The Amaranthine Chronicles

by Powerslammer

The Blight is over. The Fereldan Civil War has been settled. But times are not peaceful. The darkspawn still remain and are now a greater threat than they ever were during the Blight. Aedan Cousland, Warden and Reaver, is once again called upon to defend his beloved homeland. The darkspawn are going to wish they went just went back to the Deep Roads. Please, please review.

1. Chapter 1

Arriving in Amaranthine

Aedan's journey back to the lowlands of the Bannorn was long and tiresome. Not just the travel back down from the treacherous Frostback Mountains but the failure of being unable to find his Golden-Eyed Darling and the mother of his child, Morrigan. She was pregnant with their baby and he wanted to be there with her, despite his promise to let her go after the Archdemon had been slain. But he was honor-bound by his duty to serve and protect his country no matter how much his heart screamed to be with Morrigan.

As he made his way to the Circle Tower of Kinloch Hold Aedan couldn't help but lament the paradoxical concept that was duty. There was honor to be found in duty and too often the masses think that honor is the stepping stone to glory. But seldom do any of them actually understand what honor and duty truly mean, and that glory is as fleeting as the dawn. Honor and duty can lead a man to greatness and compel him to do very ugly things. Aedan had always been a man who walked that razor edge, but his time as a Warden showed him just how thin that edge truly is.

Now he was being called to lead the Arling of Amaranthine, to rebuild the Order of The Grey in Ferelden as the new Warden Commander and deal with the darkspawn that have fled to the region. This is exactly what Aedan didn't want to do his whole life. Ever since he was young he never wanted to take up the mantle of leadership insofar as being a lord or a politician. He always thought such a burden would be left to his older brother, while Aedan was always content to just lead men into battle and fight the enemies of his people's freedom, namely Orlais. Now he was being called to do both; rule over an arling and lead men into battle, not against Orlesians but against darkspawn. Honor and duty really sucked ass.

Aedan finally arrived at the Circle Tower. There was still damage left over from Uldred's insane take over and the invasion of abominations, but the rapairs were being made. Templars and mages both, working together to rebuild this place that was home to both of them. Such a shame it took unspoken horrors and incalculable carnage to get them to work together.

Aedan was not surprised to be greeted by Knight-Commander Gregoir. "Hail, Warden." The older knight saluted with respect. "Or do you prefer 'Hero' these days?"

"Actually I prefer to just being called 'Aedan'." The Warden answered. "My mother didn't name me 'Warden' or 'Hero'. But if we're going to stand on ceremony, you may as well address me as Commander, because that's my rank now, apparently."

"As you wish." Gregoir acknowledged. "His Majesty sent over some supplies for your arrival. Your escort should be here shortly. I must return to my duties. Farewell, Warden-Commander." Gregoir respectfully saluted Aedan, turned in his heel and resumed his duties as Knight-Commander, leaving Aedan to himself in the Circle Tower's main hall.

Aedan just stood there for a while, waiting for the other Wardens to show up so they could leave. As he stood around he noticed a few wide-eyed young female apprentices around a corner trying to sneak a peak at him and giggling under their breath about how the Hero of Ferelden was actually here. He also overheard some of the Templars talking about how not too long ago Cullen was transferred to the Circle in Kirkwall. That what he experienced as Uldred's captive made Gregoir dismiss him from Kinloch Hold. Cullen? Cullen? Aedan felt like he knew that name from somewhere. Oh well. Must not have meant that much to him to actually remember.

Alistair's, or rather "King Alistair"s, letter told him to come here and that there'd be a party of Grey Wardens waiting for him at the tower, but the only Grey Warden Aedan found was in his own damned reflection. As he stood there with his already limited patience quickly running thin. Where the fuck are the other Wardens?

As The Hero of Ferelden stood around like damned statue, he was approached by a young woman in armor. She was a little younger than Aedan was and actually very pretty. She wore splintmail armor and had her chestnut brown hair tied into two tight buns. When the young lady reached Aedan she stood at attention and flawlessly saluted him. "Commander! Ser Mhairi, reporting for duty!"

"At ease, knight." Aedan bade. "What duties are you reporting for?"

"Ser, I've been assigned to escort you to the fortress of Vigil's Keep in Amaranthine for you to address your new duties as Warden-Commander of Ferelden. Also I am here as a volunteer for recruitment into the Order." Mhairi answered with discipline and respect worthy of a soldier.

They send a recruit to meet him instead of veteran Wardens? "What about the Wardens from Orlais who were supposed to meet me here?"

"They've already arrived at Vigil's Keep by boat, ser. I was sent to escort you while they oversee the preparations for your arrival."

Aedan could sense there something else. There was a look in her eye like there was something she didn't want to tell him. "Is there anything else you're supposed to tell me, Ser Mhairi?"

Mhairi swallowed hard and mustered her courage. "I am also to tell you that you will not be receiving an invitation to to King Alistair's marriage."

Aedan wasn't sure he just heard that. "I'm sorry. Either my sense of hearing just died or I'm going completely insane, but I thought you just said that King Alistair, who up until a the heighth of the Blight, never even slept with a woman is now getting married? And I'm not receiving an invitation?"

"Your state of mind is as sound as your hearing, Commander." Mhairi confirmed grimly.

Marriage!? A royal marriage!? And he's not invited!? "And who the hell is King Alistair supposed to be marrying that he should deny me an invitation to such a joyous albeit curious occasion?"

Mhairi's lips twitched with a fear reserved for facing down ogres. "King Alistair has made arrangments to marry…." Mhairi swallowed hard and prepared for the worst. "…Anora Mac Tir of the Teyrnir of Gwaren." The young knight's tone was meek and her voice was quiet with fear.

There was a long awkward silence that seemed to fill the whole tower accompanied by a single cricket chirping a mocking tone. The twitching veins popping in Aedan's forehead made it look like his head was going to explode. "WHAAAT!?" The entire tower shook and echoed with his outrage.

Later on the Merchant's Road….

