Hey I hope you all didn't fret too much. Had to take a one night break. :P
Thank you to all who read and to Almostinsane who has been such a loyal reviewer!
Rated M for mature and here we get into semi-steamy bits. Not suitable for work.
Enjoy!
OoOoOo
Great. Just great. Here I am stuck going back to the one place in all of Theadas I was rather hoping to avoid. I am shooting angry glares at every single companion I have. Somehow, I am angry at them for making me go. It would appear that not going is not an option.
I am curious if this little boy Conner is really worth it. What? I think we have surmised by now that I am not much in the way of maternal instinct. If we looked at the big picture, how bad would it be exactly just to kill his hooker mother? Hm? Not bad at all. Alright so Arl Eamon might be a little saddened, but I am sure with time and a few wenches he would be right as rain. Also, Conner might cry for a bit, but hey, can't you feed him some line about the Maker's great plan?
Come on! I don't want to go to the Fading tower! I don't care if I am acting petulant, I don't want to go.
Unfortunately, my one or four attempts to sneak away in the middle of the night have been thwarted by Leliana. I keep forgetting that she is more than a pretty voice and an admittedly keen eye. Damn her. I think she is starting to not believe my 'I have to check the parameter' excuse.
The first time, I think I was convincing. Times two and three I think she was slightly amused. Last night however, she was more than a touch suspicious. I wonder why. She can't see the darkspawn when they are three feet in front of her. Oh No! But have one little mage try to leave in the middle of the night and she is worse than a guard at Aenor!
Yeah keep watching me you two-bit tavern bard. I sigh. I am not getting out of this. I am well aware of the fact as we crest the hill looking down over lake Calenhad. Sten is grumbling about mages being evil. I am still in ear shot you know. You giant evil owl-eyes. Alistair is looking very grim since we left.
Maker, please don't make me have to give him a pep talk again. Even Morrigan is unusually silent during the journey. That is most likely a direct result of me threatening to rip her hair out if she didn't shut up about the Tower. Yes, I get it already. You don't like any mage that allows themself to be 'caught' and 'trapped' in a 'gilded cage'. Well aren't you all kinds of snooty. Not all of us had powerful , whatever the fade she is, mothers that lured gaggles of Templars to their dooms. Yes. Shame on us!
I bet you would be chanting a different spell if Flemeth hadn't been your mother. Oh but that could never have been! You are Morrigan, Witch of the Wilds, Destroyer of dreams, and Wearer of little more than small clothes! I'm quaking in fear over here.
My ranting has left me ill-prepared to see Ser Carroll standing at the docks. Eh? What are you doing here? Aren't you normally running around the kitchen? Wait…was that you? No, maybe that was Ser Patrick. No. Ser Patrick is the one that watches Owain in the store room. So…what does Carroll do?
Oh. He's talking.
"You! You're not looking to get across to the tower are you?" Well that was the general idea. Normally, I don't just go walking up piers for no reason. You are new at this aren't you? Still it bothers me. What did you do at the Tower? "Because I have strict orders not to let anyone pass!" Oh well. We tried. Let's go back and kill Isolde! I hum a jaunty tune.
I really hate it when you look at me like that Alistair. I sigh again for the fifth time this hour. Fine. I'll talk to him.
"I am a Grey Warden and seek assistance of the mages." I raise a brow at Alistair. There? Happy now? And as for you, you little Templar pimple, I lived in that damn tower for most of my life. It's a close-knit community. We've met. Trust me.
"Oh a Grey Warden are you? Prove it!" what are you expecting me to do? Lift up my dress and show you my official 'Property of the Grey Wardens' seal? I snort in irritation. Oh, I am so going to get you, you lippy little mouse.
Glaring, I fish through my pack. "I have these documents here…" There. Proof that I am a Grey Warden. Now shut up and let us pass. Or better yet, you get to row the boat for us, walking has suddenly tired me considerably.
"Yes?" Yes. "Oh, a Grey Warden seal." No, it's the seal of king Maric's rotted manhood. Of course it's a damn Grey warden seal! That is what you asked for you little… "So you are claiming to be one of those." What have you been drinking man! What did you think we were discussing? Mating rights of the Quinari? "You know, I have some documents too. They say I'm the Queen of Antiva. What do you think of that?" That you are one ugly ass woman. That is exactly what I think.
