Chapter Four: The Joining

Author: KittyRayne

Disclaimer: I make no money from this, and am only playing in the sandbox that Bioware created.

Duncan looked up as the four of them stepped into his tent. He caught Alistair's gaze and the former Templar-recruit gave a short nod. "You've returned safely," Duncan stated as he straightened from where he was studying a map. "I take it to mean that you were successful in your mission."

Maryna, Daveth, and Jory each held up their individual vials of darkspawn blood, the viscous liquid nearly black in the glass.

"Good," Duncan nodded at them. "And the treaties?"

Alistair passed those over to Duncan, frowning as he did so. "They were being held by an old woman and her daughter in the wilds; apostates, I believe."

"We've no time to worry about illegal mages, Alistair," Duncan told the boy. "Besides, you are not a Templar, not any longer." He waited until Alistair gave him a firm nod before turning his attention to Maryna. "Maryna, please come with me. You must learn to prepare the Joining now." He turned to Jory and Daveth, holding out a hand. "Your vials, please."

The two men handed over their vials of blood and Maryna followed Duncan out of the tent and across the camp, to the area where she had first met Alistair. A table had been set up, and atop it sat a silver chalice, along with two bottles. One was very obviously Lyrium, judging by the way the liquid inside seemed to glow. The other bottle looked similar to the vials of darkspawn blood, but it was as if the liquid inside was absorbing the light around it.

"You must understand, Maryna," Duncan turned to look at her after setting the three vials of blood down on the table. "Normally this would only be prepared by a mage who was already inducted into the Wardens. This is taught to you early only out of necessity."

"I understand," Maryna responded, meeting Duncan's firm gaze.

The Warden-Commander nodded and gestured for her to step up to the table. Once she had done so he walked around to the other side. "You will mix all three ingredients in the chalice." He instructed, waiting until Maryna nodded in understanding before he continued. "First put a vial of darkspawn blood into the chalice. Start with Daveth's." He watched as she uncorked the vial and put the contents into the chalice. Once she was finished he pushed the dark bottle towards her. "This is blood from the last Archdemon," he told her.

"From the Fourth Blight?" Maryna asked, carefully picking up the bottle and examining it. "But that was centuries ago."

"When an Archdemon is defeated, it is the responsibility of the Wardens' mages to collect and preserve its blood. The blood is then divided up into appropriate portions for each nation and sent to the Warden headquarters there," Duncan explained to her. "This will also be part of your responsibilities during the Blight."

"I understand," Maryna nodded. "How much is added?"

"A single drop." He watched as she very carefully added a single drop to the mixture.

Once Maryna re-capped the bottle of Archdemon blood, she set it down and pushed it towards Duncan. He shook his head and pushed it back towards her. "You should keep a hold of this," he told her. "The senior mage in the Wardens is responsible for keeping the Archdemon blood." Once she had placed the bottle in her pack, carefully wrapped in a length of cloth, Duncan handed her the chalice. "And now you must cast mana into the chalice in order to complete the mixture."

Maryna frowned and looked down into the chalice. The mixture was nearly black, even as she lifted one hand over the cup, glowing with mana. The energy seeped into the mixture as she moved her hand in circles above it, stirring it with magic. Once it was finished, she set the chalice down on the table. "Should we call the others in?"

Duncan looked over at Alistair and nodded towards the bottom of the ramp sharply. "Retrieve the others, Alistair," he said tersely. He looked at Maryna and sighed. "You shall take your joining last, Maryna."

"Very well," the mage said, glancing over her shoulder as the others came up the ramp.

Daveth had a devil-may-care smirk on his face as he stepped up in front of Duncan, while Ser Jory looked like he was debating on whether or not he truly wished to be there. Maryna remained standing on the left side of the Warden-Commander, even while Alistair moved past the other two recruits and stood to Duncan's right.

"At last, we come to the Joining," Duncan stated as his face became devoid of emotion. "Grey Wardens were founded during the first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. So it was that the first Grey Wardens drank of darkspawn blood, and mastered their taint."

