A/N: So with christmas coming soon, my workload has increased... sorry to say but i am behind on typing up my story. Next week you will get your two chappies as per usual.

For this week have a nice extra long one to bridge you over.

I am also proud to announce... (drumroll) after this chap we have finally left the game canon of DAO and DLC's behind us.

What will follow? Some sciency nerdy stuff, some world domination planning and setting sails for the City of Chains!

THX btw for the lovely reviews i keep getting, it's nice to be appreciated = D

Presenting: A successful Witch Hunt (in 2D, hope you have your 2D glasses on hand)

The Templars were gracious enough hosts. They gave me guest quarters on the upper floor, even though half the towers beds were in fact empty.

I have always wondered how the mages could get cabin fever in a structure this large but now…

You never really understand how a building can become a prison unless you start living in one. The only time you see the outside is the tiny bit of sky through impossibly high up windows. The Tevinter architecture, while impressive from the outside, was depressive from the inside.

Additionally the Templars are always watching. It is very, very uncomfortable to be stared at by groups of armored up Templars. It is no wonder mages get anxiety issues and try to rebel.

I managed to ignore most of the people around me and focused on the library. Within the time of 3 days I finished 12 books.

Much of the chantry censored stuff was horribly incorrect. As I read, book after book, I developed a sincere hatred for the religious censure going on in here.

Lock everyone up and tell everyone on the outside what a horrible bunch of people live in the tower. It was isolation and subtle brainwashing at its finest. No wonder this system would collapse soon.

The chantry just put all the undesirables in tight places and pretends it's to save the mages from themselves. Their guards are indoctrinated, substance addicts with pointy weapons and bucket helmets that believe they can do no wrong. To top it off, instead of educating the masses, most people are discouraged from learning or researching anything about magic, making it the dangerous unknown.

Humans are really hopeless, this is as bad as my former world's middle age. What these people needed was an age of enlightenment and to stop thinking in black and white.

But I digress, it was not long until Neria and Lysas came to find me once again. Of course these young apprentices would appreciate any new knowledge from the outside world. There is only so much you can learn from books, after all.

I decided to indulge their curiosity and I cannot deny that I gained experience and pleasure from teaching others as well... Anyway… where Theron felt like a younger brother figure to me, both of them seemed more like… children.

They just felt so much younger, as they were sheltered most of their lives. I admit the recent outbreak of demons and abominations may have increased their maturity just a little, but overall they retained their childish naiveté about the world.

After a couple of lectures on magical theory, barriers and Veilfire glyphs I decided to tell them about our research on the Eluvian.

Predictably they were both very excited. Lysas had this starry eyed gaze whenever I talked about elvhen magic or artifacts and Neria was overcome by the possible uses and went into a rant.

It was most amusing to watch.

Sometimes I left them to their devices and took some of my books to my room. There I set a ward on my door and jumped up to one of the high up windowsills to read in peace and with a nice view of the lake outside.

After 10 days in the tower I had my own little class.

The senior mages noticed me giving lectures to the two goofball apprentices. They decided I was good enough to take over some classes, after all they were pretty low on staff.

I cannot blame them either. I got free board, food and books so I guess it was fair of me to pitch in. Neria and Lysas were a bit put out by not being my exclusive students anymore so I let them in on my little big secret.

One of them in any case.

"Listen up you two." I started after I triple warded my room.

"You two have some serious potential, both as people and as mages. And if there is one thing I hate its wasted potential. After all I am friends with Diligence and Ambition."

Oh yes, they knew about my Spirit friends, I introduced them just recently.

"I have really big plans for a lot of people, but I need a few choice agents to help me. You cannot win a game of chess with only a King and Queen you need support." I couldn't help going halfway into lecture mode, it's a thing with me.

"Wait a sec. Are you calling us Pawns?" Lysas said grumpily. Neria pouted and nodded.
"No Dalen I am more thinking of Bishops in your case, but you are missing two points. Neria, think, what is he missing."
Neria liked a challenge and she was excellent in logical thinking and strategizing despite her temper.

"You are asking for our support, also you value all the pieces as a whole. Even had you referred to us as Pawns you would still find that extraordinarily helpful." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Well done." I nodded with a smile. 13 days. It took me only 13 days to break them out of chantry and circle indoctrination.

"Okay so you wish for our help." Lysas looked more engaged. "With what?"
"Now you are asking the right question?" I grinned at him.