"Aren't Queens female?" Though you might sound like one, you are obviously a male. Also, like I have already said, we've met you jackass.
"Don't question royalty!" Don't question my boot up your…Calm Solona. Calm down. You need this. You may not want it, but you need the help of the tower. Count back from 100. "Anyway it was nice chatting with you. Now on your way. Right now. Go." I know he did not just dismiss me! I know he did not just do that. You'll pay little man. You will pay.
"Can't we work something out?" My voice is honey and sweetness. He would never know the poison lurking beneath.
"That dark-eyed temptress over there…" Oh thank you so very much for taking the bait. Morrigan, remind me not to yell at you in the near future. "Surely the tower would be far too dull for her?" I thought Templars were supposed to be chaste? "Because it gets a little lonely out here sometimes… and you know, you could just leave her with me." Nice save. Really. No one suspects a thing.
"Oh excellent. I have been hoping for new prey." I just barely contain my bark of horrified laughter. You know what? There are times I actually appreciate you Morrigan. Her wolfish smile nearly has me breaking my mask of serenity.
"Prey?" Aww. His voice cracks just like it did a few years ago. Fond memories… wait. That's where I have seen him. He used to clean out the bathing quarters of the apprentices!
He has seen me naked! It was an accident, I think. I didn't hear him knock and when he had come in, cleaning instruments in hand, I had jumped out of the bath. Carroll had shrieked worse than me and I had just been interrupted during a private moment. Yeah; Morrigan can have him.
"Twill take but a moment. Perhaps you-" she nods at me and I nod back in return. A large smile is painting my face. "Should go aboard the vessel to prepare while we are away. We must row ourselves across." Make is quick but painless is not a necessity. "I fear the lad will no longer have use of his limbs…" Her eyes pursue him slowly "Or his eyes, once I am done with him." I do so love a good threat of bodily harm. The effect is immediate as Carroll nearly jumps out of his armor.
"Er…Maybe I should-" Yes you should. You really should.
"wonderful!" Morrigan exclaims "I can sense his terror! That will make the loving all the sweeter." She purrs at him and I have never seen a man look so close to passing out. Muwahaha I suddenly really want to speak with Morrigan on how a girl goes about soliciting such a response.
"You wanted to go across?" I am content to stay and watch this now. "Maybe we should go now." Oh no. Don't hurry on my account. I bet if you pleaded prettily enough, Morrigan would give you a ten second head start. Sounds like fun, I must say. "Right now…Now!" Well if you insist.
"Yes, Lets." I smile the whole way onto the boat, across the lake, and up until we get to the doors.
I should have been a witch of the wilds.
OoOoOo
Has the whole world gone to the Demons overnight? No? Then why is it that everywhere I go there is a problem? The treaties say nothing about having the Grey Wardens save them from every single problem known to man.
On the positive side, I left Morrigan with Carroll anyway. I don't think she will actually kill him, but as long as there are no witnesses, I don't think I will be terribly troubled. Hm. I'm a bad person aren't I? Well I am clearly not as evil as Greagoir! He sent for the right of annulment! Can you believe that sick bastard? Kill any living survivors just in case they might be abominations. Trust me, you can't miss an abomination. It's not like the thing is going to come waltzing out in a dress and a sun hat without anyone being the wiser.
"Well look whose back! A proper Grey Warden now. are we? Glad you're not dead." Being snide is so uncouth Ser. What? No 'burn the mage!' tapestries hanging in my honor? I'm hurt.
"You don't mean that." I can already feel myself getting angrier by the second. However, I also feel what is going on in the tower and as much as I would love to stand here and yell at the Knight-Commander, and I would truly love that, I don't have the time.
"Perhaps." Thanks, that makes me feel all warm and sweet inside. "Now, we are dealing with a situation that doesn't involve you, Grey Warden." That doesn't involve you Grey Warden. I mimic him in my head. You should like an idiot. Thought you should know.
"As a Grey Warden" I stressed my title long and slowly. Stuff it you bloody Andrastian. "I have a right to know what is happening." That's right. I pulled rank. How does it feel? Does it feel like your dreams are dying?