Aedan was still stewing over what Mhairi had told him back at the tower and he still couldn't believe it. How could Alistair even consider such a thing? That stuck up little bitch who wanted to be daddy's little girl betrayed them to their deaths! Twice! Even after they risked their own lives to save her sorry ass, and after Aedan arranged for her and Alistair to marry each other for their country's benefit. And now, after she'd been beaten and imprisoned, her father publically condemned and executed, and after Aedan tried to convince her to commit suicide, she decides she wants to follow through with her promise and marry Alistair. He should have piked her pretty head right next to her father's.

Aedan noticed the anger radiating off of him was making his escort feel uncomfortable and tried to think about something that would make him feel less homicidal. "So what's your story, Mhairi?"

"Oh. Um, I'm nothing special, Commander." The young soldier flustered. "My story's not half as interesting as yours, I'm certain."

"Everyone's got a story." Aedan informed. "Yours somehow led you to wearing armor."

"Well, growing up I was hooked on tales of great lords, selfless heroes and valiant champions, and I always wanted to be just like them." Mhairi answered sheepishly. "When I was sixteen my parents arranged for me to get married to some merchant. I wasn't in the mood to have my life ended before it even began, so I enlisted in the army. I guess I impressed the right people, after a few years in the service I was given a knighthood."

"Where were you during the Blight?"

"There was a bit of a schism in the military after what happened at Ostagar." Mhairi informed. Aedan was unaware of this. "Some thought what Loghain did was the smart decision but some of us viewed it as him abandoning his post in the heat of battle, a capital offense. And then he just used the Wardens as a scapegoat to cover up his mistakes. While many stayed loyal to Loghain just as many abandoned the army and went home to protect our families. I didn't rejoin the army until the Landsmeet had been decided."

"But you abandoned your own duty in a time of war when your country needed you. How is that any better than what Loghain did?"

"I am not a Templar, Commander!" Mhairi denied. "I made no holy vows. I swore an oath to defend my country, not help one man tear the country apart for one man's lunacy or help him in his bid to control it."

Aedan chuckled lightly. That was a very good answer. "Do you also realize that there is a likely chance that you may die trying to become a Warden?"

"I took that risk every time I stepped on a battlefield, Commander. I am not scared to die for my country."

"Ha! Mhairi, I think you and I are going to get along very well." The two of them continued their quiet march to Vigil's Keep in silence and respect.

Vigil's Keep….

Vigil's Keep was one of the oldest most storied keeps in all of Ferelden. Built by the Avvar in the ancient times to repel the invading forces of the Tevinter Imperium, it has been the sight of every battle against foreign forces that invaded this land. During the Orlesian Occupation, this fortress was the first to be taken, thanks to the apparently inherint treachery of the Howes and the last keep to be freed from the Orlesians. And thanks to Rendon Howe's treachery, treason and being an all around bastard, this mighty Keep was now the property of the Grey Wardens, and Aedan was its new Commander. Even after Howe's excruciating death at his hands, Aedan was still able to rub salt on Howe's wounded pride, and that brought Aedan a grisly sense of joy.

The sky was dark and the rain began to fall as clouds from the Storm Coast blow in from the north. Aedan and Mhairi were now within a mere few hundred yards of the historical keep, but something was wrong. The Wardens knew of Aedan's impending arrival, but there was no entourage to greet them. Where were the soldiers that were supposed to be standing their posts here? And everything seemed far too quiet. Something was very wrong indeed.

A horrified scream broke over the sound the thunderclaps and rainfall as Aedan and Mhairi saw a man running frantically in terror. From group of darkspawn. In the Keep! "What the fuck!?" The two warriors drew their weapons, Mhairi's sword and shield, and Aedan his war-axe, and charged the blighted wretches. Aedan rushed two of the darkspawn, swung his axe low and hacked their feet off right below the ankles. The genlocks fell backwards screaming and snarling in furious agony, their new stumps kicking wildly and spurting blood. Mhairi charged the third with her shield, knocking it to the ground and finishing it with her sword through it heart.

The merchant who was outrunning the 'spawn finished one of the now footless gunlocks by smashin its head in with a mace. Each swing was wild and filled fear rather than purpose as he screamed in horror with tears of terror crawling down his eyes, trying to make sure it was dead. Aedan remembered that the average person never sees a darkspawn and how most of them are never prepared to fight evil incarnate. This poor man was one of the unfortunate many who was caught unprepared for such creatures. When the man was sure the creature was dead he looked over to the new Commander of the Grey, his terror-filled eyes bloomed with hope and relief. "It's you, isn't it?" The man sobbed. "The Hero of Ferelden? Oh, thank the Maker!"

"Haakon's freezing balls!" Aedan cursed. "What the fuck is happening!?"

"I-I don't know!" The merchant yelled. "All I heard was screams and everyone around me was dying! They came out of nowhere! You need to help them. You need to do something!""

"What about the Wardens? Where are the other Wardens?"

"There was one beside me earlier, but I think the darkspawn got to him before I reached the gate."

An ambush on Vigil's Keep? And the darkspawn taking the Wardens by surprise? Impossible! This is exactly what the Wardens and this fortress were made for. Something was very wrong. "Get to safety." Aedan ordered. "A patrol must be nearby. Find one and have them protect any survivors who make it out of the Keep."

"Understood, Commander." The merchant ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. Hopefully he could find some help.

"We don't have a lot of time, Commander." Mhairi urged.

"The darkspawn were coordinated to launch a sneak attack? That's impossible." Aedan stated.

"This isn't a Blight." Mhairi confirmed. "How can they be so organized?"

Aedan pondered for a split second. "Perhaps something else is leading them?"

"Other than an Archdemon? That's a frightening thought."

That all too familiar murderous energy began to radiate off of Aedan as the rage built up inside him as his Reaver abilities began to manifest. "Come on. Let's go give them a frightening thought."

"Right. Let's teach these bastards a lesson."

The battle into the Keep was hard, but nothing Aedan was unaccustomed to. He had fought worse numbers in the Deep Roads. What was strange was while the ambush was obviously organized the darkspawn's attack wasn't; it was more like a free-for-all and the darkspawn just happened to have more numbers. What kind of attack was this?

