"An Ash demon in the korcari wilds?" Cassandra couldn't believe what she was now hearing.
"Would you stop interrupting the man?" Varric couldn't wait to hear about this one.
"Then again, I should probably move on to when they met-"
"Tell me of Gazarath!" Cassandra demanded of her captive.
"Promise not to interrupt me for awhile?" The captive decided to take the Seeker's quiet glare as a yes, "Then let me tell you about it..."
"You'd think a demon of ash and dust would be one of the easiest targets in Thedas!" Brosca ranted as he, Daveth and Gilead fired into the demon Gazarath from a distance. As their arrows seemed to phase through the demon, the summoned creature engaged Alistair, Durin, Revan in direct combat as Lily struck from behind while Jory became acquainted with the ground from being struck by the demon's first blow.
"Mairon! We need some help!" Alistair cried to the mage sitting further up on the hill as the demon swung it's arm back and nearly knocked Tabris off the hill.
"So demons can possess dirt?" Mairon was reading a codex that he'd found in the pile of rocks that Gazarath had been summoned from, "Technically makes them a shade though...I wonder-"
"Amell! Get your ass over here!" Revan shouted as his shield was painfully wrenched from his arm, likely fracturing a bone in the process.
"Fine! Let there be Fire!" Mairon snapped his fingers, causing the blades of the combatants to become engulfed in flame.
"Andraste's pink nipples!"
"What?" Durin wondered in response to Revan's language until he looked next to him.
"I'm on fire!" By some oversight, the Cousland male was engulfed in flames of magic that danced off his armor while he wildly flailed around like a madman.
"Oh...sorry Revan..." Mairon said as Cousland screamed, the mage then snapped his fingers, "That should fix it."
"I'm still on fire!" Cousland cried to the mage as Gazarath's arm was hewn off by Durin's axe. Alistair jumped on the Dwarf's head and used it to jump up and bash the demon in the head with his shield.
"But you're not burning to death, no?" Not sure whether he was angrier with either the demon or Amell, Revan's eyes narrowed as he charged the demon. Just after Lily stabbed the back of the demon's lower back and two arrows finally found something to hit, Revan jumped into the demon's chest and stabbed forward with both swords. He then released his knife, slung out his shield and swung it up into Gazarath's jaw.
By the time Jory had managed to crawl over to Gimli's group, the demon was on it's deathbed, unable to fend off the attacks of it's summoners long enough to retreat. Finally, Durin swung his axe onto the demon's lowered neck and hewed off it's head.
"What was going through your head mage?" Gilead shouted to Mairon as the demon faded into dust and was blown in the wind.
"I don't know? I thought it was part of a Chasind burial ritual..." Mairon answered as he walked down the hill, his book apparently finished.
"Well in a sense it was." Alistair answered, "A charming burial rite for anyone stupid enough to go and complete a summoning ritual!"
"And how exactly was I to know that I was summoning a demon?" Mairon asked, completely unfazed by the glare that the injured Revan gave him. Jory attempted a similar feat, but Mairon just laughed.
"You should've looked more closely." Alistair wasn't very happy with Amell. No one in the group was to be honest, "The rocks might've had a little message on them that said, 'warning: sprinkling ashes on rocks will summon evil demon!"
"Well if it was written there and it wasn't in any language I could read," Mairon answered, "Anyway it's dead now so what's the big fuss?" An arrow flew into Mairon's face at that moment, drawing the group's attention to a formation of darkspawn archers further east in front of a ruin.
"Form up!" On Alistair's command, the group ran down the hill, Alistair, Revan and Durin stayed on the outside, warding off incoming arrows with their shields. Gilead ran in between the defenders and quickly fired a series of four arrows in the direction of the incoming enemies.
There wasn't much doubt that he hit because the barrage had ceased.
Down the hill, the group already spotted the surge of hurlocks and genlocks running towards them intent on a feast. Gimli was in the front this time and instead of firing with his crossbow, he pulled out a flask filled with a green substance and threw it at the approaching darkspawn.