"I shall speak plainly." You can do that? "The tower is no longer under our control." Yeah. I guessed that. Thanks for the riveting piece of news there. "Abominations and demons stalk the tower halls." Oh. Maker's damn frozen whores! "We were too complacent. First Jowan, now this. Don't think I've forgotten your role in Jowan's escape." I cringe. I forgot about all of that. I glance nervously back at Alistair. Crap. He heard all of that. He he he. Don't look at the mage!
I hurried the conversation along. It would seem there was a horde of demons and abominations. A whole horde just for me? You shouldn't have. Also it would seem that there was some initial resistance from my fellow non-blood mages. There is a possibility that some are still alive.
Now I am not sure where the gargantuan surge of my courage comes from. A fierce burning pride in those that might have survived this is present in me. I quickly tell Greagoir to shut his old trap and that I will go rescue any survivors.
He might have said something about doors as I strode past him. I wasn't actually paying attention. I'm sure it will be fine.
There is a sound from further down the hall and there is a rage demon coming out of a barrier on a door. Then some old lady is killing it. Wait. Wynne!
"You! You've returned to the tower. Why did the Templars let you through? Are you hear to warn us?" Uh… not exactly…no. Wow. There are kids here too. This is awkward. I am just going to look past you now.
I settle for telling the truth in a time like this. "This is my home." True. "I care what happens to it!" …when there is a blight going on and I need some help with a possessed child. Otherwise it was all completely true!
She smiled at me just the same as when I would get a complex healing spell or the first time I mastered a glyph of warding. Oh Wynne! I really missed you. I can feel a real tear in my eye. How did you even live? But that is a question that I will have to wait to ask her. "I see you still care about the Circle and our tower." Um…sure! We can go with that. "Unfortunately the Circle is in grave danger." Really? The three dozen corpses or so that I passed just in the first two rooms did not give me that impression. I'm shocked! Shocked I say!
"I'm aware." That is the nicest thing I could think to say.
"I suppose the Templars would not let you in without warning you of the situation. The Templars have barred the doors-" I'm sorry what? I must have misheard that. "They will only open them if they intend to attack us." Self restraint is a foreign concept to these people isn't it? "Is that what is happening?"
You guessed it! I locked myself and the only other Grey Warden in all of Fereldan in a tower full of abominations and demons so that I could attack an old lady with several children! Now guess the rest of my plan. "No Wynne, don't worry the right of annulment hasn't arrived yet." Oops. I made one of the children cry. I'm sorry! Oh stop! Someone help me!
"They sent for it then." She hung her head and I felt like I should crack a joke, but thought better of it. She might still be tempted to kill me and blame it on abominations. "I had feared they might have." Well they aren't exactly known for their belief in the mages to resist dark magic. I mean, let us be practical for a moment, they are rather predictable people. They are part of an organization, they have rules and procedures. This really isn't a surprise. It would be rather bad if they let the land be overrun with blood magic.
No great camp fire stories if that happened! The scandal. Shoot. I missed something again.
"They abandoned us to our fate. Yet, even trapped as we are, we have survived. FI they invoke the Right, however, we will not be able to stand against them." well, that's too bad you aren't a Grey Warden then huh? Oh wait. Right. My fellow mages are going to be slaughtered like lambs. Get your head in the situation Solona!
"I'm going to rescue the survivors. I am going to kill the demons and abominations." I am doing that thing where I am speaking before I think. Drat. Well now it is out there.
"Have faith. Cullen might still yet live." Eh? Who said that? I quickly tore my gaze away from Wynne to look at the auburn-haired girl in the yellow mage's robe. What did you just say? This has nothing to do with Cullen. NOTHING! "I knew it. I knew you would come back for him if no one else!" Silence! I should strike you where you stand. They were lies! All poisonous lies!
"This is Cullen's mage?" A small human boy asked in awe. His what? I'm his what? No! I am not his mage! Where did you get that idea.
I am sputtering in my own head. That is not a good sign.
"Who is Cullen?" Alistair asks perplexed. Oh Andraste no! NO! I am not doing this again.
The little brat with braids on each side pipes in "He is her lover!" I am simply horrified. I want to cry out against this but it is all happening so fast.
"You didn't tell me you had a lover." He sounded a bit hurt.
"I-I- well it's not…" How does one explain this? Shouldn't we be killing blood mages?
"They are not actual lovers. Cullen is a templar here in the tower." Wynne spoke sagely. Oh thank goodness, a reprieve.