An ogre and a genlock mage blocked their path into the fortress, but Aedan sensed that the caliber of this threat, even from the ogre, was not the worst thing he'd ever faced. Mhairi expertly threw her sword at the genlock's head and ran it through the mouth, while Aedan charged the ogre. Having fought many ogres during the Blight Aedan knew exactly how to face one when necessary. He flanked around to its side and chopped his axe on the monster's achiles tendon. The massive monstrosity roared in agony as black ichor sprayed out of the severed arteries and fell with a thunderous thud to the ground. Before the giant could have a chance to do anything else, Aedan raised his axe a plunged it right between its eyes and split the creature skull in half. Aedan dislodged his weapon from the ogre's skull and the two continued to make their way inside and find out what was really happening.

After killing every darkspawn that got in their way, the two warriors made it to the inner-courtyard of the Keep. "The darkspawn are everywhere!" Mahiri lamented. "How could the Wardens not sense them coming? I don't understand."

Aedan couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. It took a lot of brain power that he darkspawn don't possess to pull of an attack like this and yet the darkspawn they were fighting had absolutely no coordination. This smelled like some kind of cover up attack. "Who is in command here, Mhairi?"

"Varel, the seneschal." Mhairi answered. "He was originally the seneschal of this keep, but Howe imprisoned when he refused to partake in the arl's treason. The king reinstated him after the war."

Seneschal Varel. That was who they needed to reach. If anyone could give them an idea about what's going on and what they need to do it would be him. "Mhairi, I'm going to need sharp and ready if we're going to make it through this. Understand?"

"You can count on me commander." Mhairi assured.

The gate into the keep had been closed. They would need to raise the port cullis to get in. The two ran up the rampart on the upper levels of the castle wall. As they reached the door Aedan heard the frantic screams of terrible agony and smelled the all too familiar scent of burning flesh. Aedan kicked the door right off its hinges prepared for a fight. Instead all they found was a blonde mage shooting fire from his finger tips and on to a group of hurlocks. When the mage was sure the broiled Hurlock was dead he tried to blow the smoke of his burning fingers and was shocked to see the two warriors behind him. For a second he just stood there with a "don't look at me, I didn't do it" look on his face.

"Er…I didn't do it." The mage finally said after he found his tongue. "But 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." He pointed to a group of dead bodies, all armed and armored with the Chantry Sunburst emblazoned on their breastplates. Templars?

Aedan took a moment to observe the mage; he was of medium height and slight of build, typical of someone who spends their life locked in a tower with limited physical activity. His sandy blonde hair was pulled back into a short ponytail as well a five o'clock stubble. Aedan could see mischief and defiance in his blue eyes.

"I take it they weren't friends of yours?" Aedan surmised.

"No. Of course they were." The mage answered sarcastically. "Some of my best friends tie me down and beat me up then drag me off to be imprisoned. They just happened to have the misfortune of being set upon by darkspawn when they were least expecting it."

"And you are?"

"Right, manners. My name is Anders, mage and, sadly, wanted apostate. At your humble service." The mage introduced.

"An apostate? At Vigil's Keep?" Mhairi commented.

Anders' eyes lit up like a lamp when he finally noticed Mhairi. "You weren't here when we arrived, were you? No, you couldn't have been. I know I'd remember a lovely lady like you."

"And what the hell is an apostate doing in a castle manned by Grey Wardens?" Aedan inquired.

"Oh, right. That. Well, the Templars thought we'd make quick stop here before going back to the tower." Anders informed as he looked at the templars' dead bodies gloatingly. "And now they're all dead. Such a tragedy."

"Look, Anders. I actually don't give two nug-shits who you are." Aedan confessed with out care. "I got darkspawn tearing up my castle, and I don't have time to really care about the Chantry's bullshit."

"Really? Never got that response before." Anders admitted. "Look, I suppose I could help you fend off the darkspawn…or you could let me go. They'll send more Templars after me. They always do."

"Well, if you help me clear out the darkspawn I may be grateful enough to speak on your behalf." Aedan reasoned. "A word from the Hero of Ferelden carries a lot of weight around here."

"A favor from the Hero of Ferelden?" The mage pondered. "I'll do it! I may not be a Grey Warden, but I certainly don't like these darkspawn. And I'm sure you'd give the Chantry's lackies a reason for pause."

"Are you sure about this, Commander?" Mhairi questioned.

"We don't exactly have a lot of helping hands here, recruit." Aedan answered. "The darkspawn have taken control of the Keep. We need to get to the port cullis controls if we're to get inside the castle."

The three of them made their way to the barricades to reach the port cullis, but, surprise, there was a squad of darkspawn in their way. They snarled spit-filled growls of anger and waved their crude jagged weapons at their intended vitims as they charged them. Thanfully the narrow barricade nullified the strength of their numbers. "Mhairi, Anders…Kiss the floor!" Aedan roared. Anders and Mhairi instantly dropped to the ground to avoid what Aedan was going to do. The Hero went Berserk as wielded his axe with blinding fury. The confined space quickly became a killing field as Aedan swung his axe back and forth, decimating, dismembering, dissecting and decapitating every blighted wretch unfortunate enough to be within range of Aedan's anger. Aedan finally reached the genlock mage that was leading them, and before that damned thing could cojure up a spell Aedan raised The Mabari's Teeth above his head and brought it down on the wretched creature, cleaving it perfectly in half.

Aedan paused for a brief moment as he basked in the pain and carnage he had inflicted on these monsters. The air in his lungs, the scent of tainted blood in the air and on his face. The rain falling from the sky, drowing out the surrounding screams. These creatures fed of the pain and death of the living. He was going to feed on theirs.

As they made their way to the port cullis controls Aedan spotted a crazed-looking dwarf on the other side of the courtyard screaming at a group of darkspawn bellow like a maniac and flipping them the finger. "Oh, we're scared now! Don't come over here! HA!" The dwarf mocked. The darkspawn all charged towards the stairs to rip the mad dwarf apart. Once they reached the inner courtyard they exploded into a ball of fire!

What the hell just happened!? It was like dragonfire was set off in the middle of the yard and reduced all those darkspawn to ash. The crazed darkspawn looked on in awe as the darspawn screamed and ran as their bodies burned. "It'll take more than that to kill us beasties! Come again if ya dare!" he screamed as he retreated into the keep.