"Everyone back!" Lily cried and soon saw why. The flask burst over several feet, spraying the green liquid onto the masses charging towards them. The creatures wailed and cried as the liquid burned into their flesh and caused some of the hurlocks to lose their limbs if not kill them outright. Those who didn't die or weren't hit were soon enough felled by the warriors or Gilead and Daveth's arrows.
To replace them, another smaller group of hurlocks charged. But this time, they were led by a strange appareled darkspawn in yellow armor with horns on his head covering helm. As the other hurlocks engaged the recruits, their leader stood in the back and slowly approached the engagement site.
Durin decapitated a hurlock as he and Jory breached their flimsy formation and stared down the hurlock captain. Jory attacked first and swung with his greatsword. Sadly, the hurlock captain caught the blade and swung his greataxe into the knight's leg, causing him to cry out and fall to the ground.
That would've been Jory's end if Durin hadn't hacked into the captain's arm and grazed across the hurlock's chest armor. Though wounded, the captain ran it's tongue across the wound on it's arm and clashed it's axe with Durin's.
As great as the two clashed, Durin's victory was guaranteed when an arrow from Gilead shot into it's eye, another arrow from Daveth met it's throat, a wounded Jory swung his sword through the captain's leg and Lily's knives came out through it's head and neck when she backstabbed it.
The Dwarf decided to oblige the hurlock captain and sliced through it's neck and shoulder, cleaving it's left arm and head from the rest of it's body. With the defeat of their captain, the remainder fled only to be picked off by Gimli and Daveth while the rest of the group reassembled.
"This was their captain..." Lily muttered as she checked the hurlock for anything valuable but didn't find anything except for a runestone and a steel helm that reminded Tabris of the armor the other grey wardens were wearing.
"You alright ser Gilead?" Daveth asked Mahariel, who nearly fell onto of a hurlock carved out by Revan and Alistair.
"I will be well, thank you Daveth." Gilead felt weakened, but he was unsurprised. He could already feel the taint flow through his veins. At this rate, he would've been dead within another week if he hadn't gone with Duncan.
"Can't sense anymore nearby..." Alistair told the group, "Looks like any other darkspawn are going back to the main horde."
"What we scared them off?"
"Worse, they're amassing for their next assault." The Grey warden answered Lily, "We still have time, let's just get those treaties and get out of this swamp."
"It's in a chest right?" Alistair nodded in reply to Cousland's inquiry, "I'll get them."
"Alright." As Cousland entered the ruin, Alistair sat down on the barely alive grass, "Let's take a brief rest."
"We should remain weary." Gilead warned the now sitting recruits, "These wilds...they unsettle me."
"You heard the Grey Warden, the darkspawn all left." Daveth said as though he didn't wish to have his ease of mind taken from him.
"It's not the darkspawn...it's something else." Gilead looked around, the feeling he had since entering these woods had not faded, "These wilds...they possess eyes of their own...something is watching us...but whether it means harm or otherwise...I cannot say."
"Probably a Spirit of Lust that wants to ravage you." Durin rolled his eyes and Gimli snickered as the group turned their gaze to Mairon. "Anyone have a better thought?"
"Question!" They heard Cousland cry from within the ruin, "Is it a good sign if the chest is broken?"
"This is an old outpost, hasn't been used for centuries so I couldn't say."
"We might've gone to the wrong ruin," Revan called out, "There's nothing in this chest."
"You mean I splintered my leg twice for nothing?" Jory cried out in pure frustration, though his reaction about summed up how everyone felt at that moment.
"Wasn't this a productive trip?" Lily asked, not surprised when she was answered with silence, "Didn't think so."
"But we summoned a demon and defeated it!" Mairon's smile remained unaffected, even as he saw the disbelieving gazes of his fellow recruits, "Oh don't act like it wasn't exciting."
"I need a moment."
"Bet you're not looking forward to this part."
"No...I'm really not."