"Come on tell us, tell us, tell us." Neria was practically bouncing in her seat.
"That's the plan." I waited for both of them to calm down a little.

"Hold on to your seats. I am trying to rebuild an independent elvhen nation."

There I said it.

If this was a cartoon their faces would have fallen off and onto the floor.
"But... but the Exalted March….!" Lysas was close to hyperventilating.
"Calm down Lysas. If you continue like this you will fall unconscious." He took some deep breaths while Neria started grinning from ear to ear.

Rebellion and Chantry Heresy was right up her alley and forming an independent nation right under everyone's noses was a glorious idea to her.

"It will start out small. A few Dalish clans and City elves to start out a colony. A few eyes and ears in different countries and cities. A school for children and young adults to get a good education. I would need to reactivate the Eluvian network too." I paused here.

"Wow." Neria added profoundly. "That sounds soooo incredible. I am in."
"Neria! You can't just sign up like that. Think first!" Lysas shouted at her.
"Lysas! You need to think. A place free of oppression and full of possibility. Think, Lysas, we could have our own home and we could learn or even teach. See the world and experience it with our own eyes. Free." She got a faraway look in her eyes.
"Outside of the circle, hmhm." He grumbled in thought.

"Ah yes, now that you mention that point. I will get you out of here. First though I will need to pay a visit to the depository in Denerim."
Lysas looked at me. I met is gaze.

"If you are serious. Really serious, then… I will help you. I expect you to keep to your side of the promise."
"I will. One word of warning though, it will take some time. This is a plan for the next 10 years. Of course your freedom is planned for the next year. You will need to learn some magic for it as well and be on your best behavior until that critical moment comes."

Silence filled the room, it was almost tangible. I walked slightly away turning my back to them. They were young and slightly over enthusiastic. I could not ask them to commit to such a harebrained idea just like that.

"You know what Lysas is right. Do not commit yet, take your time to really contemplate the issue. Tell me your choice when I next return to this circle."

I made them leave right after that and collapsed on my bed.

Thinking about my plan in a theoretical way made it seem simple and logical. My step by step approach of it made sense. If I said it aloud, it seemed more real. The more people know the more it becomes an actual thing, with expectations and deadlines.

I will have live up to my own proclamations now. No going back.

The next morning it was time for me to leave.

A whole crowd of kids and youngsters were assembled at the exit of the tower to wish me well or ask me to stay.

"I will be back. No tears okay. Keep up the good work, stay studious." I gave all of them stern glances but could not keep it up for long and broke down into a smile. The little ones grow on you after a while.

I turned to Lysas and Neria and gave both of them significant looks.

Lastly I turned to Knight Commander Gregoir and Senior Enchanter Irving.

"Thank you for your hospitability." I gave them a nod in place of a bow.

Outside I took a nice long look at Lake Calenhad.

The sun was just rising and colored the water and the surrounding hills a vibrant orange. Once I reached the shore I gave the tower a last glance and went into the woods. With a leap I let go of my elven form and landed on four paws.

My wolf howled reveling in the regained freedom. The rest of the day I spent running south and west along the coastal glens. At some point in the afternoon I took a break and appreciated the view of the cliffs, houses and the castle of Redcliff village.

It took me the entire evening and sundown to circumvent the town, but I finally managed to reach the Frostback Mountains when the moon was out.

I took only a short nap to rest my body. When the end of the night approached I shook the sleep from my mind and hunted down the scent of my group.

The scent of Grey wardens was very distinct. They still smelled like regular people but they carried the bitter and metallic scent of the Blight with them.

Eventually I found a trace of their scents. From that point forward it was easy to catch up with the squad. I almost ran them over when I jumped over a low ridge right into their camp.

Ariane and Theron both had their weapons out and pointed at me. Finn whimpered having been woken by the sound of drawn swords. I turned back into my elvhen form and raised my eyebrows in a challenging manner.

The three travelers stared up at me blinking sleepily, then Theron started laughing.

Ariane looked startled but caught herself quickly.

"Very impressive, even though I do not appreciate your choice of shape."
"This does explain certain behavioral quirks of yours, Hahren."

Theron sheathed his daggers. I chuckled.

"Has your trip to Brecilian been successful?" Ariane nodded and Finn waved a mirror shard around.

"Careful with that shem!" Ariane barked out.