As they fought their way further and further inside, killing any darkspawn they found and saving any survivor they could find, Aedan caught a whiff of something he hadn't smelled in a while. A stench he had hoped to and had been trying to forget. A rancid odor that could belong to only one vile creature in all of Thedas! Aedan charged through the hallway and to the barracks, following the rank stink offending his nostrils and heard the most coarse war cry he had every heard. "Oh, no!" Aedan thought to himself. "Not that. Anything but that!"

Aedan bursted through the door hoping that all he would find was just more darkspawn. Instead he found something worse. The diminuitive owner of the coarse war cries and offensive ordor swung his maul at his taller adversaries. The thick locks of his red, unkempt beard swished with every swing of his weapon. He smashed his hammer head against a Hurlock Alpha's kneecap and finished it off by caving its skull in. He noticed Aedan had just charged in and waved to him like all he was doing was having fun at the park.

"Oghren." Aedan groaned with mixed familiarity and dread. He had hoped it would be at least a few years before he'd ever have to be offended by his that besodded dwarf's terrible body odor again. Aedan and his companions joined the fray and quickly dispatched the small number of darkspawn in the chamber.

When the blighters were all dead Oghren scrapped off the bits of blood and brains that clung to his hammer and looked over to his former companion with a look of excitement on his face. "Aha! Ya finally made!" The dwarf laughed. "When these darkspawn showed up I thought 'just wait 'till the new Commander gets here and you all are gonna get yer arses kicked right out of your throats!' Followed the screaming and, sure enough, here ya are. Good on ya!"

Aedan tried his hardest to hide his discomfort from Oghren, but he was definetly curious about why Oghren was here of all places. Wasn't he given high rank in the Ferelden army? But right now there was only one thing on Aedan's mind. "YOU STILL STINK!"

"Eh. That's just the smell of warrior pride fillin' the air." Oghren waved off. "Breath it in deep and enjoy it!" Aedan didn't dare for fear of choking on it and dying. "Anyway, I thought I'd come here and try my hand at becoming a bona fide Grey Warden."

Mhairi's nose wrinkled and her lips curdled like sour milk. "He was here when I left. I can't believe the Wardens didn't throw him out."

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

Mhairi groaned is disgust for the putrid dwarf. "Yes. A prize for the Wardens to be sure."

"I know, I know." Oghren said sarcastically as he eyed Anders. "Is this your boyfriend? Should I leave you two alone?"

"Wow! A dwarf who smells like a burning brewery and farts! Don't see those anywhere." Anders mocked.

"Ha. A mage comedian. Thought those usually died young." Oghren commented.

As much as he had contempt for Oghren's horrible, unwashed stink, his lack of manners, decency and self-respect, Aedan had no desire to see Oghren die in an attempt to become a Warden. "Oghren…you must know that in trying to join the Wardens you risk dying."

"Bah! There's a risk of me dying everytime I chug down another mug of ale!" Oghren growled. "I piss on risk."

"I'm sure 'risk' appreciates it." Anders commented.

"Well, that's all talk for later. Right now, there a lot of darkspawn that need murderin'!" Oghren picked up his hammer and joined his old companion onward into the castle.

Even the barracks were overrun with darkspawn. How the hell did they get in here? Genlocks and Hurlocks tearing this proud keep apart with their very presence. Aedan felt his anger rise and boil in his veins as he saw the dead bodies of the soldiers, recruits and volunteers laid strewn on the castle floor as darkspawn defaced and devoured them. Aedan jaw clenched and his nostrils flared as he inhaled the entropic energies of the death and carnage around him and make him stronger as his anger rose.

Anders set up a protective barrier around his comrades as they engaged the darkspawn. Oghren and Aedan advanced on their enemy, cleaving and smahing their foes with wide devastating arcs from their hammer and axe while Mhairi protected their flank by smashing any enemy that tried to get around them with her shield and finishing them off with her sword.

When every darkspawn in the barracks was dead the four of them made their way further inward. Mhairi gasped in terror as they happened another soldier in the hallway. His armor had been pierced in the abdomen and was steadily losing blood. He was alive, but not for long.

"Mhairi?" The wounded soldier gasped.

"Commander, Rowland is a knight recruited from Denerim like me." Mhairi explained. "We must do something for him."

"He looks beyond healing magic, I'm afraid." Anders informed sadly. "Maybe some whiskey for the pain?"

"Heh. I like the way you think, kid." Oghren commented insensitively.

"Stop joking!" Mhairi yelled at stench-ridden dwarf with outrage. "This is serious!"

"The…the C-commander?" Rowland gasped.

Aedan knelt down nest to the injured knight. "Rowland, what happened here?"

"Th-the darkspawn came out of no where. We barely had enough time to g-grab our weapons." Rowland wheezed through the pain. "Th-the seneschal ordered a counter-attack, but there were just too many of them. We don't know where they even came from! There's one with them, a darkspawn that talks! H-he gave the darkspawn orders; his magic is powerful. H-he went after the seneschal."

"A talking darkspawn?" Oghren echoed in disbelief. "The lad's delirious."

"There's some thing in my blood. It hurts!" Rowland sobbed.

Rowland's eyes and skin were as pale as death, his veins were black with poison: the Blight was coursing through his veins. Aedan couldn't leave him like this and reached for his hunting knife. "Rowland, I'm sorry."

"It…was an honor, Commander." Aedan placed his hand over Rowland's eyes then quickly mercifully plunged his knife into the knight's heart. Rowland's death was instant.

Aedan wiped the young man's blood off his knife, the young man's death while trying to perform his duty reminded him so much of Ser Gilmore and the night Aedan's life had been stolen from him. Another night in which a proud and might castle and all the dutiful souls that served in it were felled in a surprise attack by a hated enemy. Aedan rose from his knees with renewed hatred and resolve in his eyes. He was going to destroy every single darkspawn in this castle. He had already lost one castle entrusted to him, he would not lose another.