Outpost Ruins
"Everything fades with time, the lock likely wore off and this happened," Revan assured himself as he knelt before a broken and decayed chest that was supposed to contain the Grey Warden documents he and his fellows had risked their lives to find, "But who's bright idea was it to leave these all-important treaties in a chest inside of a tower in the middle of wilds anyone hardly goes to and doesn't bother to-"
"Well...what have we here?" Revan stood up with sword drawn, but wasn't calmed when he saw a woman in black and dark purple within the ruin, "Are you a vulture, I wonder? A scavenger poking amidst a corpse who's bones were long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder...come into these darkspawn filled wilds of mine in search of easy prey?"
"What say you? Scavenger or intruder?"
"I would first know who you are and where you come from." Revan demanded as the others came to the scene.
"You are the intruder here. I believe the first question is rightfully mine." In a sense, the woman was right, but Revan didn't like her. Something about her eyes spellt out that she was dangerous.
"The woman is brave." Durin stated, "Shall I reward her courage or remove her interference."
"Neither." Revan held out his arm to stop Aeducan from drawing his axe and starting an unneeded fight, "The Grey Wardens once owned this tower."
"It is a tower no longer." The witch replied as if pointing out the obvious, "I have watched your progress for some time. "Where do they go," I wondered, "why are they here?"
"So we have stalker who was able to avoid capture...oh joy." Brosca muttered as the woman walked past the group.
"And now you disturb ashes none have touched for so long. Why is that?"
"Don't answer her." Alistair warned, "She looks Chasind, and that means others might by nearby."
"Oh! You fear barbarians will swoop down upon you!"
"Right...swooping...is...bad..."
"She's a witch of the wilds!" Daveth cried out in fright that didn't seem in-place for the cutpurse, "She'll turn us all into toads!"
"Witch of the wilds?" The apparent "witch" was not amused, "Such idle fancies-" The witch was interrupted from seeing Mairon standing next to her with a wide smile and gleaming eyes.
"Teach me to turn into a dragon." He demanded as if he were a little boy asking for candy.
"Why should I?" The witch asked.
"Why not?" Mairon asked in reply. After seeing the witch's unrepentant frown, his shoulders slouched and he walked back to the group, "Fine. I'll find my own way to turn into a dragon. With crystal scales! And scantily clad virgins!"
"Have you no mind of your own...You there." Tabris wasn't sure what to think of being called out by a "witch of the wilds", "Women do not frighten like little boys. Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine."
"Lily's my name." The city elf replied, for a witch of the wilds, this woman was certainly less cruel and barbaric than the stories said.
"And you may call me Morrigan." The witch greeted in reply, "Shall I guess your purpose? You sought for something in that chest? Something that is here no longer?"
"Here no longer?" Alistair still seemed very suspicious of Morrigan, it reminded Mairon of the templars back in the tower, "You stole them, didn't you? You're...some kind of...sneaky...witch-thief!"
"How very eloquent." Morrigan said, seemingly brushing off the grey warden's mistrust, "How does one steal from dead men?"
"Are we supposed to answer that question?" Durin asked as if his intelligence was insulted.
"Out of everyone here you'd be the most qualified." Durin gave Gimli a curt glare.
"Those documents are Grey Warden property and I suggest you return them." Alistair suggested, his hand now resting on the hilt of his sword.
"I will not, for twas not I who removed them." Morrigan answered, "Invoke a name that means nothing here any longer if you wish; I am not threatened."
"Confident for an apostate surrounded by nine wardens who just killed a group of darkspawn and an ash demon."
"Oh my! You must the fearless leader of this ragtag bunch of misfits!" Morrigan mockingly stated to Revan, "I observed that the teeth of your comrades were so clenched that it is a wonder that you survive at all as a band."
"Sometimes you can't face down an ash demon and a bunch of berserker darkspawn without liking each other a little more." Gimli didn't feel anyone shift their gaze to him, but the air seemed to grow a bit colder, "Or maybe you can."