"A Templar?" I can feel the disbelief being directed at the back of my head. The embarrassment is like a white hot knife in my eye. Oh dear Maker….
"Star crossed lovers? Oh how dear it is!" Leliana you shut your mouth right now! "I heard such a tale as this. In fact it was just a few days before you arrived. A young man with dark hair was telling the story of his best friend and her undying love for someone she could never have." Dark hair? "He wore a long blue robe which was very unfashionable, but his shoes! They had to be the ugliest shoes I had ever seen! The poor man was drowning his sorrows saying that he had lost his love and left his best friend to near certain death." It couldn't be. Even the Maker could not hate me that much. "What was his name…Jacob, or Jowsan… oh I cannot think of it." Jowan….bloody hell! You bastard blood mage with an inability to hold your liquor! I will hunt you down. I will gut you like the pig you are and dance in your entrails!
"Jowan!" the same damn, perky for someone nearly killed, female mage states. "Yes. He was a blood mage that Solona-" Hey, I didn't know he was a blood mage. Look at me like that again and I will dangle you in front of a demon. Don't think I won't do it! "Helped escape from the tower. They were friends once. I heard that Solona begged the Grey Warden who conscripted her to bid farewell to Cullen, but the Warden refused."
No! That never happened! Stop! Stop it right now! A hand finds its way onto my shoulder.
"Don't worry." Oh fuck me; a reassuring squeeze from Alistair of all people! "I swear to you we will find him." I don't want to find him. I hope he's not dead, but I certainly don't want to find him.
"That is all well and good, but there are more pressing matters than the Warden's love life." Wynne hissed at us. Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I promise not to call you old ever again! "Now if you are here to kill abominations let me help you. " Deal! "I have erected a barrier over the door leading to the rest of the tower." Yes, it's very nice, let's go kill things! "So nothing from inside could attack the children." Uh… hate to break this to you, but I saw the demon that made its way through the barrier…"You will not be able to enter the tower as long as the barrier holds." Ok… then take down the barrier. What are you waiting for? Get me the fade away from these people! I agree to save the circle, I already promised that once, now get your backside into the ranks and move.
Dear Maker, wondrous and caring god that you are, please let Meghan be a blood mage so that I may slaughter her. Blessed be your creation. Amen.
I ordered Sten and Dog to stay behind and I would take Alistair, Leliana, and Wynne with me. I also ordered him not to cut out the children's tongues as that was not a custom in Fereldan. I then told Dog not to let Sten hurt the children. Both were under explicit orders to kill any demons, blood mages, or abominations.
Then Wynne and I stood in front of the barrier and I swear she was trying to get me to compliment her. Enough already! We are suitably impressed that you 'saved the children' no matter how 'tiring' it was for you. I thought you wanted me to spare as many people as possible. How am I to do that when you hold me up and force me to chit-chat with you?
Not even eight steps in and we find a throng of the very abominations and hunger demons that I was warned about. Oh well it is time to glyph. Which, I must say, is extremely useful. I don't know why people keep raving about being primal mages or entropy mages. Really, the best mage, in my humble opinion, is being the creation mage. I have to say that I am the cream of the crop!
But I digress. We are scouring the floors room by room. This system seems to work really well for us. With the exception of finding one of my fellow 'brave' mages hiding in a closet. Way to go buddy, no one will ever think mages cowards for that! All this magic at our finger –tips; but behold the amazing hiding abilities! Move over rogues…
Wave after wave, room after room, and potion after potion we continue on. I have found that many of my 'once upon a time' friends were blood mages. It stings more than I thought it would. I shouldn't be surprised. It was very unlikely that all of my friends would be among the innocents.
I have never had to kill a friend before, but I do. I think I have found a respect for the Templar's inner strength. What they must have felt when each of us failed during a harrowing. How they must have felt to see their friends die around them.
My hand trembles as I slay the first of my childhood friends. I am so sorry Simon and may the fade welcome you with grace. There are so many dead. I look around helplessly at all of the corpses of my old life. I'm not even angry about what has happened. I don't think I have let this sink in enough. Right now, all I can manage is sadness.
A dull sort of throbbing is building in my heart. This is horrible. A feeling like this, I have only ever felt at Ostagar. This quest becomes a haze of healing alongside Wynne. We don't speak because there is no need. My home has been ravaged. How does one describe that?