"Cadash Thaig is just a few miles north from here. There will be Darkspawn, Blight or no. Get rest, recover your strength and focus. You will need it." Theron announced before he sat back down on his bedroll. I joined their camp and allowed myself a few more hours of rest.

The next day we reached the entrance of the Cave dwelling just before noon.

Underground the air got heavier and the light faded behind us as we walked further inwards. I decided to err on the side of caution and concentrated on my wolf senses.

The smell of dirt, decay and Blight hit me hard. When I adjusted to it I could also make out faint traces of greenery ahead. Small drops fell on stones and into pools filling my ears with the ringing of echoing pitter patters.

"I can smell the Blight ahead, as well as plant life." I mentioned in passing.
"Ah yes, the ceiling collapsed in some places. The sunlight and the rain helped the vegetation regain some foothold." Theron answered the non-question.

"How did you know?" Ariane got curious.
"I smelled it." I replied.
"Is your sense of smell at all related to your shapeshifting form?" she asked.

"Yes, in part. Some characteristics bleed over into my personality. I have a certain amount of Pack mentality, I love the outdoors. I am a relentless hunter and also have a superior sense of smell."

"That sounds amazing. And do you have a fixed form or can you change into anything? How does it work? It is very old magic right?" despite his shy nature Finn came closer to listen in.

"It is old magic, yes, but everyone could learn to do it. Also, one can attain any form as long as you study it enough. There will always be two or three forms that come to you more naturally. They will be more comfortable because they match your temperament or your personality in some way."

"So you are like a wolf in personality. You know about the wolf of Dalish legends, I assume?"
Ariane asked carefully.

"Ah, yes, the Rebel wolf, Fen'Harel. I believe he is a seriously misunderstood figure of your past. Aside from Dalish prejudices though, yes, I am like a wolf in many ways.
I am protective of my family and friends and children in general, but I am slow to trust a stranger. I also love my freedom.
I was taught not only how to become a wolf, but also how to be a wolf. When you do it right, shifting becomes an experience not a simple matter of magic shape change."

Finn was taking notes in a little notebook. Ariane looked ahead and contemplated my words. I walked up ahead to Theron for a while.

"Who taught you if I may ask?" Finn asked me his first direct question. It seems his curiosity finally overcame his meek personality.
"My mother. She was a forest spirit, which occasionally took the form of a wolf."

"Was?" his question made me remember all I had tried to leave behind, but sadness caught up with me again in that moment. I had my time to grief, but the sadness will likely always stay.

"She passed away. Physically at least. She was a spirit, so in death she returned to her former state and is now part of the forest once more. My mother now is the entire Brecilian forest."
"I am sorry I…" he stuttered.

"Enough. Let it be." I said in a low voice. He better not push this topic. I will allow myself to get angry if he does.

"We all have our scars. Let's leave them behind us and focus on the task at hand." Theron interjected.

"Understood Commander." I acknowledged. Finn fell silent, reprimanded enough.

As if fate decided to interrupt our moping it threw some Darkspawn at us.

Our group was immediately up in arms the moment we heard the screams. "Shrieks!" Theron shouted.

For the slightest moment my modern mind went into panic mode. This was the actual first time I would go up against a fantasy monster.

Then, the moment my hands went to my shorts words it disappeared. Muscle memory took over and I sliced and diced my way through several of the twisted versions of my former brethren.

I dashed past Theron, giving him the chance to go into long range archer mode. My body met another group of opponents with twirling, piercing and stabbing blades in hand.

During the fight I carefully avoided any splatters of blighted blood.

When all was done my blighters were in tiny pieces, Theron's looked like pincushions and there were smoldering pieces of flesh around Finn and Ariane.
Without a word Theron reassumed the lead.

"Right this seems to be a good spot to start." Finn announced with fake confidence.
"Start with what?" Ariane ask.

"Well finding the … uh Lights of Arlathan. I have been going over my old notes and…"
"It is pronounced Ar'LATH'An, not Ar'lath'AN." I interjected dryly.

"Right how do we find them?" Ariane brought us back on track.
"Well according to my footnotes they have been warded away from unworthy eyes. My guess is that this was done to protect ancient elven relics from the Tevinters. Only the blood of uh Arlathan would guide the way."

"I am guessing we count as unworthy too huh?" Theron asked.
"Yes unfortunately." Finn shrugged. "However, since you all are of elven origin we could use some drops of your blood to detect the relic's position." Ariane hissed in consternation.