"If you did not remove the documents then who did?" Gilead had little patience for the mistrust of humans and their apostate adversaries. They were there for a task and it had to be fulfilled.
"Twas my mother, in fact." Morrigan answered, confusing some of the warden recruits.
"Can you take us to her then?" Lily wanted out of this swamp now. The mud was building up in her boots and she horribly reeked of darkspawn blood. The sooner they found Morrigan's mother, the better.
"There is a sensible request. I like you." Morrigan told the city elf.
"I'd be careful." Alistair told the group, "First it's, "I like you" but then "Zap!" frog time."
"She may be a witch but she's sensible enough to cooperate with us." "Plus, nine against one still keeps the odds in our favor."
"She'll put us all in the pot she will!" Daveth cried out, the man obviously did not like witches, "Just you watch."
"If the pot's warmer than this forest, it'd be a nice change." Jory told the rogue as the group started to follow Morrigan.
"Remember Orzammar Aeducan?" Brosca asked the Former Dwarf Noble, "Remember when we would complain about how hot it was?"
"I hate to agree..." Durin had noticed how much colder the surface was, "But I do miss the molten lake..."
"You have a pool of lava?" Mairon's attention was immediately pulled from Morrigan to the fact that the Dwarven city had a pool of lava.
"Under and all around the city." Gimli answered with a subtle smirk, "So even poor folk like me never had to worry about getting cold."
Hut in the Wilds
Contrary to what they dreaded, the trek through the wilds took little time for the wardens. Now it was as if they were in a completely different area of the wilds, the air was clearer and a small cottage could be seen.
"Greetings mother..." Morrigan said to the old woman sitting on a tree trunk in front of the house as she led the recruits there, "I bring before you nine grey wardens who-"
"I see them girl." The woman barked and sat up, "Much like I expected."
"Are we supposed to believe that you were expecting us?" Alistair's skeptism was shared by most except for Gilead, who cautiously stayed in the back of the group.
"You are required to do nothing. Lest of all believe." The old woman stated, "Shut ones eyes tight or open one's arms wide. Either way, one's a fool."
"She's a witch I tell you!" Daveth cried, "We shouldn't-"
"What's the big deal about magic?"
"Do you didn't see our weapons sheathed in fire, casteless?"
"Quiet, all of you!" Jory shouted to the dwarves and Daveth, "If she's really a witch do you wanna make her mad?"
"There is a smart lad...sadly irrelevant to the grand scheme of things. But it is not I who decides."
"In other words, you will not last the night." Mairon said, patting Jory on the back as if Flemeth had foreseen his death.
"Believe what you will," Flemeth told the group and then faced Mairon, "Do you not cringe before the unknown?"
"Believed or not, some things must simply be accepted." Mairon answered the old woman, as far as he was concerned, magic existed therefore nothing was impossible.
"Ah, there is the answer I sought. An open mind, and not one made of mush."
"Now can you teach me to turn into a dragon?" Mairon asked with the same glee as he had Morrigan.
"And what of you?" Flemeth asked, ignoring a dissapointed Mairon and focusing on Lily, "Do you believe as the others do or do you possess a different viewpoint?"
"I really don't know what to say-"
"There in lies more wisdom than one would attribute." The witch stated, "So much about you is uncertain, are you a rose of sapphire? or perhaps a flower that refuses to yield under the long winter of it's discontent? There is strength within your stem, poison that lies within the barbs running along your foundations and that poison has served you well. But will that poison also cause the death of those you love? Will it blind you to help from those who can do that which you painfully cannot?"
"A seeker cast away from his people." Maybe it was the sickness from the taint, but Gilead dared not stir under the Witch's gaze, her gaze frightened him to much, "Shall you find what your people desire or what they will need to survive what lies on the horizon? You know that the path you walk shall lead to your liberation from death but will it lead back to your people? Or will the seeker constantly seek for another goal until he wonders the earth, never content to stay even amongst other descendents of the Dales?"