The four ran outside to the top of the castle's battlements to rescue Seneschal Varel and find this…talking darkspawn Rowland mentioned. They ran outside and found the seneschal being forced to his knees at swordpoint and surrounded by several Hurlocks, and they also found what must've been this darkspawn leader. A bizzare looking Hurlock Alpha. It wore a chain mail hood and its armor, while crude, was more sophisticated than any of the other darkspawns'. It also wore a tattered tunic with some kind of queer symbol on its chest. But its eyes were unlike any other darkspawns'. Instead of pale, milky white like a corpse drained of blood, this creature's eyes looked…alive? Aedan watched in horror the darkspawn leader kicked one of the soldiers off the battlement and on to the spiked wooden fence below, but was even more horrified when the damned thing spoke!

"It has ended. Just as he foretold." The heinous creature spoke in a lisping accent that almost sounded Fereldan. It turned its attention to Seneschal Varel. "Be taking this one gently." It instructed its fellow Hurlock. "We are wishing no more death than is necessary."

Varel looked at the creature with searing hatred as he hocked in his throat and shot a ball of spit at the vile thing's tunic. "Neccesary!? As if your kind have ever done anything else!"

The alpha's wormy lips curled into a disgusting smile that showed off its jagged, rotting teeth as it wiped the spittle off his chest. "You are thinking you know of our kind, human?" it laughed. "It is understandable. But it will soon be changed."

"Others are coming, creature!" Varel promised. "They will stop you!"

The alpha finally noticed the pissed off four who finally arrived. But it looked more pleased than surprised. "It seems your words be true, more than you are guessing." The creature looked directly at Aedan with intent, smiling that grotesque grin. "And here be the last one. Before you, Grey Warden, is the Withered, I am the one who brought my brethren to your castle. You will be coming with us."

"It is talking!" Anders gasped. "I thought I was just going crazy."

"Well, let's shut it up already!" Oghren growled.

"Capture the Grey Warden." The talking Alpha ordered. "These others, they may be killed."

"No!" Aedan snarled. "I'm gonna smear your ugly face all over my walls." Aedan raised The Mabari's Teeth over his head and threw at the Hurlock holding Varel hostage, splitting its skull right in half. Anders cast an ice spell on the surrounding darkspawn, allowing Oghren and Mhairi to shatter them like glass statues as Aedan charged The Withered with his bare hands.

The Withered whipped out a jagged, scycle-like sword and charged Aedan with a crude, savage shield. Before the shield could make contact Aedan smashed it face with his fist, an aura of black-red surrounding his hands as he attacked the vile creature. The Withered was sent flying backwards from the impact of the blow, his shield completely shattered. It sprung back to its feet and resumed attacking, swinging the jagged sickle in its fist wildly at the Commander.

Aedan dodged the creature's vicious, clumsy blows with relative ease, the look of seething hatred never leaving his face. The vicious blade cut the very air as The Withered kept trying to cut down his adversary, but Aedan had enough. The Withered made one last attempt to cut off Aedan's head, but Aedan blocked the creature's swing, grabbed its wrist in a vice like grip and twisted it with all his might. The Withered screamed in horrible agony.

The bones in Withered's wrist shattered as its arms was twisted out of its socket, his arm now hung like pathetically and limp from its body. But Aedan was not done, he wanted this…sin against nature to feel real pain before it died for what it had done to this castle and all who defended it. Aedan grabbed the monster by its throat, raised him into the air and threw him like a ragdoll, face first, aganst the wall. Before it could stagger back to its feet the pissed off Commander stomped his foot on the darkspawn's back and snapped his spine beneath his heel. "No!" The Withered screamed. "This cannot be! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"SHUT! UP!" Aedan grabbed the Withered by its head and proceeded to smash its face aganst the wall, leaving splatters of blood and broken teeth on the stones. He shoved the hurlock's face against the stone wall one last time and started grinding its face against the rough stones of the castle wall. Its skull being crushed in the Commander's grip as its face was smeared back and forth, left then right, leaving behind a stain of black blood, torn flesh and bits of skull where ugly face used to be. After a moments Aedan stopped and watched the wretched creature slump to the floor, its filth-ridden body twitching pathetically. But just for good measure, and to satisfy his own lust for blood, Aedan raised his plate-mailed boot and brought it down on The Withered's mutilated head. Its brains and blood splattered all over Aedan's heel.

The Commander made his way over to Seneschal Varel, scraping the bits of brans off his heel as he walked. "Commander, I owe you my life." Varel thanked as Aedan helped him to his feet. Varel looked down at the road below leading to the keep and noticed the patrol of heavily armed and armored men marching towards the castle. "Hmm…soldiers on the road. It seems we have more company. Let's hope they're more hospitable than our previous guests."

The five survivors made their way to the gate, the Seneschal and the Commander both kneeled dutifully at the sight of a certain blonde haired man wearing magnificent Fereldan plate mail and his entourage bearing the royal coat arms and accompanied by an escort of Templars. "It looks like I arrived a bit late." The king lamented sarcastically. "Too bad. I rather miss the whole darkspawn-killing thing."

Mhairis' eyes went as wide as saucers and gasped "King Alistair!" as she kneeled beside her Commander. Oghren and Anders remained standing, neither were under any obligation to kneel before the Fereldan Monarch.

"I wanted to give the Wardens a formal welcome." Alistair explained. "I certainly wasn't expecting this. What's the situation?"

"What darkspawn remained have fled, your Majesty. And the Wardens that arrived from Orlais have either been killed…or are missing." Varel explained dismally.

Alistair could scarecley believe his ears. "Missing? As in taken by the darkspawn? Do they even do that?"

"I do not know, your Majesty. All I know is that we cannot account for all the Wardens that arrived here after the darkspawn attacked."

"I see. Well, at least the Hero of Ferelden is still with us. That's something, at least."

"After taking a hot bath in dragon fire it's going to take a lot more than a darkspawn ambush to put me in the dirt, Alistair." Aedan joked.

The king laughed at his former brother-in-arms rare attempt at humor. "Don't think I don't know it." As quickly as Alistair's smile came it left as he sighed with sympathy. "You have such the task ahead of you, Aedan. I wish I could help but, sadly, thanks to your intervention I have the whole rest of the country to look after."

