(A/N I'm sorry for skipping around again. I should not have skipped past the meeting of Morrigan...well, it may come back later. Anyway, I'm sorry. I just wanted to get to the interesting part ya know?)

"The more I hear about this Joining the less I like it." Ser Jory grumbled, pacing back and forth. I walked up to the group, feeling my own nerves on their ends. I was nervous...yes, there was no denying it. It didn't matter how many words I said or how many words other people said. I was scared and I was worried. What would happen? Duncan had said that this was just as bad as the Harrowing...or something similar of it. Still, that didn't make me feel any better. My eyes flickered over to Alistair and he caught my gaze. My face instantly reddened and I looked away, focusing my emotions on the paranoid Ser Jory.

"Are you blubbering again?" Daveth frowned.

"Why all these damn tests!?" Ser Jory says, throwing his hands up. "Have I not earned my place?"

"Maybe it's tradition...maybe they're trying to annoy you." Daveth snickered a bit and I couldn't help but utter a bit of a giggle myself. It somewhat helped to lower the stress. It wasn't a dent in the stress, but I suppose that every little bit counts.

"Calm down, the both of you. There's nothing we can do about it now. Let's just muster what courage we can and face this head on." It sounds inspiring enough.

"I only know that my wife is in Highever with a child on the way. If they had warned me...it just doesn't seem fair." Ser Jory sighs, looking up at the sky. The stars blink in the cloudless stretch of night. A faint wind rustles the trees and blows my hair into my mouth. I cough and sputter, dragging it out and gagging a bit. It's not the prettiest sight, but I can't help it, now can I?

"Would you have come if they'd warned you? Maybe that's why they don't. The Wardens do what they must, right?" Daveth offers some words of encouragement. They sound almost as good as mine. Maybe even better. No, they are better.

"Including sacrificing us?" Ser Jory raises a brow.

"I'd sacrifice a lot more if I knew it would end the Blight." Daveth murmurs, his face hardening. "You saw those darkspawn, ser knight. Wouldn't you die to protect your pretty wife from them?"

"I..."

"Maybe you'll die. Maybe we'll all die. If nobody stops the darkspawn, we'll die for sure."

"I've just never faced a foe I could no engage with my blade." Ser Jory whispers, half to himself and half to Daveth. I offer him a look of sympathy as Duncan approaches from behind. I flinch, only because I hadn't heard him coming till now. In the corner of my eye I see Alistair smirk at me, and that only makes me wiggle even more.

"At last we come to the Joining," Duncan says as he comes to stand near us. He stands in front of the table and faces us. "The 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." Duncan pauses and my blood runs cold. So, that must be what the three vials of darkspawn blood were for when we went into the Korcari Wilds. Oh, I should have known. The number was so coincidental, I suppose it never came to mind that there were three vials of blood to collect and three Grey Warden recruits.

"We're...going to drink the blood of those...those creatures?" Jory stutters, his eyes widening in fear as he looks at Duncan. I would do that too, but I can't seem to move. I'm frozen with fear and nervousness. I feel like I'm going to be sick.

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

"Those who survive the Joining become immune to the taint. We can sense it in the darkspawn and use it to slay the archdemon." Alistair offers up a bit of helpful information. I negotiate it carefully. If that is what it takes to slay the archdemon, then it makes sense why it was always the Grey Wardens who did the job, not civilians. It all seems to flow nicely through my head. But then his words run through my head again and again. Those who survive. Wait...those who survive!? A chill runs down my back.

"Those who survive?" I squeak out. I clear my throat and say the words again, a fresh blush forming over my cheeks. Oh Maker, why me? Why must I be cursed with the complexion of a bloody rose bush?!

"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 these words have been said since the first. Alistair, if you would?"

I hold my breath as Alistair gives a somber look and stares down. "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," My heart gives another flutter. His voice is just so creamy...Oh, Maker, I sound so desperate. I mustn't! This is serious. The Grey Wardens are serious. The life or death factor is very serious! So, with much power, I manage to subdue Flirty Fiona and keep her beneath the bottom of Curious Fiona, who is evermore interested in the Joining. "And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you."

I close my eyes and pray to the Maker that we will survive. Duncan turns toward the table and grabs a large goblet. There is already blood in there. Duncan then faces Daveth, the goblet outstretched in his hands.

"Daveth, step forward."

All is silent and tense as Daveth approaches Duncan. My fists are curling and uncurling at my sides. A pulse of heat runs through my body. Daveth may die. But, I'm glad we ended on a comfortable note. Subtle acquaintances who never passed or fell beyond that line. I look over to see Alistair is perplexed, but as nervous as the rest of us. Ser Jory has backed up. It looks as if he is trying to melt in with the stone walls.

