Carver stumbled but his brother caught him before he flopped to the ground. Despite being a mage, Rory was build like a farm-boy. Anders hand no doubt that he could single handedly hold off a Bronto, if he needed too.
Anders couldn't believe what he was doing. Wandering through the Deep Roads was one thing, but looking for the Grey Warden's while wandering through the Deep Roads was something completely different! But Carver had been tainted and the only thing that could help him were the Wardens. Much as Anders didn't like Carver, he'd help him for the sake of his brother. Rory was a great person, bit of an ass, but there was only one person Anders would rather have at his back than Hawke.
"I think the Warden's are just through here…" Anders said, but instead of fearless warriors, the party was greeted with more 'spawn. "Or it could just be more Darkspawn." He groaned
Fighting the spawn was easy. They had taken out a few dozen with just the four of them. Anders struck down the last one with his staff and looked around. Stroud should have been right here… His stomach twisted. What was he going to tell Rory?
But everyone's ears perked up at the sound of boots sprinting across the cold stone towards them. Anders turned his head and watched intently as an elf in Warden sprinted around the bend and into view.
Theron's head was craned backwards watching as the Ogre stomped after him, intent on smearing his head across the stone wall. When he, Alistair and the rest of their group killed a nest of Broodmothers, one reared backwards and caused a tunnel collapse, separating Theron from the rest of the Wardens. Lucky, there was a fork where they could easily meet up again. Unluckily, Theron's blades had been caught in the collapse, leaving him defenseless, besides the knife he kept in his boot.
He turned his head forward again and skidded to a stop when he saw the odd party standing before him. Theron looked around at the dead spawn. "Damn, great job! You just made life a little easier!" he exclaimed "You guys have a sword I can use real quick?"
Everyone gave the elf a strange look. "That's… that's it? That's the first thing you have to say?" Anders asked
Theron poked Anders forehead repeatedly. "Come on, aren't you a Warden? Don't you sense that lumbering mountain behind the bend? Already dead 'spawn is the best thing I could see right now-"
The Ogre roared as it turned the corner, unhappy that its prey now had friends. Theron groaned and sprinted towards the beast. "Wait! Theron!" Anders called after him, but he continued towards it.
Theron took a running jump and jabbed his arm through the 'spawns eye. The elf thought he shit himself he was so scared, but he flailed his arm wildly throughout the giants brain. It screamed and tried to rip Theron from its face, but the elf was one stubborn man and refused to go. Theron clung to the beast and didn't falter, even when the Ogre smacked him into its face.
The Ogre staggered down and let out one last yelp before flopping backwards and dying. Theron relaxed and sighed. He had never taken down an Ogre without a sword or a bow before. There was no way Alistair was going to believe this one. The elf sat up and pulled his arm free from the mush inside the beasts head. He wiped away the blood from his face before it burned a new scar on his face, and looked back to the party.
"I don't think I want to be a Grey Warden…" Carver muttered under his breath. Rory shushed him
Theron walked back up to the group. "Anders! Great to see you again! You know, I haven't been able to find a healer as great as you since you left!"
Anders laughed awkwardly, "Uh, Theron, what are you doing here?" As glad as he was to see his old commander, Anders had to wonder. He had stolen the maps from Stroud, the elf shouldn't have been there. But he did have a better chance of getting Carver recruited with him.
"Oh, you know. Taking tours through the Roads, enjoying the sights and sounds of the Taint, dreaming of Darkspawn… It's oodles of fun." Theron said sarcastically. "The better question is: What are you doing here? I thought you didn't want to fight Darkspawn anymore?"
"I'm not here to fight them, I'm actually looking for you…" Ander said
"For me! I feel so special!" Theron said, but then looked at the dark haired boy who felt like a 'spawn. Theron's face darkened "No." he said simply.
"Theron-" Anders plead
"No! Anders, you know what a shit-biscuit it is to be a Warden!" He looked at Hawke, "This won't come as a comfort to you, but we do not recruit out of pity! It's no kindness, I swear it."
"You were recruited out of pity." Anders augured
"Bullshit. Duncan had to conscript and drag me to Ostagar. Plus, I stopped a Blight, there was no pity in that mess. There wasn't any time for it!"
"So, you think it's kinder to let him die of the Blight?" Rory cut in
"Sometimes it is." Theron said darkly.
Hawke's lips came together in a thin line. "Carver happens to be a fine warrior, you'd be an idiot not to recruit him."
"No." Theron said again
"Theron, trust me when I say you're not wasting your time with this one. With the Blight over you don't have recruits lining up-"
"We didn't have recruits lining up during the Blight." Theron muttered
"Exactly my point." Anders said
"This isn't a simple thing, Anders, despite your refusal to believe it! It's as much a poison as it is a cure, and you know it!"
"You, of all people, should know that he'll die anyways. Just take him and try it… please, I'm asking you…"
Theron shook his head and groaned, but he knew that the boy wouldn't die. Not unless his companions killed him. The taint would take him and turn him into a 'spawn. Just like Tamlen. Theron looked Carver dead in the eye. "If you come with me, you come now. And there's no guarantee you'll ever see your family or friends again. Being a Warden isn't a cure, it's a damn calling."
Carver looked at his brother. "Are you sure about this…?" He asked
"I'm not sure about anything. But I want you to live." He replied
Theron sighed heavily. "Anders, do you know how much you owe me?"
"My left arm?" He asked
"And your right. Your legs too." He said. "The next time you see me, I'm collecting."
Anders smiled "You haven't changed, Theron."
The elf looked hurt "Are you kidding me! I'm four inches taller! Look at this!" He stepped closer to the mage. "I'm up to your nose now, you're no longer a head taller than me!" Theron smiled, and looked back at Carver "Come on, we need to go now, if we want to make in to the surface in time."
Caver looked back at Rory. "I guess this is it then… Take care of mother…" He said
Theron took off his Darkspawn blood stained glove and shoved it into his pack before he switched places with Rory. He didn't want to burn the poor kid with the tainted blood, after all. "Oh and Anders?" Theron called back as they walked away. "There's no point in avoiding us in Kirkwall, we already know you run the clinic in Darktown."
"How'd you know that!" Anders demanded. He thought he was being so sneaky.
Theron laughed "I didn't, but I do now!"