"Hey!" Oghren barked. "What am I? Chopped nug livers?"

"From the smell, that's not a bad guess." Anders answered, his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"I came here to join the Grey Wardens! Now show me where that fancy cup of yours is. I'll gargle and spit!"

"You'd be most welcome to join the Order, Oghren." Aedan answered. "As soon as you take a bath. With soap! That's non-negotiable!"

"Nah, fine!" The red-haired dwarf whined in defeat.

"I…I suppose all are welcome within the Grey Wardens." Mhairi lamented.

"Joining the Wardens, eh?" Anders commented. "Well, good luck with that."

The Knight-Captain in Alistair's retinue tromped forward as if she were on a mission. "King Alistair! Beware! That man is a dangerous criminal!"

"Oh, the dwarf is a bit of an ass, but I wouldn't go that…."

"She means me." Anders informed with his head hung low.

"This is an apostate my men were bringing in to face the Chantry's justice." The Templar explained angrily.

"Oh, please. The things you people know of justice could barely fill a thimble." Anders smacked back. "I'll just escape again, anyhow."

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

"Murderer!?" Anders echoed in disbelief. "But those Templars-! I-I didn't…oh, what's the use?" Anders hung his head in defeat and dismay.

"It seems there's nothing more to say. Unless…you want to say something? Aedan?" Alistair asked insistently.

Aedan got the hint. "I do. As Commander of the Grey I hereby invoke the Rite of Conscription and take this mage into our ranks and under my command."

Rylock's eyes went wide with outrage. "What!? Never!"

"I believe the Rite of Conscription is still valid under Fereldan law." Alistair reminded. "I will allow it."

"If…if your Majesty thinks it is best." Rylock clenched her teeth in anger and defeat as she walked.

"Aha! Way to go kid! Welcome aboard!" Oghren congratulated and smacked Anders on the back.

Anders could scarcely believe his luck. "Me? A Grey Warden? I guess that'll work."

"Is that Templar she-bitch gonna be a problem?" Aedan asked the newly recruited mage.

"Oh, Rylock's just being butt-hurt." Anders answered. "She's been after me for years. I'm sure she'll find another hobby. Thanks by the way."

Aedan smiled sardonically. "Trust me, it was worth it to tweak the Chantry's nose."

"Well, if you've got everything under control, I guess I'll take my leave." Alistair finally informed with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I believe the estate has been secured, yes." Varel spoke. "We have suffered heavy losses, but the darkspawn are gone and there are survivors." Varel's attention finally turned towards Aedan with an apologetic look on his face. "Oh…pardon my poor manners, my lord. I am Varel, Seneschal of Vigil's Keep. And I am most grateful for your timely rescue. I will aid you in ruling Amaranthine."

"Good. Rulership was never on my list of personal goals." Aedan lamented.

Alistair gave Aedan a sympathetic look. "You and me both, Aedan. But thanks to you, I have to rule over a whole kingdom."

"But not alone, right?" Aedan asked accusingly. "Am I going insane? Or are you actually going through with marrying Anora?"

Alistair planted his face into his hand and rubbed his temples. He knew this headache was coming. "Aedan, your sanity was always questionable, so it stands to reason that what you heard is correct."

Aedan felt the veins in his head bulging out again. "I'm sorry Alistair, but have you been spoon feeding yourself a hearty helping of stupid for breakfast every morning!? That bitch sold us out to save her own scrawny ass! Twice! Don't you realize that if you tie the knot with her she's going to strangle you to death with it!?"

"Well, incase your memory is failing, along with your sanity, you're the one who convinced me to marry her in the first place." Alistair reminded vehemently. "And I don't know about you, but I take my promises seriously. Especially when they're so…crucial."

"It wouldn't need to be so crucial if you'd have just executed her right after I was done with her traitorous father." Aedan spat on the ground as if just talking about Loghain left a bad taste in his mouth.

"That might work for you when we're at war and you're killing everything that looks at you wrong, but now that we're not at war this country needs stability if it's going to rebuild." Alistair explained. "You of all people should know that. There are still those who were loyal to Loghain and those who question my legitimacy. Having Anora around will help prevent the civil war from continuing."

"Let me guess: Eamon told you that?"

"Yes. Well, him too, but you're the one who told me it first when you were talking about marriage arrangements with her behind my back. Remember?!" Alistair was still getting used to speaking to peaople with authority. "And for obvious reasons I want you to stay away from her as much as posible

Aedan had been so pissed off with Anora he completely forgot that it was him who arranged for the two to get married based on the logic Alistair was spewing at him. Sometimes being right about something really sucked. "Well, good luck on the honeymoon, Alistair."

"Oh, that should be interesting. Thanks, by the way. I needed more anxiety. Changing back to the subject at hand." Alistair tried to breathe the anxiety out of his chest as he mentally pictured what might happen during such a…intimate event. The king's tone and face became serious. "It is up to you to rebuild the Order and deal with the vestiges of the Blight as well as handling the neccesties of the Arling. After what happened here I have no doubt it will be a trying task. But if anyone can do it I know you can Aedan."

Aedan returned his king's serious gaze. "Alistair, the darkspawn are not returing to the Deep Roads like they're supposed to after a Blight has been ended. This goes against everything we know about them. Something very sinister is going here." Aedan decided it was best not to tell his king about the talking darkspawn until had something to say about it.

"Since when have things ever been easy for men like us?" Alistair asked. The king saluted his former brother and turned towards his entourage and began their march back to the capital. "Good luck, Commander! And since I won't be there I'll pray the Maker is with you."

"I didn't see or need His help during the Blight." Aedan reminded. "I doubt He's gonna show up now when the hard work's been done."

Aedan and the others showed up in the Keep's throne room to discuss the situation. "To business, then" Varel stated. "Nearly all the Warden's who arrived from Orlais were either captured or killed. Along with many of our men at arms who were posted here."

"Nearly all the Wardens?" Aedan repeated.

"Yes. Right now I know of only one other in Ferelden. As to whether or not he is alive, I cannot say."