"Is this a wolf I see?" It didn't take much for the group to know what the Witch had noticed about Revan, "Raised by the proud hounds of Ferelden, yet you still bear the alpha mark from another breed. Will the mark help save the land that took you in or will it ensure it's doom? Will you rise to the challenge of your rivals and reclaim that which does not belong to them? Can you smooth out the differences of those assembled around you in order to lead them against the darkness?"
"You roll your eyes my pet from the dust of the mountains." Brosca regarded the old woman neutrally, "You seem very...aware...of your surroundings, so much more than most ever shall be. Born in the shadows, you developed your intellect for the day that you may prove others wrong for the brand they placed on your face. Though I wonder, will this leave you as a rat aware of the maze that it will never escape from? Or will you be the fish who leaps from the pond, grows legs and sacrifices his gills in exchange for lungs?"
"And you...I like you..." Mairon used a fold of his hood to whip his eye before Morrigan's mother continued, "You are a destroyer...as were the Magisters of old. There is much darkness in the world and I see that darkness within your eyes. I see that that darkness shaped you as you are. Who knows what dark secrets were whispered to you in the night? When despite your power, the light of suppression blinded you from destroying the walls that enclosed your potential. Now you have taken flight my friend and you have no intention of letting any power cause you to stop."
"Are you a seer?" Durin inquired before Mairon could repeat his question, "Because you seem to enjoy giving out a long analysis of a group of people whom you've just met. Specifically, you've focused on the elves, the mage, the noble and the casteless without any seeming regard for our commanding officer or for the other two recruits. Especially with the other two recruits, you've assumed them insignificant as though fate has already condemned them to die. Why is that so?"
"Here I see an unusual sight. A troll from amongst dwarves." The dwarf noble stiffened as soon as the Witch of the Wilds spoke, "For you speak without consideration for the thoughts of your listeners. To your mind, every word that you speak makes as much sense as the beliefs that shaped you. But to others, they will cut into their minds as deeply and painfully as the blows of your ax. It is common to see a dwarf with strength worth five times his height. Yet rare to not only see a dwarf with strength worth more than that but is also just as adept with the words of his mind."
"They did not come to listen to your tales mother."
"True. They came for their treaties." Morrigan's mother told her daughter before turning to the trunk and pulling something out of it, "And before you begin barking, your precious seals wore off long before this day. I have protected them."
"You-oh," It apparently took a while for Alistair to realize that this old woman had assisted them, "You protected them, thank you."
"And why not?" The witch approached Revan and handed over a worn but intact booklet containing the treaties, "Take these to your Grey Wardens and tell them that this Blight is far greater than they realize."
"What do you mean?" Revan was now confused, how could the King, who'd called on all of Ferelden's might and the Grey Wardens be underestimating a blight? Four times a blight had ravaged the land and none of those periods were pretty at all.
"Either the threat is more or they realize less." The old woman answered, "Or perhaps the threat is nothing! Or perhaps they realize nothing!"
"How would you know of this?" Durin asked in suspicion.
"Do I? Perhaps I am simply an old woman with a penchant for mold deparchments!"
"Someone's been smoking a little too much leaf." Brosca whispered to Daveth.
"Oh do not mind me." The old woman laughed, apparently unnerving Gilead all the more, "You have what you came for."
"Time for you to go."
"Do not be ridiculous girl." The old woman told her daughter, "These are your guests!"
"Oh...very well..." Morrigan didn't look any happier than Alistair to have to accompany the wardens any longer, "Follow me...I'll show you out of these woods."
Duncan's bonfire, nightfall
"You return. Have you been successful?" Duncan asked when the warden recruits returned to the tent.
"...It...wasn't easy..." Alistair started, apparently phased by the occurance in the wilds, "No thanks to you lot!"
"Hey! Mairon's the one who summoned the Ash Demon!"
"And you were the one who thought it was a great idea to stroll through the swamp with a Witch of the Wilds!" Daveth shot at Lily.