"Is this anything like bloodmagic?" Theron was cautious.

"No commander. Well not really. It is close enough that I would appreciate not reporting it."

"Fair enough." The commander shrugged in indifference and held out his hand.

"No commander, not yours. I am sorry but it is too tainted." He looked apologetic enough.

"Fine then." Theron looked at me.

With a sigh of resignation I held out a hand.

Finn made a shallow cut on my palm and mumbled what I understood to be a thanks.

I tried to feel the rhythm of his magic, the flow of his spell. It harmonized ever so briefly with ancient ambient magic I had not detected until now. His spell amplified his aura and sent it out across the surrounding area. My blood was used like a blueprint of what the spell should look for. It worked rather like a magical sonar. It was interesting, I will certainly try it out given the chance.

20 meters to our right a pillar of light erupted from the ground and then gathered into a tiny floating sphere.

"There! That will show us the way." Finn was breathing harder from his exertion.

"Good job Finn!" Theron praised and the mageling practically glowed in response.

"Right. Let's follow the floating lights. The book never mentioned those." He muttered almost as an aside to himself.

Once we managed to cross over 2 enormous bridges we found ourselves in a miniature dwarven city. I could appreciate the finer stone carvings surrounding us. I was also not alone in that assessment. Finn started raving over the marvelous masonry and would only stop when Ariane or Theron interrupted him.

The pillars of magical light summoned wisps as guidance for our quest. Being led around by wisps was something I was familiar with. The little light wove through the underground city and we followed as best we could.

The emptiness of the streets was eerie. Theron drew his weapons the moment he spied lit torches. Normally these would not stand out much, but in a deserted city…

"Darkspawn ahead." He murmured to the group. We all got ready for combat.

The first group to ambush us was in fact not comprised of darkspawn, but deepstalkers. These tiny little dinosaur lookalikes started spitting a foul smelling acid at us. With my level of agility the creatures were more annoying than dangerous. Nonetheless I had been trained to focus on every battle, no matter how inconsequential it may be.

Our guiding wisp led us past 2 more darkspawn camps until it finally stopped in a corner between 3 pillars. Finn stumbled forward and redid his sonar spell to illuminate a lamp like structure.
Before we had any time to properly look at the artifact a guardian spirit appeared and started to attack us.

Urgh! I felt so stupid! I should have seen this coming.

"Stop, guardian. We mean no harm. We came seeking the guidance of the lights of Arlathan. Be calm." I put as much serenity and authority into my voice as I could muster in this surrounding.

Reacting to my words the spirit put his weapon down and stared at me in silent reverie.
He did not reply whatsoever. He must have been a spirit for too long to retain his individual self. I shuddered at the thought that this could have been me, if Hope had not rescued me.
I wish I could help them, but I was no pure spirit.

"What did you say to it?" Ariane stared at me incomprehensibly. I had never spoken fluent Elvhen in front of her before. Theron had an impressed look in his eyes. He had learned enough to understand what I had said.

"I did not even understand half of what you said and I studied Elvhen dialects." Finn added self-importantly.

"I am older than I look." I refused to say more on the subject. At least for the moment.
Quickly I bend down to pick up the lamp and the proceeded to stalk off in the direction of the next waypoint.

Every lamp was the same. I felt sadder each moment I spent with the specters.

My aura picked up on the fragments which were left from their former lives. One of them had enough coherence to greet me and bow in acceptance of my authority.

When we had all 4 lanterns I turned towards the general direction of the city. With a hand over my heart I bowed my head in respect.

"May you find peace in the beyond, brothers and sisters. You have certainly earned it."

Finn was happy to lead us onward. Our next stop would be an open area where he could perform the scrying spell. Thankfully there were a lot of open spaces around.
He warned us that his next spell will likely tear the Veil in this place. This will be enough for creatures to come through. In preparation we surrounded the mageling in a triangle formation and readied our weapons.

The moment he started his spell Shades appeared. Despite their sluggish movements they are hard to defeat. Creatures of the Fade are relatively resistant to magic and when hit by swords they did not take much physical damage either. These creatures possessed leathery skin that redirected heavy blows. My best option in combat was to pierce their faces through.

They came in waves of 5 to 7, every time Finn's spell picked up another wave of magic from the lamps.
After 4 waves Ariane was heaving and even Theron breathed a little harder. Touching my companions shoulders I cast a barrier spell on us all. After wave number 6 Finn shouted out in triumph and then keeled over unconscious.

