wretched darkspawn for the rest of my life?!
Despite my disbelief and anger, I didn't explode on them. I tried to remain as calm as possible.
"Am I to become a Grey Warden, Keeper?" I asked.
Pain flickered in Keeper Marethari's pale eyes. "Yes da'len. It's the only way to save your life." She said.
"The darkspawn taint courses through your veins. The fact that you recovered at all is remarkable. But eventually, the taint will sicken and kill you, or worse. The Grey Wardens can prevent that, but it means joining us." Duncan added.
I hardly knew what to think, much less say. It was hard enough for me to come to terms with losing Tamlen. But now, it seemed I was going to have to leave my whole clan. All of it was too much for me to grasp. How had my life changed so much over the course of one day?!
Is this the will of the gods? Am I not fit enough to stay in my own clan anymore? I thought. Sadness clawed at my heart. It seemed that I had no choice. It was either become a Grey Warden or succumb to the taint at some point.
"I…very well. I will join you." I said.
"I welcome you to the order. It is rare to have a Dalish amongst us, but they have always served with distinction." Duncan said.
"I know you will do your clan proud, da'len. Take this ring. It is your heritage and will protect you against the darkness that is to come." Keeper Marethari said. She slipped a ring on my left ring finger.
"A valuable gift," Duncan said. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes." I said.
I knew it was best for me to go ahead and go. The longer I lingered around, the more likely I was to change my mind.
"Say your farewells and let us be off. We have much ground to cover." Duncan said.
"Come then, da'len. Before the Creators guide you from us, let your clan embrace you one last time." Keeper Marethari said.
I watched as the Keeper called the entire clan to the center of camp. She explained to them that I was leaving to become a Grey Warden. I heard the gasps of shock and confusion ripple through my gathered clan mates. I hated that this was the last time I was ever going to see them.
Each member of the clan came up to me and said their farewells. Some of the women cried, which made it even harder for me to leave. The last thing I had ever wanted to do was leave the clan but that was exactly what I had to do now. It was for their benefit and mine.
Once everyone said their farewells to me, I left camp with Duncan.