"We got the treaties from her mother didn't we?" Durin inquired.
"Yes because her creepy-ass mother made it all worth it didn't she?" Alistair asked the dwarf.
"Alistair, the affairs of apostates are no longer your concern." Duncan stated to Alistair, "You are a Grey Warden now, leave Chantry affairs to the Chantry.
"So how bout this Joining Duncan?" Gimli asked, wanting to get this over with so he could move on with his life.
"Now that we have the ingredients, we may proceed with the Joining..." For whatever reason, the group now grew quiet at the mention of the joining, "I'll have to take some time and meet with the Circle mages to prepare the ritual. Alistair, take them to the old temple."
"The Joining..."
"I don't think Anders ever said anything about his..." Varric mentioned, "You sure it's wise to share this tidbit with a Chantry Seeker and a dwarf like me?"
"I honestly doubt I'm telling you anything that you don't have an idea about..." The orator admitted, "Plus...the two of you are somehow on the Warden's Most Trusted List..."
Ostagar Temple Ruins
"The more I hear about this joining the less I like it."
"Are you blubering again?" Daveth now seemed annoyed with Ser Jory's blubbering, in fact all of the recruits were growing more frustrated, uneasy and impatient as they waited for Duncan while Alistair watched them from a distance.
"I agree with Jory." Lily sharped her knives against each other, only adding to the tension, "We just killed off a small army of darkspawn by ourselves, wasn't that our test?"
"I doubt it." Durin stated while he fiddled with his beard, "Anyone can kill a darkspawn that's why they work as a horde. Perhaps it was a test to see if we would be smart enough not to be tainted or let darkspawn blood get on our wounds."
"Why all these damned tests!" Jory shouted, "Have I not earned my place?"
"Maybe it's tradition. Maybe they're just trying to annoy you." Daveth snickered.
"I swear I'm the bravest man here." Mairon muttered outloud, "And I'm the glass cannon."
"What's that?"
"Read it in a tome somewhere..." Mairon replied to Gimli, "Some Qunari weapon that was known to blast through the strongest Tevinter fortress but could be shattered by a mere arrow."
"Jory, you heard what Duncan said earlier." Revan reminded the knight, "Do you really think they would put us through something that would kill us when they're in such need of recruits?"
"I only know that my wife is with child in Highever." Jory lamented, "If they'd warned me..."
"If you have such a problem with being here then leave." Lily didn't seem to be in the mood to be reassuring to a cowardly human, "Shed your armor and dignity and you'll make it before anyone knows you left."
"Not everyone is without fear." Revan barked at the city elf and then turned back to Jory, "Stand strong friend, there is little point in fleeing the coming storm."
"I say let him. There's clearly no reason why he should be here." Lily blurted out and pointed to the empty injury kits that Revan swiped from her to help Jory, "Out of all of us here, Jory's contributed the least except soil himself when a darkspawn appears."
"And what would you know about fear and helplessness, my lady?" Knives were drawn as Lily held out her 'knife-ears'.
"More than you'll ever know Shemlan." The city elf stated and sheathed her weapons while Revan just looked at her with a mixture of contempt and surprise.
"Wait till after the battle to slap and fight." Gimli added in, "Jory, just hang tight and if this is something that ain't worth the long haul, I'll signal you."
"I will not run..." Jory said to Brosca, "It just doesn't seem fair."
"Would you have come if they'd have warned you?" Daveth inquired, "Maybe that's why they do it. The wardens do what they must right?"
"Including sacrificing us?"
"You lot to appease a horde of darkspawn." Mairon stated out loud, "Fair trade to me."
"I'd sacrifice a lot more if I knew it would end the blight."
"You sound certain." Gilead said to the cutpurse from Denerem, "What if our "sacrifice" does nothing?"
