A/N: Shorter chapter. This and the next were originally one, but then it became clear that there needed to be a chapter break where I end this chapter.
Sten's war cry filled the cavernous room. They had still been unable to find him any armor, and Leliana winced as he took a punishing blow from a creature that appeared to be made from fire or magma before taking a backward step and bringing down his sword to sever what passed for the creature's head. Their new companion, Wynne, stepped forward immediately, healing the wound with the murmur of a spell.
Since leaving Wynne's apprentices and their wards, they had run into roomfuls of these creatures, the three mages immediately finding a way to get past their differences and work together with a deadly efficiency that was frightening to behold. Alistair, Sten, and Max were really just acting as a buffer, keeping the horrors of the Tower away from the mages long enough for them to work their mystical arts. Leliana felt somewhat superfluous in their wake, but she contributed in what ways she could, unlocking doors and putting arrows in the eyes of the blood mages they came across.
Solona had stayed herself thus far, but had become possessed with a fervor that no one had yet seen in her. She was singularly determined to purge her home of these monsters.
"Is everyone alright?" the mage warden asked curtly, looking around. Everyone bobbed their heads or murmured affirmative answers. "Good. Let's go."
Leliana ran up to her, falling in step beside her. The mage was walking very quickly, made even faster for Leliana because of the warden's superior height. The Orlesian was at a loss for what to say, but it would take being blind to miss the tension in the taller woman. She settled on gently slipping her hand in Solona's. The warden turned her head to look at Leliana, giving her a wan smile.
"Hey," she said, giving Leliana's hand a squeeze. Leliana noted with relief that she did not pull away.
"Hey yourself." Leliana tried to smile, but could only knit her eyebrows at the tension in Solona's face. "How are you holding up?"
Solona's attempt at a smile vanished, her eyebrows also knitting into a scowl. "I know all I can talk about is hating this place. But it was still the only home I really ever knew. And now it is turned into this… I don't even know how to describe it."
"I can't imagine what it would be like seeing your home turned into this." Every piece of furniture in every room had been overturned, if not outright destroyed. Things that were clearly prized possessions - mementos, journals filled with intensely personal words – were all scattered as though some massive beast had barreled through. The only thing missing was the blood – and bodies - of the dead.
Solona made a noncommittal noise, pursing her lips and looking ahead. She didn't let go of Leliana's hand until they came to the next closed door.
"This is the library. Time to start looking."
Leliana nodded. "What should we look for?"
Solona shook her head. "We don't have time to do a complete search right now. Wynne, Morrigan, and I will just do a cursory sweep while we're in here." She let go and opened the door.
They were greeted by burning bookshelves and at least three of the molten monsters.
Solona didn't even look behind her to shout for the other mages. "Wynne! Morrigan!"
Leliana stepped to the side to make room, loosening her bow and pulling an arrow with the same hand. The arrows didn't seem to do anything but upset the creatures, but that had the potential to serve as a distraction, and distractions were often the difference between life and death in combat.
Wynne strode through the door incanting, her staff raised. Water began pouring from its tip in a wide arc, which she directed at the beast that was currently bent on attacking the old woman. It hissed and shrieked, its flames trying desperately to stay alive despite the quenching water.
Alistair stepped around her and thrust his sword, an enchanted blade from his time training as a templar, directly into what should have been its face. It succumbed to the two-sided attacked, shriveling and shrieking into a pile of ashes on the floor.
Solona was busy dealing with her own creature, backing away from the door and toward a strange podium at the far side of the room. Leliana watched, transfixed, as a guttural chanting fell from the woman's lips, her eyes fixed upon the monstrosity undulating toward her. When she reached the podium, which looked much like a fountain or birdbath, she dipped the tip of her staff in it and thrust toward the creature with a final shout. Some type of liquid sprang from the end of her staff, sailing across the ten feet between them to land sporadically on the creature's body. They pierced as though solid, a sickening sizzling sound rising above the din the rest of her companions made while dispatching the third creature.
A bright light flashed, forcing Leliana to close her eyes until it subsided. When she opened her eyes, Solona stood above a pile of ash, a long dagger in her hand, her staff lying on the ground next to the podium. She was panting heavily, glaring down at the remains of the creature she'd been fighting.