Ser Jory's face lost all color at that. "We're going to drink the blood of those... those creatures?"

"As the first Grey Wardens did before us, as we did before you," Duncan responded, stepping forward slightly. "This is the source of our power, and our victory."

Alistair attempted to smile comfortingly at Jory, but the expression fell somewhat flat in the face of what they were about to do. "Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the Archedemon."

Maryna felt like lead filled her belly. "Those who survive?" she asked softly.

Duncan nodded shortly. "Not all who drink the blood will survive, and those who do are forever changed. This is why the Joining is a secret. It is the price we pay. We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but those words have been said since the first." He glanced at the younger Warden. "Alistair, if you would?"

Nodding, Alistair stepped forward slightly and lowered his chin nearly to chest. "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 will not be forgotten, and that one day, we shall join you."

Duncan turned and picked up the chalice. "Daveth, step forward," he said as he turned back to them.

Daveth took a deep breath and stepped forward, gingerly taking the chalice from Duncan. He drank the mixture in the goblet without hesitating. Even as he handed the chalice back to Duncan, Maryna watched as his skin broke out in a cold sweat and paled at least three shades. He coughed, then grabbed at his throat as if he was choking, his eyes rolling back so that only the whites were visible. Then, Daveth fell backwards, still clutching at his throat before falling limp.

"Maker's Breath!" Ser Jory exclaimed, taking several steps backwards.

"I'm sorry, Daveth," Duncan said softly, shaking his head. "Maryna, if you would mix the Joining for Jory?"

Jory put a hand on his greatsword, backing away from Duncan. "But... I have a wife, a child! Had I known..."

Duncan's face shut down severely and he placed the Joining chalice on the table. "There is no turning back," he stated as he drew one of his daggers from its sheathe at his waist.

"No!" Jory shouted, drawing his sword. "You ask too much! There is no glory in this!" He swung his sword at Duncan, but the Warden-Commander darted forward. Duncan used his bracer to knock away Jory's blade, and shoved his dagger into the chink in Jory's armor, sliding the blade neatly through his ribs and up into his heart.

"I am sorry," Duncan said softly as he pulled away, letting Jory's body fall to the ground. He turned and looked to Maryna.

Alistair lightly touched Maryna's elbow. "Maryna, you have to mix the Joining for yourself," he stated softly.

She looked between the two men, knowing that her face was pale. Her hands were clammy as she stepped over to the chalice that still sat on the table. She set her pack on the table and took out the lyrium and the Archedemon's blood. Wiping her palms on her robes, Maryna tried to take a deep, steadying breath before she reached for her own vial of darkspawn blood. Her hands shook as she mixed the Joining substance together, but she somehow managed successfully. She stepped back, away from the chalice, and looked at Duncan.

The Warden-Commander took the chalice and handed it to Maryna. "You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint, for the greater good."

Maryna tried to take a calming breath, but caught sight of both Daveth and Jory's dead bodies. Before her courage could fail her completely, she tipped back the chalice and swallowed the mixture in one go. She felt the chalice being taken from her fingers, but she didn't care at that moment. It felt like she had swallowed fire and ice at the same time. Her throat burned, but her stomach felt as if it had been frozen solid. Even as the extreme temperatures started to fade away, it began to feel as if someone was stabbing a rusty dagger through her temple. And suddenly the area around her changed. The terrain was suddenly dark and jagged, but a nearly black dragon took up most of the area. It raised its head, glaring down at her with opalescent white eyes. Maryna screamed as the dragon breathed blue-violet fire down on her.

Authors Notes: I am somewhat playing with the timeline for the next chapter, mainly because I dislike how fast the game rushes through the events after the Joining. This chapter itself is not as long as the previous, but nearly all of the dialogue from this chapter comes directly from the game. There will be chapters that do that, especially early on in the story.

Also, I would like to apologize for taking so long in updating, my life as taken so many twists and turns lately that I just haven't had the free time to write like I've wanted to. I am hoping to have more free time as of the posting of this chapter, so here's hoping.