"Maybe you'll die, maybe we'll all die lads, but what are our lives worth if we ain't willing to shill out for the greater best?" Daveth inquired, "I'm a curthroat and a thief, frankly I don't know if I should be here myself. But I've been given a chance by the wardens and I ain't gonna let it go to waste. Sir elves, you probably don't like humans right? What about your own people, what'll happen if we fail here? You think the darkspawn will spare your families cause they ain't human? Sir. Revan, you've got your reminder right behind you, right?"
"You think I forgot?" Revan could feel his sister's glance from behind him. She was probably talking to Rabbit about what this Joining would be all about. With any other dog, that would be crazy. But a mabari, they're smart enough to know when not to talk.
"So what about us dwarves?" Durin inquired, "Our war with the darkspawn is an eternal conflict."
"Maybe so..." Daveth honestly didn't know much about dwarven culture, "But would you like em to be barging on your doorsteps led by an archdemon?"
"How inspiring..." Mairon said as he clapped for Daveth, "Being talked to by a cuthroat..."
"And you sir mage." For whatever reason, Daveth didn't seem afraid of the present mage despite his fear of magic earlier, "You ain't the nicest guy of the bunch, but doesn't staying mean that you'll be on the "losing side" and therefore have more chance to kill things?"
"Never thought of it that way..." Mairon scratched his chin and started counting out the many spell combinations that could best kill people.
"And Ser Knight, wouldn't you give anything to save that pretty wife of yours?"
"I've just never faced a foe that I could not fell with my blade."
"At last we come to the Joining." The recruits turned when they heard Duncan's voice, "The Chantry teaches us that it is the hubris of men which brought the darkspawn into our world. The Mages of Tevinter had sought to usurp Heaven and instead, they destroyed it."
"They were cast out, twisted by their own impurity, and so they returned to the world as the first darkspawn and brought upon us the First Blight." Duncan continued as he walked over to an empty table set up earlier, "The Grey Wardens were founded after nearly a century of bitter war against the darkspawn hordes when humanity stood on the brink of extinction. So it was that twenty-one veteran warriors of the Tevinter Imperium came together in a fortress within the Anderfalls and underwent the Joining."
"Those first twenty-one then drank of darkspawn blood. Twelve would go on to found the Grey Wardens and master their taint." Duncan finished, setting a silver cup upon the table and facing the recruits.
"We're...gonna drink the blood of those...creatures?"
"As the Twenty-One did before us. As we did before you," Duncan told Jory, "This is source of our power and our victory."
"Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint." Alistair explained, "We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the Archdemon."
"Oh...so that's how it's done..." Mairon muttered, remembering about a journal he'd read back at the tower, "I think I know what Liam's missing page was all about now..."
"Hold on. You mentioned the twenty-one who first went through the joining." Lily had heard the tale of the first twenty-one, but she caught an inconsistancy that worried her, "But then you said that only twelve actually founded the order."
"It was no mistake, my dear." Duncan told Tabris, "I will not lie, we Grey Wardens pay a heavy price for the taint we hold. Some will be called upon to pay sooner than others Not all who drink the blood will survive."
"So this could just as well kill me?" Gilead was quietly furious. He had abandoned his clan, his family and his whole way of life for the slim chance that he would'nt be killed by ritual poison? If so then he was better off with his clan.
"What are ya, deaf? That's what he's been saying the whole time!" Gimli shouted, equally nervous about the prospect of a painful death. Though if only 9 out of the first 21 died then the chances of survival were likely a bit over 50%, so they were fair odds.
"We say only a few words prior to the joining." Duncan said to the recruits, "But these words have been said since the first, Alistair."
Join us, brothers and sisters. Alistair began, "Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilent."
Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be foresworn.
And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten,
And that one day, we shall join you.
Author's Notes:
Who will survive the Joining? What will become of these wardens in the battle to come?
If you really need an answer then you obviously haven't played the game or been paying much attention. Shame on you! SHAME!
Reasons will follow when the elaborations are written up. Sorry if the Gazarath fight is a bit anticlimatic, I honestly don't remember having a hard time with him and I fought him on hard throughout most of my playthroughs...or maybe it's just me?