Daveth clasps the goblet from Duncan and lifts it, slowly. He drinks from it and hands the cup back to Duncan. Daveth takes a step backward, and seems alright. But then, he staggers. He seems to tilt and sway, one hand pressed up against his forehead. Daveth doubles over in pain, screams ripping from his throat. I watch in horror. I still can't move...can't breathe...can't think. He jerks upward, his eyes solid white.

"Maker's breath." Jory whispers aloud. Daveth claws at his throat as he screams and moans. He falls to his knees and is clawing at the ground; at his throat.

"I am sorry Daveth." Duncan says as Daveth gives a final breath and collapses onto the stone ground. There is a sheer silence as we all watch in horror. I can't take it anymore. I feel the pain prickling my stomach and rushing up my throat. My hand flies to my mouth as I swallow back the bile, a shiver running down my spine. Just as I think that I won't be able to do it, I steady myself. I'm doing this for Jowan, the bastard he is. I'm doing this for Mother...Father...Sister and Brother. I'm doing this for them. I'm going to become a Grey Warden. I can do this. I breathe in and out slowly, calming down. My face is still flushed, but I'm not so shaky. Daveth's cold, dead body is still frightening, but I look away.

"Step forward, Jory." Duncan tears his eyes from Daveth and turns to look at Jory. The goblet looks deathly in his hands. I can almost see the sweat dotting Jory's forehead and running down his cheek.

"But...I have a wife. A child! Had I known..." Ser Jory backs up, even getting the nerve to draw his sword. Duncan seems calm, which reminds me of Irving. My eyes go back and forth from Duncan to Jory.

"There is no turning back." Duncan murmurs.

"No! You ask too much! There is no glory in this!" Jory shouts, holding his blade out in front of him. It quivers and shakes like a leaf. He presses his back against the wall. Duncan is closer to Jory now, and with one hand draws his dagger from its holster. I look to Alistair for support, or just a bit of outside emotion in the argument, but he's looking down...terribly upset. I give a small, shaky sigh and watch.

Ser Jory makes the first strike. He thrusts forward but Duncan parries the blow. There is the sound of swords hitting each other for a moment. Jory attempts to hack at Duncan's blade but Duncan is too quick. I flinch and look away just as the small blade guts into Jory. While I didn't know either for too long, I still feel extremely frightened. No one prepared me for this. I'd never seen an abomination being slayed in the tower, so I wasn't used to sword fighting. The amount of blood that had gushed out of Jory before I looked away was startling. The hot tears clouded my vision, but I brushed them away and padded my eyes with the heel of my hands.

"I am sorry." I hear Duncan whisper as Jory groans and moans. There is the sound of Duncan pulling the blade out of Ser Jory, and he gives one last cry. Ser Jory falls to the ground in a heap, blood everywhere. I choke back on a sob and press a hand to my mouth. In the corner of my blurry vision, I see Alistair has come out of his sad state and is just as terrified as myself.

"But the Joining is not yet complete." Duncan says and I whip my head up to look at him. I want to shake my head...say no...but I can't. It's die...or die...or live. I must do this. "You are called upon to submit yourself to the taint for the greater good, Fiona." My name sounds like a ghost. I feel like a ghost. Duncan hands me the goblet, and with shaking hands I grab it with both. I bring the goblet up to my lips and drink from the blood.

At first, nothing happens. I know that this won't be for long. Like Daveth, I will probably writhe around screaming and shouting.

But it isn't that simple.

It feels as if someone is shoving a thousand hot swords into my throat as the blood travels down. There is a stinging taste that electrifys my whole mouth...and everything feels numb. My throat burns...but I can stand it. I can breathe...swallow.

"From this moment forth, you are a Grey Warden." Duncan says as he and Alistair back up. I want to ask why, but then a painful band stretches across my forehead. It's hot and feels more painful; like the thousand hot swords slicing through my head one sword at a time. I press my face into my hand as the dull, hot pain works its way into my whole body. I feel dizzy and begin to sway and rock. There are two Alistairs and three Duncans. I steady myself and lower my hand, the pain now in my eyes. Black and white dots swirl in front of my eyes as I look up. My whole vision is clouded in white.

A dragon roars in front of a bright green sky. The images seem to pulse like they are alive. Like I'm right there and it's roar is causing my vision to beat. The dragon turns it's head and seems to stare at me right in the eye.

Then everything goes black.