"Solona!" Leliana ran over, still holding her bow, an arrow fitted loosely to the string. "You are alright?"
Solona's eyes snapped to hers. "Yes. Shit, we need to put these fires out, right now! This is the entirety of the library of Ferelden's Circle!"
Leliana nodded, dropping her weapons and going to see what she could do. Only, Morrigan and Wynne were well on their way to putting out every fire, some kind of white smoke blowing from their staves making the flames die.
She stood impotently for a minute, watching in fascination as the mages did their work. She was nudged out of her gawking when her bow appeared before her. She looked up to see Solona holding it out for her, a tired smile on her face.
"Thanks for dropping everything. But they clearly have it under control."
Leliana nodded, taking her things with a smile. "Don't mention it. What was that in the fountain?"
"Raw lyrium. It is normally a mineral, but we keep it under a spell to keep it liquid at room temperature. It's powerful enough to eat through almost anything in its liquid form, so I thought I'd use it on the demon." She shrugged at the last. "I kept trying to incant a spell, but my concentration would not keep with such a creature closing on me."
"It was… terrible. And fascinating."
"The things we are capable of doing are truly otherworldly," Solona nodded, meeting Leliana's gaze. After a moment of just looking comfortably at each other, she seemed to shake herself from a daze. "Come. We must keep moving."
At the end of the second floor, they found the First Enchanter's office. Leliana crouched to pick the lock – apparently these doors were safe from being opened magically, but no one had thought to enchant them against lock picks – moving away once she was finished so that Wynne could enter first. She crossed the threshold just behind Solona, everyone else staying out in the hall, and stood in the corner as the two mages searched the room. The First Enchanter was definitely not there, but his things could provide some clue as to why the Tower was currently crawling with abominations.
"Can you open this for me, Leliana?" Solona was crouched before a trunk in the corner. She moved over next to the mage, peering down at it.
"I can, but what's in there?"
"The texts I couldn't find in the library might be in here. This is where Irving keeps forbidden material, and that book also held information about blood magic." The look in her eyes was almost pleading, and Leliana couldn't deny that look.
She merely nodded her head and gently moved Solona out of her way so she could work.
It proved to be a rather stubborn thing, but after a few minutes of delicate work the lock popped open with a satisfying sound. She opened the trunk, allowing Solona to take her place and begin rifling through the many books inside.
Wynne joined them after a moment, holding what appeared to be a journal. "You'll want to see what Irving wrote about your departure, Solona. It is… enlightening, if nothing else. He was proud of you, in the end. I'm afraid it sheds no light on what happened in that meeting, however." Solona just nodded absently, absorbed in the pages of a particularly heavy-looking tome. Wynne noticed. "What do you have there?"
"Irving's private stash. This is the book I was looking for, that mentioned what happened to me last week." She stood and stowed it in her small backpack, making ready to secure it to her back. As she did so, something seemed to catch her eye, and she plucked another book, this one thinner and somehow more sinister-looking, up from within the trunk. Rifling through the pages quickly, she put it in her bag as well before securing it and moving out of the office.
Wynne seemed to disapprove, but said nothing. Leliana was curious what held the older woman's tongue, but felt now was not the time to ask.
"So, what is it the qunari believe, my large friend?" Dammit if Zevran's voice wasn't polite and interested, like he was discussing the weather at a party with strangers and not the Qun. "You are named after it, yes? The Qun?"
Leliana watched from behind them as Sten looked over to the much smaller man and grunted with a nod. "The Qun. The path to wisdom. I am not surprised you don't recognize it."
"What is it, exactly?"
Sten looked forward once more. "Ask a tamassran: they know how to explain things to children. It is not for Sten to teach the Qun."
Leliana stifled a laugh. Zevran shook his head as the giant qunari lengthened his stride, quickly overtaking Solona at the front of the group. The redhead quickened her own step to fall in line with the elven assassin.
"I do not think he likes you very much, Zevran."
"Ah, but he simply does not yet know me. I will win him over, yet, my friend, have no doubt about that." Optimistic as ever.
Leliana giggled. "Yes, well, perhaps you are right. But I see that he is not the only one you spend your energies on? You and Alistair seem to be on speaking terms, now."
