Before Duncan could look for Grey Warden recruits, he decided it best to ask for volunteers to help the king's army at Ostagar. The First Enchanter was ready to give whatever was necessary to end the Blight, but the Knight Commander, Greagoir, thought they had sent enough mages as it were. Duncan argued that it would be best if every contingent could have at least one mage, and with the seven that they had, it would be impossible. Greagoir was unwilling to let mages out from under the Chantry's thumb, which was expected of a templar, but both Irving and Duncan thought this was ridiculous.
The arguing was interrupted when another mage entered. He was a rather tall man, thin, with dark brown hair tied in a ponytail, and a close-cropped beard. His tired brown eyes lit up upon walking in on the debate, and he seemed intrigued.
"Irving, it seems that someone would like to see you," Duncan commented, awkwardly interrupting the argument. Irving followed his gaze and smiled when he saw the mage.
"You sent for me?" the mage said, directing the question at Irving but staring at Duncan.
"If it isn't our new brother in the Circle. Welcome," Irving said. Now Duncan thought he knew who this was; the mage Irving had always spoken highly of as an apprentice. Apparently he was an apprentice no longer. Duncan was surprised, and pleased.
"This is...?" Duncan asked, just to be sure.
"Yes, this is he," Irving said with a smile.
"Well, Irving, you're obviously busy," Greagoir commented. "We'll discuss this later." There was some venom in his voice, and he moved to leave.
"Of course," Irving said amiably. "Where was I? Ah yes. This is Duncan, of the Grey Wardens. Duncan, this is Daylen."
"Pleased to meet you," Daylen said. He bowed slightly, crossing his arms over his chest in true Ferelden fashion. Duncan returned the bow.
"You've heard of the war brewing in the south, correct? Duncan is recruiting mages for the king's army at Ostagar," Irving explained.
"The darkspawn threat grows in the south. We need all the help we can get," Duncan added, hoping to possibly recruit a mage into the Wardens as well. Currently there were none. "The power you mages wield is an asset to any army. Your spells are effective against large groups of mindless darkspawn." Duncan wished that the darkspawn were really mindless, but to recruit anyone into the battle they had to think they would live. It was a tactic which he hated, but which he had learned to wield when he needed to. Playing on a mage's pride had worked for the Grey Warden's in the past, and he hoped it would work again. "I fear if we don't drive them back, we may see another Blight."
"Duncan, you worry the poor lad with talk of Blights and darkspawn. This is a happy day for him," Irving interjected. Duncan bit back his annoyance.
"We live in troubled times, my friend," Duncan said flatly.
"We should seize moments of levity, especially in troubled times," Irving responded easily. "The Harrowing is behind you. Your phylactery was sent to Denerim." Daylen's lip twitched. "You are officially a mage of the Circle of Magi." Daylen bowed, though his attempts to hide his disdain failed.
"Thank you, First Enchanter."
"For that, I present you with your new robes, a staff, and a ring, bearing the Circle's insignia. Wear them proudly, for you have earned them." Irving passed over the items he named, and Daylen took them without saying anything more than 'thank you', mounting the new staff on his back as a warrior would a greatsword and donning his ring.
"Now then... take your time to rest, or study in the library. The day is yours." Daylen nodded.
"I will return to my quarters," Duncan said, feeling the need to rest for a while.
"Would you be so kind as to bring Duncan back to his quarters?" the First Enchanter asked Daylen. Daylen's gaze flicked to the Grey Warden and back to the First Enchanter, and he bowed again.
"It would be my pleasure, First Enchanter," he said.
"Now, if you'll both excuse me, I have matters to discuss with Greagoir." With that, Irving left, leaving Duncan with the young mage.
"Thank you for escorting me," Duncan said with a bow.
"I'm glad to get the chance to talk to you," Daylen said. He started to walk with Duncan into the hall, following the circular hallway clockwise. He was silent for a moment. "What do you think about... the Tranquil?" The question caught Duncan off guard.
"Why is it that you want to know?" Duncan asked, simply curious. Daylen shrugged.
"I wanted to know what someone from away from the Circle thought about them," he stated, though it didn't seem like that was the reason. Not to Duncan, anyway.
"Well," Duncan started cautiously, "They are helpful to the circle, and they are how you earn your funds." Daylen frowned.
"They were stripped of their emotions and their gift of magic, sometimes against their will," Daylen said without looking at the Grey Warden, slowing his pace.
"Sometimes sacrifices must be made for the greater good," Duncan said somewhat bitterly. Grey Wardens knew all about sacrifice. "Though it does seem wrong, doesn't it? To take away one's emotions." Daylen seemed equally satisfied and puzzled by the response.
He didn't get the chance to ask anything else, however, as a mage rushed up to them, breathless.
"Are you the Grey Warden?" the mage asked, though it was rather obvious. "Duncan?"
"Yes, is something the matter?"