I have never spent much time paying attention to the magic of those around me. Morrigan was a brash sort of energy. Yet, with Wynne so close to me and Alistair fighting in the front, Leliana alternating between her bow and a pair of daggers, I pay attention.
Wynne and I are very similar. Our magic is soft and strong. It feels heavy and hard to wrap my spells with. We are grieving I know. I'm just not certain of everything I am grieving.
OoOoOo
There is a God. I truly will be a devout Andrastian from this moment on. Meghan is a blood mage. I ask Leliana for her dagger. She gives it to me with sadness in her gaze, she tells me to 'be strong'. Oh I will be. Aww. She is begging for her life. Meghan starts going on and on about how the Templars 'were always watching' and how even Andraste 'had to fight for what she believed'. Whatever. I really just want to kill you.
Wynne tells her that nothing was worth what they have done to this place. Oh I don't know. I rather like this part of the turn of events.
"Ask the Maker for forgiveness blood mage. You shall find none with me." I plunge the dagger into her heart. Oh sweet revenge. Ew! She is bleeding on me. This has brought me out of my grief. A bright spot amidst the darkness!
It was enough to keep me going, up until we met Sloth. I have to say, he seemed much better in bear form. A form I still think he should have taught me. Bastard!
Why am I at a crumbling ruin? I pinch the bridge of my nose. This is utter horseshit! At least do me the common courtesy of picking a good illusion! As I walk the length of the road I am on I spy Duncan waiting for me. Random Warden A is even to his right as well as some other Warden. Oh come on. How stupid do you think I am? Wait. Don't answer that.
I walk up to the illusion and waste no time in pointing out that this is a load of hogwash and I demand to be let out of here. The fake Duncan calls me ungrateful. Ungrateful! Oh suck on my staff you sissy demon. Taste's good doesn't it!
Ok…the random pedestal surrounding by a travel glyph seems a bit convenient…but whatever. Nothing about this 'dream' has made sense anyway.
Well I found Niall. He told me all about the litany and I can't believe that as paranoid as Greagoir and Irving are, that they never thought of memorizing something as important as an anti-blood mage spell. Why the fade didn't they? Ugh! Fine. I don't care just tell me what is going on so I can leave.
If I understand you correctly, all I have to do is fight five demons that are holding the barrier around the most powerful demon in this realm, Sloth. Oh is that all?
OoOoOo
I have been a mouse, a burning man, an arcane creature, and a fade golem. AWSOME! I have to admit that I have become lost on a great number of occasions, but somehow I seem to keep finding all of these random rooms that have totems that make me feel stronger, smarter, and more willful and so forth. It's almost like this place was designed to make me a better person. Too odd.
Also, demons must think that we mages are messed-up people! We do not go around just stating we are going to kill each other…uh…well….unless someone started a rumor about us then maybe. But we certainly don't just start fighting without warning…um…unless; you know….someone started a rumor. Never mind. I don't want to talk about that anymore.
I have run all over this fade in order to find those damn demons. Talk about a pain in the ass! There was this one area where every portal I went to, jumped me to a completely different area and I couldn't get back or go to the place I need too. It took me about fifteen minutes just to figure out how not to get lost.
Also, I have to give credit to sloth. For a demon that I know firsthand to be very lazy, he does amazingly well at making it necessary to have all four forms just to break into the center of the fade. A freaking genius at making someone waste their time!
However, that being said, the worst part was fishing everyone out from their individual dreams. Have you ever had to give someone the 'this isn't real' speech? I have. Four times! It is very hard to have to tell someone that what seems like reality to them isn't. A bit more satisfying when you end up angering the demon just enough from them to transform and scare the daylights out of your companion. Ha! I mean… tragic.
As an added bonus though, I found out that Alistair has a sister named Goldanna. I have no idea when he plans on telling me about her, but I'll wait. I did find out a bit more about my party members though. Wynne's was predictably worrying that she failed the children. It was really sweet because not too long ago I was among that group for her. I feel sort of special knowing that had I still been in the tower when this happened, she would have guarded me just as fiercely. I love you Wynne.
Leliana, didn't remember me! I was stung for a bit. I must say that having to argue with her in front of a demon who has taken the shape of a revered Mother…You want to talk about double meanings!...was ironic in a way. Also I had to use her 'vision' in order for her to see reason.