I killed the last Shade which had crept up behind the Dalish warrior.
"Ma serannas." She slumped to the floor. "Dah'rahn Dalen. You fought well." I got a grateful smile in return.
"Finn, you okay." Theron asked our whimsy mage. He was already back on his feet. Grey warden stamina at its best.

"Yes, yes I am fine…The mirror, Eluvian, whatever, I found it! It is north east of here. In a dragon graveyard."
"The Dragon bone wastes. I have been there before. It is full of Tevinter ruins, bones, cultists and Dragonlings." Theron has been everywhere it seems.

"How are we going to get there?" Ariane asked.

"Via Highever?" Finn suggested.

"No. it leads us too far east. However, there was a Grey Warden camp close to the coast. I remember reading a report about its upkeep. Your call commander." Was my input.
Our fearless leader frowned in thought as he went around and picked up a few of his undamaged arrows.

"You are more familiar with my paperwork than I am these days… I will trust you to lead us safely." He grinned at me.

"Very well. Lead the way out and I will lead the way to camp."

"Deal."

We made our way out at a slow and steady pace.

The path was thankfully quiet. A small mercy I am sure. No Darkspawn and no more Fade spirits assaulted us.
Daylight was a welcome change to the darkness we had been subjected to recently.
"From here on out I will be your guide north. Please do not be alarmed by my change. I will be just as intelligent and compassionate as before."
Then I turned into Witherfang Jr.

"You mean to lead us in this form?" Ariane looked at me with suspicion. Finn started twitching at every movement of mine. I huffed in annoyance.

"Right. Lead on." Theron motioned with his hands and gave a little bow to lighten the mood.
His unwavering faith in me and my trustworthiness was like a balm for my spirit.

It had been scratched and bruised by the doubts and ignorance and disregard of people all around. A deep breath of fresh mountain air, all crisp with light snow and pine raisin filled my lungs. It calmed me down considerably.

I started out at a light jog and realized even that will be too fast for my traveling companions. So I chose to walk ahead of the group.

Slowly we made our way north through the hills and east onto the roads. Occasionally I scouted ahead and went back to the troupe to reassure them.

We reached the Coastal regions of Ferelden within 2 days. All the rain of the western most Stormcoast made it difficult to pick up any trails, so I changed back to my elvhen form. After a little bit of guess work and walking around, we found the Warden hut. The blue banner greeted us from afar, showing off two proud silver gryphons as it flapped in the wind.

We started camp inside, where we found shelter from the nasty weather.

Theron sat down next to me looking outside the little window flap.

My eyes and nose still felt sensitive.

"You know…" my elvhen friend softly said to me "you seem a lot happier as a wolf."

He sighed and put a hand on my shoulder. If there was one thing I missed it was the way I could freely give and receive hugs when I was still a normal human.

Now I had an image to uphold and I could not trust many people to see my soft and fragile side.

"Been wanting to say that for a while now huh?" I replied weakly and leaned my head on his shoulder. He smiled at me. A warm brotherly smile I had not received often.
"Being a wolf is easy. It is all instinct and simple pleasures. The feeling of wind in my fur and the warmth of the sun warmed stones underfoot." I explained to him as best as I could.

"There is also the thrill and fun of chasing and hunting. I can stop overthinking things and leave most of my responsibilities behind."
"It does sound nice. Almost reminds me of my days as a Dalish hunter." The wistfulness in his voice as he remembered a life of simplicity… it tugged on my heartstrings.

"There is a reason it was wolves, who became partners of the Dalish Emerald Knights you know." I nudged his side with my elbow, hoping to lighten the mood if only slightly.

Both of our younger companions were deeply asleep in their bedrolls. Theron and I enjoyed the silent hours of our night watch.
"This might be our last chance to talk." I raised my eyebrows at that comment.
"I will leave with Morrigan, when we find her." Now I raised my head from his shoulder. Truly, I figured he would do something like this.
"You are sure we will find her and confident she will let you join her on her little getaway."

"I am reasonably sure yes. There is one thing I would like you to take over for me…" he shook his head.

"This is about the Keep yes?" He nodded at that and took a deep breath.
"I hereby rescind the title of Warden Commander until further notice. Please return to Vigils Keep in my stead. There is a letter I would like you to take out of my desk and deliver to the Queen. She is now the de facto leader of the Grey Wardens of Ferelden. The letter is a recommendation and a formal title transfer. Do with it what you wish. Give her my regards too. She was, is and will remain a good friend and a wonderful person to work with. I am sure you will discover this for yourself."

