Theron and Alistair sat under a tarp in the light rain. A few hours ago the camp had been attacked by shrieks and the two decided that it would be better if both of them finished watch tonight. And though it had been months since Theron's last escape attempt, the warrior was still wary to let the elf out of his sight for too long.

"Yeah, I guess if you really needed too, you could wear your pants as a shirt, though you'd look like quiet the fool." Theron answered. This was a game the two of them liked to play when they got bored. Always trying to come up with strange questions to see what the other would do. "But why you'd want to cover your chest instead of your penis is beyond me!"

They both laughed and the elf began to think of a new question, when the back of his mind began to whisper and his blood ran cold. Creators, how he hated that feeling.

Both men looked over to see a spawn hanging on the edge of camp. The shriek noticed they were looking at him. "Don't look at me!" It cried and ran off into the forest.

"Ho-ly shit." Theron shot up like his ass was on fire and barged into the forest after the shriek. He heard Alistair call his name behind him, but the elf just kept running. He sprinted so fast that his lungs began to burn with each breath. Soon he found himself in a small clearing, his eyes locked with the spawn. Theron's heart wrench and his stomach twisted, his Grey Warden instincts were screaming 'Danger!' but his mind was calling 'Friend.'

"I… I don't want to hurt you, Theron…" The shriek said in voice that scratched its way out. "But my thoughts are calling for blood!" He screamed

Theron's heart shattered "Tamlen…" he whispered "I thought you had-" he choked "-you had… died…" he said in a tiny voice.

"I have to - APOLOGIZE!" Tamlen screamed the last word "It's my fault you're here! I should have listened to you, when you said not to touch the - MIRROR!" Tamlen crouched down and covered his face with his hands. "It's all my fault, my fault, my fault!" He kept repeating.

Tears streamed down Theron's face. His best friend was terrified and warped and there was nothing he could do about it. Theron stepped up to his friend and squatted next to him. He touched his shoulder, "It's not your fault… We… we can help you, please, don't be afraid, you know it's me."

Tamlen snapped his head up and locked eyes with Theron again. He shook his head hysterically, "No! No help!" he cried "There's a song in my head… I can't get it to stop! Theron, I don't want to hurt you, please stop me!"

Tamlen swung at him, but Theron easily shifted out of the way. "Tamlen, stop! Please!"

His friend began to cry and tackled Theron into a hug. "Theron, help me… make the song stop… Just make the song stop…"

Theron hesitated… "Tamlen, I can heal you, please just let me try-"

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no…" Tamlen cried into his shoulder "Too far gone… Just make the song stop." Tamlen looked up at him "Please…"

Theron stared into his friend's eyes, his vision blurred due to the constant tears overflowing from his own eyes and the rain dripping into them. The elf held his friend closer, then felt the point of his blade cut into his chest. Tamlen stared at Theron as the blade stabbed through his heart. He smiled when he heard the song begin to fade away. "Thank you…" he said softly

Theron watched the light fade from Tamlen's eyes, felt his blood pour onto his shirt and his body relax into his hold.

The rouge released a breath he didn't know he was holding. He placed Tamlen on the ground next him stared down at his boots that were caked in mud. He put his head in his knees and sobbed. He was aware of his bleeding chest and how cold he was, but he didn't care. He had just killed his best friend…

Theron heard Alistair in the distance some time later, shouting his name. But he couldn't find his tongue.

Alistair stepped into the clearing, with Theron's mabari standing near him and saw his friend sitting with his head in his hands, staring down at his feet. Rum whined and the hound trotted up next to the elf. He nuzzled the rouge with his nose, Theron didn't even acknowledge his presence. Alistair walked up next to the two and looked down at the body. "Who… was that?" He asked

Theron looked at the body. "Tamlen…" he said, barley over a whisper

Alistair pressed his lips into a tight line. "Oh… I am so sorry. That's what happens when the taint is… left unchecked…" Alistair squatted next to Theron and made the elf look at him. "It's better this way, to have it end, it was a mercy."

Theron looked back down at his boots and closed his eyes. "Yeah… I know." He looked back up at his friend. "I want to bury him."

Alistair nodded and headed back to camp where he grabbed some shovels from Bodahn and ran back to Theron. The warrior helped him dig and place the corpse into the hole. Theron told him to wait and headed off into the forest. Alistair wanted to follow him, but decided that he could use the time alone. Soon he returned with a oak sapling and planted it over the gravesite.

"It's no funeral, my friend, but it'll have to do…" Theron whispered to the gravesite, quiet enough so Alistair couldn't hear. He stood back up and looked at the warrior. Rum whined Theron rubbed behind his ears. "C'mon, let's go… I don't want to be here anymore…"