I had to argue with a chantry nut about her faith. It made me feel dirty. So very dirty…
Then I got to watch all of them get pulled out of their dreams while I, the one who freed them, had to walk my ass to the center. Then we fought the sloth demon! The bastard packs a wallop! Holy Maker's nipple! I hate being forced onto my back with magic. I got blasted with fire, and arcane spells. He really did not like me healing my party members. He targeted Wynne for a bit before Alistair pulled himself together and taunted the demon to attack him. Soon it was finished. I landed the killing blow with a well placed hit from my staff.
I am a magical goddess!
It felt a little odd raiding Niall's body for the litany…and his money…
I am getting very tired of having to fight so many demons and the random abomination here or there. I curse the architecture of this tower a thousand more times as we trudge through and fight the latest group of demons that have sprung up out of the very floor. Where were they hiding? In the mortar?
Then the next door holds the worst surprise ever….
Cullen…in some sort of pink cage I have never seen the like of…
"This trick again?" Excuse me? "I know what you are!" Uh..A mage, a Grey Warden, a human, and a woman. Yeah that just about sums it up. "It won't work. I will stay strong…" I look at my companions. Did I miss something? Can't we just sneak past him and keep going? This is all a dream! Yes. I am an illusion! Oh angry look from Wynne. I sigh.
"Cullen? Don't you recognize me?" There. Nice and neutral. Now Wynne you can tell everyone that I did not start professing undying love for him.
I got a reply that made my heart stop. "Only too well…how far they must have delved into my thoughts…" …W-w-what? What are you saying?
Wynne says that he is exhausted. I see that thank you! Now be quiet, I want an explanation!
"Enough visions! If anything gin you is human…" Well I'm all human if that helps. What did you need? "Kill me now and end this game!" Uh…I'm not really comfortable with doing that. Maybe we could discuss this after the tower is freed? Or never! I will make a date for never. "You broke the others-" Whoa! I didn't break anybody! "But I will stay strong, for my sake… for theirs!" Oh you poor thing. Sweetie…the others are dead. Not broken. "Sifting through my thoughts…tempting me with the one thing I always wanted…but could never have!"
…..
…..
I think I might still be in the grasp of the Sloth demon. Perhaps, I have fallen in battle and am awaiting healing. Or I even could be already dead at Ostagar and am actually trapped in the black city. I must be, because I thought for a moment there that Cullen, Ser Cullen; the Templar that had told me he didn't even like me not three months ago, just said that he wanted me. That he always wanted me.
I must have missed something. Do the words 'I don't like you in that manner', not mean what I think they mean? The last time I checked it was exactly how it sounded. The world must be ending or I am delirious with fever because I actually just felt my heart skip a beat at his confession.
Oh Dear Maker. I think I have just developed a templar-crush on Cullen. The room is spinning.
"Using my shame against me." You are killing the feeling here Cullen. "My ill-advised infatuation with her…a mage of all things…" I really have the worst timing! I didn't even like you when I set foot in this tower. I spent twelve seconds talking with you and fell just a little bit for you because you said something so damn sweet. Now, I am feeling slightly crushed that you seem to hate everything mage right now.
Not without good reason, I grant you. Curse you Maker! Leliana now has glazed eyes and I can almost hear the ballad about us she is composing. If you sing so much as one bloody note, I will let Dog use your tent as his own personal dumping ground!
"I am so tired of these cruel jokes! These tricks…these…" He is sobbing now and I can't help myself. Whatever just transpired here makes me reach out to soothe him.
"This is no trick." My voice feels thick. I feel sick at what he must have gone through. "We are here to help." Also, have I mentioned that I always thought you were rather sweet? Like a puppy. You know, he not unattractive…
Amell! The man is stuck in a cage and nearly insane! Now is not the time to start getting misty-eyed because he is the first man to say he likes you!
"Silence!" Hey! Don't yell at me! "I'll not listen to anything you say. Now be gone." Damn. I forgot he still thinks this is an illusion. "Still here? But that has always worked before! I close my eyes, but you are still here when I open them!"
Well…of course. Wow… I have no idea what to do about this now…
"I am real, and I am here to help you." That is all I can think of to say. It wouldn't be proper to suddenly burst out with 'Hey do you still like me even though you are surrounded by the bodies of your dead comrades? Because if you do, I think I might have started to like you just now. So do you want to court me?' Yeah. That would go great.