Aedan grunted through his nostrils in annoyance. "I am supposed to be rebuilding the entire Order in this fucking country and the First Warden sends me only a dozen? To deal with the mess the Blight left behind!? I need a goddamn army!"

"It took only two Grey Wardens to end a civil war and a Blight." Varel chuckled. "A dozen is extravagant."

"Not extravagant enough, Varel. Seeing as how they were all killed." Aedan shot down.

"And to that end we should proceed with the Joining Ritual." The seneschal advised dourly.

Aedan sighed grimly as he remembered his own Joining. It still made feelings of anger and betrayal erupt in his heart. He would not do the same to his own recruits. "Listen to me, all of you. I'm not going to hide it; the ritual in becoming a Warden can kill you. Horribly. And if you do survive, the probability of which is fifty/fifty, you will never be the same again. You will live and die at your post."

Mhairi stood at attention, her face unflinching. "I am not afraid. Commander. As far I'm concerned, the only honor greater than dying for my country is continuing to serve, no matter what." Her words filled Aedan with a sense of patriotic pride.

"It's either this or be executed by Templars, or even be made Tranquil." Anders shrugged. "I'll take my chances with your ritual."

"Bah! After what I've seen in the Deep Roads and in Denerim, I ain't scared of dyin'." Oghren bragged. "Let's get it over with!"

"So be it." Aedan acknowledged. "Varel, get the components."

The seneschal gathered the bleak ingredients for the dark ritual to become a Grey Warden. The blood of the darkspawn that had been slain in these very halls and the blood of the Old God Urthemiel, both mixed together in a gilded chalice bearing the insignia of the Order of The Grey. "Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice shall not be forgotten. And know that one day we shall join you." Varel recited as he passed the goblet to the recruits. The first to take it was Oghren.

The dwarven warrior looked at the cup as though it were insulting him. "What is this, the sampler size?! You tryin' to say somethin' about my heighth? Huh!?"

"Er…this is the goblet the Order's always used." Varel answered.

"Really? Bah!" Oghren put the goblet to his lips and quaffed deeply of the vile contents. The dwarf's eyes went deathly pale as the taint entered his body but Oghren didn't fall down and black out like Aedan did during his Joining. Instead he just stood there and smacked his lips, as if here testing the vintage of a new drink and belched unnaturally loud. "Hmm. Not bad." Aedan didn't know whether to be impressed or terrified.

"Oh, Maker help us all." Varel groaned.

He passed the goblet to Anders who was much less thrilled than Oghren to have it in his hands. "Darkspawn blood, huh? That's how you become a Grey Warden?"

"The only way to be a Grey Warden." Varel answered.

"Well, alright. But if I wake up next week with a tattoo on my face on a ship bound for Rivain, I'm blaming you." The mage joked. "Bottoms up." After a brief moment of mental preparation Anders finally drank the blood. His eyes went blank and fell to the floor with a thud.

"He's still breathing, Commander. Thank the Maker."

And finally, Varel passed the goblet to Ser Mhairi. She didn't question, flinch or hesitate. Mhairi dutifully took the goblet from Varel's hands and placed it to her lips. "For Ferelden." She whispered and finally drank deep. Mhairi fell back to the ground, the darkspawn blood spewing from her mouth as she convulsed teribbly. Then she became very still as her breath left her body and finally died.

Aedan knelt and bowed his head to the brave knight who died attempting to serve their beloved homeland. "May your god look kindly on you, Ser Mhairi, knight and soldier of Ferelden." He whispered as he closed her eyes.

"I'll see to it she receives the proper honors, Commander." Varel informed sadly.

A few hours later Anders finally awoke and the Chantry sisters came and took Mhairi's body to receive the proper rites with the rest of the soldiers who died defending Vigil's Keep. Aedan looked down at the courtyard as the servants of the Chantry made the bodies ready for their ritualistic cremation. He wondered if the any of the priests down there truly knew the value of the souls who died defending this castle, or if they were just spouting empty words reserved for times of death.

"I am sorry about Mhairi, Commander." Varel apologized sadly.

"So am I." Aedan admitted. "We can best honor her by doing our duty. What can you tell me about the attack on this castle and this lone Grey Warden?"

Before Varel could answer the doors to the hall bursted open as two people strutted into the throne room. One an armored soldier of a veteran age with sandy-blonde hair carrying a greatsword and the other an old woman with hardened features and looked like she spent most of her life chopping wood and carrying stone. Both of them bickered like cats and dogs.

"The Commander needs to know about what those hunters found, woman!" The knight barked. "What those hunters found could be crucial to the arling's survival. We can't ignore the possibility of another attack."

"You'd have the Commander chase a rumor, captain?" the old woman asked in a thick, foreign accent Aedan had never heard before. "Trade must flow if this arling's to survive. Soldiers can't march by living off of boot leather."

Varel sighed in exhaustion as he rubbed his temples. "Commander Aedan, this is Captain Garavel, head of the Keep's soldiers. And this is Mistress Woolsey, head of the castles treasurey."

Before either of them could badger Aedan about their perceived important business, Aedan raised his hand for them to halt. "Before anyone bothers me about anything, the first order of business I must address is bolstering the number of Wardens I need to have at my disposal."

"Well, there is someone we could 'recruit', my lord." Varel answered. "A few nights ago a thief broke into the castle and tried to make off with a few treasures Howe left behind."

"Look Varel, I know I said I need more people, but I'm need more than just a random thief in the night."

"Oh, I don't believe this man was a common thief. He fought with far too much skill and training to be just that. It took three Wardens to finally apprehend him. Half joking they said he'd make a good recruit. I think we should follow that advice."

It was sound advice. Provided of course one could trust the word of a thief. "Take me to the cells."

"At once, my lord."

Aedan, Varel and the two newly made Wardens made their way to the holding cells not too far from the courtyard. Knowing Howe, Aedan was very surprised to see that the walls and bars were extremely secure and the cells were as confined as an anchovie can. "Show me the prisoner." Aedan ordered the gaoler.

The jailer took him over to the only occupied cell where the thief was squatting on the floor. The thief glared at the Commander with a familiar hatred in his eyes, and Aedan couldn't help but think how familiar this man looked. He reminded him of someone he...hated. A lot.