"Well, you see, we were in the library, and -"
"Out with it, Niall," Daylen said. "Sometime today." Niall cast a glare in Daylen's direction before turning back to Duncan.
"The elf that was with you, she collapsed," he said. Duncan cursed under his breath.
"Take me to her," he demanded. Niall nodded and started running off down the hall. Daylen tossed his new robes to a nearby mage, one who had looked like he was waiting to get his attention, and he followed. They passed by Elissa, who was in a conversation with a templar in the hallway near the chapel, but when she saw Duncan run by she dismissed herself and ran after him.
"What's going on?" she asked as she caught up. He said nothing, and neither did anyone else. They rushed into the library and finally came to a stop in a small corner of the room. Duncan pressed past Niall to see Lyna on the floor, being propped up into a sitting position by an elven mage. She was sweating and had labored breathing, her mouth moving as if chanting unspoken words. The elf holding her was sweating almost as much as she was, nervously looking up at Duncan.
Just then two Senior Enchanters appeared.
"Eadric! What did you do to her?" the younger of the two enchanters demanded. The young elf looked even more nervous.
"I didn't! I didn't do anything! We were talking about the Dalish and then she passed out!" he explained frantically. "Honest, I didn't cast any spells!"
"Am I really supposed to believe -"
"Torrin," Niall interrupted, "Do you really think that Eadric would do such a thing to a Dalish elf, of all things?"
"I wouldn't do this to anyone!" Eadric squealed, indignant.
"It's true," Duncan interrupted. "He didn't do anything. She has darkspawn corruption." A hush fell over the room, silent except for Lyna's labored breathing.
"Move out of the way!" Greagoir said, pushing through the crowd of mages with First Enchanter Irving in tow.
"There are no abominations to be slain, Greagoir," Daylen said flatly. "She's not even a mage." Greagoir glared at Daylen before returning his attention to the elf on the floor.
"Someone said one of the mages was acting strangely," he muttered, allowing Irving to pass.
"First Enchanter," Duncan started, "is there any way you could slow the spread of the taint? Her keeper had already done so, but it seems her magic is wearing off now." As it should be; it had been three days. Irving was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, but I will need help. Niall, go get the other Senior Enchanters and tell them to meet me in the guest quarters." Niall nodded and left. Daylen stepped forward and scooped Lyna off the floor, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. How odd for a mage, Duncan thought. The mage turned to him, all business.
"Let's go, then," Daylen said. Duncan followed the First Enchanter back outside, and they moved counterclockwise to the next room. It was a fairly large room, with a wide bed in the corner and a few bookshelves, many vases, and some shelves. Daylen laid Lyna, who had started muttering incoherently, on the bed and took a step backward. Then Irving, Torrin, and the other Senior Enchanters formed a circle around the bed.
"Thank you, Daylen," Irving said. "We will take it from here." Daylen frowned, but nodded and turned to leave, if somewhat hesitantly. Elissa stood at Duncan's side, not knowing what to do with herself.
"Tamlen, don't!" Lyna yelled in her delirium. Daylen and Elissa nearly jumped, while Duncan frowned. The mages started casting spells, some to bring down the fever, and others to actually fight back the taint, hoping to keep it from spreading and perhaps push it back, if they could. Daylen looked disturbed and continued out, walking briskly down the hall. Elissa looked uncomfortable as well, so Duncan put a hand on her shoulder and gestured for her to leave. She shifted in place for a moment, seemed about to protest, and then heard Lyna scream again and decided it was for the best that she wasn't there.
Eadric, the elf mage, had followed them into the room. He was very pale and seemed to be struggling not to faint, but managed to remain standing as the mages soothed the tortured elf. Lyna's breathing calmed, and her temperature was reduced to normal. The mages themselves seemed spent, but assured Duncan that they had made it possible for her to reach Ostagar without the taint overcoming her, provided she went straight there and left within the next few days.
"Eadric," Torrin snapped, looking tired while still managing to be intimidating and angry. Duncan felt for the poor boy. "You are to stay here and watch her. If anything unusual happens, I will be in the library next door. Come and get me right away. Understood?" Eadric nodded nervously. "I can't hear you!"
"Yes, Senior Enchanter Torrin, Ser!" Eadric said, sounding like a frightened child.
"Torrin," First Enchanter Irving said without humor. "Do not treat our fellow mages as we would animals." Torrin muttered an insincere apology. "I thank you, Eadric, for watching her." Duncan smiled to himself; he was glad that Irving was First Enchanter, and not someone like Torrin.
The elder enchanters left the room, as did Duncan. He went to the library, hoping to find something to read on corruption or the darkspawn taint while he waited for Elrin, a Grey Warden whom he had served with for quite some time and who was second in command of the Wardens in Ferelden. He would be arriving soon to take Duncan's recruits and any others that he'd found to Ostagar.
But for now, there was nothing to do but wait and pray.
Author's Note: Yeah, I've had these last two chapters done for a while but I forgot to post them I suppose. I hope you like!