He seems angrier that I am not a trick of the mind! "The Maker knows my sin and I pray he will forgive me."
"There is nothing wrong with liking someone." I fidget with my hands. Did the daft man forget that I am supposedly brimming over with some sort of legendary love for him? I'm uncomfortable because I have to do this in front of Wynne and two people I hardly know.
"It was the foolish fancy of a naive boy. I know better now." Ouch. Doesn't that seem just a tad harsh? You know what? I don't like you either. Jerk. You can stay in your magic cage. "Why have you returned to the tower?" Is it truly that surprising that I would come back? Alright you caught me…I wouldn't have come back but I didn't have a choice. "How have you survived?" The usual way. I and my might fellow warriors killed everything in our path.
"I defeated everything on my way, now its Uldred's turn." Oh I am going to skin the bald bastard when I find him.
I don't bother listening to this anymore. I call my group to continue onward and Cullen is shouting at me that I have doomed us all. Bah! I know what I am doing. Wynne thanks me for seeing reason and saving the mages. Alistair says that I am brave.
I'm not brave. I am pissed off! I'm going bastard hunting…and no it doesn't involve Alistair.
That sneaky bastard Uldred is torturing the mages and I watch with suppressed fury as he turns one of them into an abomination. I clear my throat to gain his attention.
"Ah. I remember you." Yeah, I get that a lot. "Irving's star pupil. Uldred didn't think much of you then, and I certainly don't see your appeal now." Talking in third person? Just when I thought you couldn't get anymore creepy. You sick son of a bitch! I am going to kill you slowly!
"I'll just kill you. How appealing is that?" I growl and I impress even myself. I truly sound like I am going to take him apart cell by cell.
"Fight if you must! It will just make my victory all the sweeter!" He mocked at me. Well I'll tell you what. I bet my staff is going to taste good when I feed it to you.
"Don't forget the Litany. It will thwart Uldred's attempts to control the mages." Wynne whispers behind me. Hey, good call. I had forgotten about it for a moment while I was talking big. Now it is time to back up my words. "And win this fight for us." Well as long as we all understand the plan…
JUST HELP ME KILL HIM ALREADY!
He morphed into some hideous beast. I think it was pride again. Two abominations are trying to flank us and I, the creation mage, in an astounding display of stupidity decide to head into the fray. I'm glyphing as fast and as strongly as I can manage. Lyrium potions grace my lips several times as I continue to cast and throw in a arcane bolt or two. My staff is in constant use and I find borrowing against its power to be helpful.
Wynne! I know he's doing something to the mages. Give me one moment to catch my breath! I chant the litany over and over. I watched in mild amazement as the swirling magic around the mages dissipated.
I managed to paralyze the bastard and watched in satisfaction as Alistair cut him from stomach to sternum. Take that you power hungry monster! I rush to Irving as soon as I am sure that Uldred is actually slain.
"Maker…I'm too old for this." You're too old! I'm too damn young to be doing half of this crap! Suck it up man!
"Irving are you alright?" Hello? I just jumped head long into battle and you are asking the guy that sat on the sidelines the whole time?
I get no respect.
"I've been better." Oh go to the Fade. We have the right of annulment to beat out. "But I am thankful to be alive." Hm…you are welcome. Now give me my mages for battle! Also one or two for a possessed child. Thanks. "I suppose that is your doing. Isn't it?" You could say that. He tells me the Circle owes me a debt. Well what a coincidence! I just so happen to have a way for you to repay that debt. He tells me to guide him down the stairs. We both curse whoever insisted the circle be housed in a tower.
Thirty agonizingly slow minutes later we are waltzing through the doors. Greagoir looks surprised. Go off and die you jackass. I promised I would a save them and I have. Must everyone really look so damn surprised all the time?
Yes, exchange your pleasantries. Yes, the tower is fine and restored could we get back to the demon boy now?
"Uldred tortured these mages, hoping to break their wills and turn them into abominations. We don't know how many have turned."
"What?" I agree Irving, what the hell is he saying? Those that have survived are not blood mages or abominations! There is a stark difference between the two you know. Are any of them trying to rip off your face? No? Then they are normal mages. "Don't be ridiculous!" Yeah! What he said!