"You noticed?" Zevran flashed her a smile. "He is a handsome man, but I fear enamored only with the women of this little group. A shame, really."
"Yes, I have… spoken with him about that…"
He gave her a sidelong glance. "You rejected him, then?"
Leliana nodded. "He took it well, I must say. He surprised me, really. He seemed too…"
"Innocent?" Zevran cocked a single brow with his suggestion.
Leliana nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose so. I do not think he has had much opportunity for romantic experience. I suppose it makes sense, as he was raised by the Chantry."
"Was he, now? Interesting. I had no idea."
Leliana smirked. "Are you planning on spoiling his maidenhood, Zevran?"
The elf chuckled. "Only if he will let me, fair Lady."
The fell into a comfortable silence after their quiet conversation, walking side-by-side with their weapons out, relaxed. After a few moments, however, Leliana heard Solona addressing the giant qunari up ahead. They had stopped moving, and Solona was facing the warrior, her hands on her hips. Leliana exchanged a look with Zevran, and they both picked up the pace so they could hear the conversation.
"Why did you come to Ferelden, Sten? Aside from murdering innocent farmholders." What did he say to get her on the offensive like that?
Sten looked down at her with his usual unreadable expression. "To answer a question."
Leliana moved around behind the giant, watching as Solona raised a brow in answer. "And what was the question?"
Sten hummed a little before answering in his deep voice. "The arishok asked, 'What is the Blight?' By his curiosity I am now here."
"Arishok? What, pray tell, is an 'arishok'?"
"The one who commands the antaam – the body of the qunari."
"So he's, what? Your king?"
"Qunari have no kings." Leliana couldn't be sure, but she thought his voice was taking on a hint of disapproval.
"Why does he care about the Blight?"
"Why do you?"
Solona's other eyebrow rose to join the first. "I am a Grey Warden. It is my duty."
"Exactly. You don't ask. Nor do I. The arishok sends me, and I go."
Solona knit her brows. She seemed more confused than anything else by his answers. "Don't you have to report back, then?"
"Yes."
"Forgive me if this is impertinent, but… what are you still doing here?"
"I cannot go home."
Solona looked like she might push, but then thought better of it. "Well, I suppose you can keep travelling with us. Until I release you from your bond…"
"Thank you. Can we move on? There are abominations to kill." He lifted his sword, an easy task for one of his size, and hefted it onto his shoulder, stepping away from her.
"But, wait," Solona said after a moment. "What were you doing in that cage?"
"Sitting, as you observed." He turned to face her once more, looking almost annoyed, though Leliana supposed she could simply be projecting how she thought he felt.
Solona crossed her arms, settling into her usual sarcastic, joking manner. "Cute."
There was no mistaking it – Leliana was sure that was an annoyed expression. "Your grasp of the obvious is remarkable."
"Just tell me." Exasperation colored Solona's tone.
Sten raised an eyebrow, displaying fine motor control Leliana was surprised he had. Though I suppose it's good he does, given he wields that massive blade… "I did." Leliana snorted a laugh, stifling it immediately by shoving her fist into her mouth. "Parshaara. Is there anything else?"
Solona put her hands at her side and shook her head. "I have no wish to go round in more circles with you."
"Very well. Let us go, then."
No one said anything else as Solona led them on, shaking her head as she went.
After a while, their surroundings began to change. A sometimes orange, sometimes red, fleshy substance clung to the walls, convulsing in the corners of the room. They ran into no more abominations, though they did find a possessed templar, who they unfortunately had to kill. It was that, or let the man run around with a demon controlling him.
Leliana didn't want to know what the fleshy material was, and neither did anyone else, apparently. Even the dog – a species known to eat its own feces – avoided it, one sniff when they first entered that floor enough for him.
All banter had died down, her companions singularly focused. She walked with her bow out, an arrow ready to be drawn within the span of a heartbeat. It appeared the only way to the next floor was through the main, central chamber.
"How much are you willing to bet there's a creepy monster-demon in there," Alistair asked Solona in a loud whisper.
Solona snorted in response. "I don't think I'm willing to take that bet, Alistair."
They opened the door that would take them to the room with the next staircase in it, weapons ready for any threat…