"This one's been locked up for three days now." The guard explained. "I'd say he was just a thief but it took three Grey Wardens to capture him. Good men died while he was safe in his cell."

"Leave us." Aedan ordered. Varel and the others obeyed, leaving Aedan and his fellows alone with the hateful looking prisoner.

Once they were alone the prisoner got to his feet and got a good look at Aedan, his hateful glare never leaving his face. "If it isn't the great hero. Conqueror of the Blight and vanquisher of all evil." The man mocked in voice that sounded like gravel being scraped. His accent was definetly Fereldan but there was a twinge of Free Marches in his voice. "Aren't you supposed to be ten feet tall with lightening bolts shooting out of your eyes?"

"Obviously you haven't been in the country very long if you don't know my actual reputation." Aedan stated.

"Oh, but your reputation does proceed you, Cousland." The thief answered hatefully. "I know you best as the man who murdered my father!"

"It is possible. I murder people on a regular basis." Aedan responded blithely. "It's in my job description."

The thief gritted his teeth and growled in anger. "I am Nathaniel Howe! My father ruled these lands before you showed up. Do you even remember my father!?"

That was what was so hatefully familiar. Aside from his black hair and lighter features and the soul-patch on his chin, Nathaniel looked almost just like his father. Nathaniel was a bit older than Aedan, he barely remembered Howe's oldest son. "I remember your father screaming like a little bitch when I slaughtered him for murdering my family!"

"Your family was going to sell us out to the Orlesians!" Nathaniel argued.

"And I suppose your daddy told you that?"

"How could he? A Grey Warden stole into his estate and slaughtered him before I ever got the chance to see him! I cam here because…because I thought I was going to kill you. To lay a trap for you." Nathaniel confessed, his face and tone becoming more emotional. "But then I realized that I just wanted to reclaim some of my family's treasures. They're all we have left."

Aedan was not moved by Nathaniel's words. His hand silently reached for his knife as he suddenly started feeling very hungry. He wondered if Nathaniel's blood would taste like his father's. "How involved were you with your father's crimes, Nathaniel?"

"What? I wasn't involved at all!" Nathaniel denied. "I was squired in the Free Marches." Aedan's hand was still on his knife, ready to remove some of the Howe's vital organs. "Look, I don't know what happened to the Couslands, but it sounds like it was horrible. The whole war was."

"Says the little putz who didn't even fight in the war." Aedan saw his words hurt Nathaniel. Good. "Did you think you or anyone from your wretched family could just waltz back here and be welcomed with open arms after everything your father did?"

"The Howes have served Ferelden for six hundred years!" Nathaniel defended. "My ancestors fought for King Calenhad. Whatever my father did it shouldn't harm my whole family!"

"Why shouldn't it? Everything your father did destroyed whole families!" Aedan spat.

"The Howes are pariahs now, those of us left." Nathaniel deplored. "And now here I am at the mercy of my father's killer. How ironic."

Everything inside Aedan told him that he should just kill this would-be assassin. Just butcher the son of his most hated enemy. Rip out his heart and eat it just like he did his father. But…something else stayed his hand. Aedan's sense of duty superceeded his need to kill. But barely. Aedan's hand finally left his knife, perhaps he could fulfill his sense of duty and need for vengeance at the same time. "And just how was the scion of a failed house going to kill me?"

"I am not without skills." Nathaniel answered. "My time abroad wasn't spent drinking wine and chasing skirts."

"What skills could a Howe possible possess?" Aedan asked mockingly.

"Archery, tracking, poison." Nathaniel listed. "The Couslands aren't the only ones who train for war."

"Is that so?" Aedan with his face up in Nathaniel's.

"That is so." Nathaniel met Aedan's glare through the bars.

"Hrmph. I've decided what I'm going to do to you, Howe." Aedan said forebodingly.

"Already? Good."

Aedan summoned Varel back into the holding cells. "I see you've spoken to our guest. Has he said anything worth saying?"

"Did you know he was Nathaniel Howe?" Aedan asked his seneschal.

"A Howe?" Varel sighed incensed. "The Howe's are implacable enemies, my lord. You know this better than most. Have you decided what to do with him?"

"Yes." Aedan answered grimly. "I hereby conscript this prisoner into the Order of The Grey."

That caught both the prisoner and the seneschal off guard. "I'm sorry, Commander. Conscript the prisoner?"

"No!" Nathaniel rejected. "Absolutley not! Hang me first!"

"I didn't say I was giving you a choice, Nathaniel!" Aedan snapped. "You're either going to die in agonizing pain going through the Joining Ritual, or the last son of House Howe is going to spend the rest of his life serving House Cousland. Either way, your sorry ass belongs to me!"

Nathaniel's hands were tied. "It seems I have no choice."

"I'll make the preparations, Commander." Varel left the room as the guard unlocked Nathaniel's cell.

Once again in the same day the Joining was to be under taken. Aedan would be lying if he said that he didn't want to see Nathaniel choke on the darkspawn blood and watch as the final scion of his family's murderer's house fade into hated obscurity. Nathaniel took the goblet into his hands and exhaled sharply. "The moment of truth." He whispered as brought it too his lips. Nathaniel drank deeply of the blood and stood firm as the Blight coursed through his veins, and finally collapsed.

Varel checked Nathaniel's pulse. "He lives. The Howe is resilient, I'll give him that."

After a few minutes Nathaniel finally woke from his tainted dream and stood. "I'm still alive? The Maker has a sense of humor it seems. So what now?"

Aedan looked at the newly made Warden grimly. "First thing I'd do is get that bruise looked at after you wake up."

Nathaniel quirked an eyebrow. What was he talking about? "What bruise?"

Aedan fist swiped across Nathaniel's face with blinding speed and a loud smack. Nathaniel spun around twice as he fell to the ground completely out cold, with fist-shaped bruise on his cheek. "Welcome to the Grey Wardens…brother."

---

So After a two month break I've decided to continue Aedan Cousland's story I'll try to update regularly but no promises. Please review and tell me what you think.

Dragon Age and all of its characters are the property of BioWare. I own nothing.