"Of course he'll say that! He might be a blood mage!" Irving? You are cracked in the head man! "Don't you know what they did?" Decorate the halls in a new 'charred corpse' motif? "I won't let this happen again!" Well it won't because we already killed all the blood mages. Oh logic. How I adore thee.
I steer the conversation away by using my Grey Warden authority. The first time it has been ever remotely helpful. "The tower has been restored to order." All eyes swing to me and Greagoir nods.
"We have won back the tower." We? What is this 'we' business? You didn't do anything except fail to bar me from entering. I must not attack the Knight-Commander. I must not attack the Knight-Commander! Even if he deserves it. "I will accept Irving's assurance that all is well." How kind of you…
"But they may have demons within them! Lying dormant. Lying in wait!" No! That isn't how this works. If we are taken over it is rather obvious unless your will is weak and the demon tricks you. Either way, you can't fool them all and no one here is possessed by demons.
Now at Redcliffe…
I head over to Irving after Greagoir tells me that his primary duty now is to watch the mages. Liar! You promised me aid! I turn on Irving and demand help on both the counts I have come for. One for help against the blight, and the other for Conner. He agrees to both, which was smart of him.
Then I heard the second worst conversation of my life. It was between Alistair and Cullen.
"I can't imagine what you went through." Alistair stop right now. He just got out of the cage.
"No. You really can't." Hey, no need to be a dick about it. "They caged us like animals, looked for ways to break us." He glares at me. Me!
"Not all mages are evil my friend." Maker! Alistair just come over here so we can leave! "Take Solona for instance. She braved this whole tower just to save the innocent. If she hadn't have come by, you would be dead." That was very intelligent and thought out of you!
"I wish she had let me die." Um… I'm going to go over by Wynne now.
Leliana…why are you going over to Cullen? Get back here! "Never say that! The Maker has a plan for you!"
"What plan could involve having me watch my brethren die?" Cullen bit back at her.
"What plan would involve our warden suddenly having to come all the way here at the exact time that you were being tortured? Why I would almost say it was divine intervention!" Whoa… laying it on a bit thick there aren't you Leliana?
"Divine intervention?" Cullen is asking her like she is stupid…well she is crazy, not stupid. "Hardly."
"Then what about love?" Meh? What are you prattling on abo-… Oh no! No!
"Love?" Yes, sneer Cullen. Sneer with all your might!
"She was looking for you, you know. A woman knows these things." No, I wasn't! You know nothing! "Even the other mages believed that Solona would come back if only just to save you. " They might have believed that, but what in the name of all that is holy do you think you are doing?
Cullen, don't look over at me. Quick! Look at Irving! I don't want to get caught watching the conversation. I need to tactfully get Leliana over here without arousing suspicion. "Leliana!" She turned toward me. "I need your help with …something." I cringe again. I really need to work on my excuses. Come closer my pretty.
I yanked her down toward the door. "I need your help picking out the best route to make our return trip." I furiously dug out the map and she and I spent a few minutes debating the correct route. I called for Alistair, Sten, and Dog. "Time to head out!" Wynne informed me that she would be joining us. I was relieved. It will be a bit easier with a familiar face. I turn around ready to get out of here. I don't bother to look behind me.
I hear the clinking of armor behind me as we walk forward and out the door. I am free from this accursed tower one again! No more rumors! Almost everyone that heard them is dead….sad…but YAY! I stumbled as I tried to jam the map back into my bag. An armored hand catches me and I turn to smile at Alistair.
Only to find myself staring into Cullen's face.
I nervously leap from his touch and find my other Templar whistling a jaunty tune. I murmer an thanks and grabbed Alistair. I waved the others forward without me.
"What is Cullen doing out of the tower?" I hissed at Alistair. His eyes went comically wide.
"Oh…um…I didn't mention?" He looked about frantically. I felt my magic crackle.
"Mention….mention what?" What did you do? What insanely stupid thing am I going to have to kill you for?
"Well I didn't think it right to leave him in that tower…after everything that just happened. Also, to have survived he must be very strong…" I nod. Dread is pooling in my stomach. "And I knew there wasn't any way to have him leave the tower under the authorization of the Chantry, so I…uh…." The others are climbing into the boat.
"What? What did you do?" My voice is deathly calm.
"I conscripted him."
YOU BASTARD!
