Blood.
I practically bathed in it. It was all around me, soaking into my leather clothes. It was hot at first… but slowly, after a few minutes, it turned cold and unpleasant, though only to be replaced by more warm splatters in moments passed. I'm only glad that I had brought a spare change of clothing for when I returned to camp. I couldn't bear the reactions I would get with all of my gut stained glory.
Imagine if Alistair saw me like this. Alone in the woods, fighting the darkspawn. Relishing in their fragments; quite literally. He'd probably faint with anger at the idea of me seeking out these damnable monsters, as if on a suicide mission. If one could even call it that.
Could they?
Well, it doesn't matter.
Whatever you want to call it, I venture out into the Brecilian Forest each and every night that we camp\here in hopes of finding some of these darkspawn to kill. They're evil and horrible creatures, but more than that, I do this as a favor… to my friend Tamlen. He deserves it – to be found, and I would rather die a thousand deaths than to ever give up the search for him, alive or not. Vengeful? Perhaps. Dedicated?
Absolutely.
I've found traces of him in various places around this area… torn pieces of his clothing, his sword and shield… even the knife I gave him for his last birthday present. I remember because it was the only knife around that had a Tevinter inscription on the pommel. I found it in the ruins of an ancient cave, once. I was hunting, ditching my usual classes as instructed by the Master Ilen. School could be so insipid, sometimes. Anyway, I know that I've been getting closer to finding Tamlen. I can feel it within my being. Elves… are connected somehow. Not only physically and magically, but emotionally as well. We can sense each other far more acutely than say, a shemlen could sense another. It's an intense bond, and when one elf goes missing…
You can imagine the effect it would have on their companions.
Continuing my thoughts, I plunged my dagger into the last of the darkspawn hurlocks, twisting the blade inside of its skin so that it roared in a frenzy of pain. As it hunched over with the stench of death in its mouth, I caught a glimpse of its eerily green eyes as they bored into my own. For one moment, I felt nothing but pity for this creature, but this quickly passed and I yanked my weapon free of its coarse and unruly skin. Gross.
I must have been more preoccupied with my thinking than I had originally intended, for the ground around me were littered with mounds of breathless darkspawn. Had I really killed that many?
I guess so.
They were in all shapes and sizes, and I suppose that I never knew the variety with which they were bred before. Large, fat, wide, small, and moderate… they all lay about my feet and for once I am frightened. I may have gone too far this time. How many more chances will I have to find Tamlen in these forsaken woods?
Yet… how many more times will I fight and gamble my life?
And worse… what would it do to Alistair if I died?
No. I need to find Tamlen. End of story. He deserves at least that much.
Gathering up my strength once more, I changed into a new set of clothes and stalked back towards our campsite.