"You honor me with your regard and trust. I know I never said so out loud and I will not do so again, so listen to me now Theron Mahariel. I respect your deeds. I admire your spirit. I love you like a little brother. I wish you all the best. Should you ever need a home, find me."

Both of us were misty eyed. We both were people to keep a close check on our emotions and how much we show to the world. It was sometimes hard for us to let go of these tight reigns.

Theron looked a little overwhelmed by my familiarity.

"I…Sylva…Thanks and … just thanks." By the spirits, had I really become this attached to the young man in front of me… I would have to watch myself in the future. To calm us both down I gave him a hug. With his head on my shoulder I could feel his attempts to calm his breathing down. I also noticed when he started chuckling.

"Before I forget." He whispered and sat back to rummage around in his side bag.
He handed me something small wrapped in a bit of leather.

"Something to remember me by. I thought it would fit you." His smile was soft and gentle and made him look 10 years younger.

My hands fiddled around with the small bundle. Opening it carefully I spied a wooden ring in the center of my palm.

Switching back to common Theron explained to me that it was a Dalish Keeper ring, carved from sylvan wood.

It had belonged to his father, who had been the first to keeper Marethari. His parents match had not been met with approval. One day after a secret meeting they had been ambushed by human bandits. His father had been killed protecting his mother. Just after Theron had been born, his mother had finally given in to her grief and wandered off into the moonlit trees, never to be seen again.

"I know you dislike Dalish superstition, but a Keepers ring is very fitting for you. You are essentially aspiring to become a Keeper of all eleven people and you turn into a wolf, which is incidentally the motive on the ring."

"To keep the Dread wolf away…." I smiled ruefully at the astoundingly detailed wolf carving on the ring.
"Thank you, Theron. I will look after this treasure of yours and think fondly of you whenever I look at it." I gave him another short hug, before we settled back into our sitting positions, looking at the stars outside.

I would move forward with my plans in the next 4 years. My first step was to build the first elven settlement in the south of Orlais and Ferelden. Meanwhile some of my newly recruited agents would research ways to repair and activate the Eluvian network. It was essential we got the mid-realm back up and working again. It would facilitate our travel, trade, espionage and overall safety. Perhaps I would stumble upon Theron and Morrigan in the crossroads…

My thoughts made me restless and I began braiding my hair back.
"Go to sleep Sylva, I will take first watch. My mind is racing I won't be getting any sleep anyway."

"Ma nuvinen."

I could live with that. While I could hold out many days without substantial rest, I wanted to get back to the realm of dreams.

Settling onto my flimsy bedroll I turned around till I found a comfortable position and fell asleep.

This time, instead of running through the Fade in wolf form, I looked for traces of Morrigan.

The dragon bone wastes stood out on this side of the Veil. Years of bloodmagic and dragon worshipping done by Tevinter magisters and dragon cults had weakened the Veil. A lot of spirits cluttered the Fade in close proximity to the wastelands. They observed and reenacted the memories of the past.

The witch of the wilds must have hidden her magical signature, for I could not find her.

What I did find however was a place of power, Tevinter in origin.

An interesting performance of older magic had been performed here recently, which led me to conclude that this is the place of the Eluvian. Morrigan had done her homework to unlock the Eluvian. It must have also woken up the Varterral. I must remind myself to warn the group of that particular encounter.

Content with my findings for now I concentrated on a personal memory to reshape the Fade for my purpose. For the rest of the night I walked the grounds of ancient temple gardens.

My mind regained clarity as the sun rose on the horizon. Early morning fog rolled over the crags of the coast. Ariane had been on last watch and had readied some light breakfast. Travelling with two Dalish hunters sure came in handy.
Excitement was high due to the prospect of finding the mirror/witch/tome.

As we ate Ariane was anxious to get going, Finn seemed slightly groggy and Theron was silent. I suppose now was a good a time as ever to talk about my findings.

"I used last night to scout out the dragon bone wastes in the Fade. The place of power, which holds the Eluvian, has been activated. Morrigan is most likely there waiting for something or someone." I gave Theron a glance.
"More importantly, the magic which activated the mirror also woke up its guardian, a Varterral."

Ariane choked on her breakfast. Theron watched me pensively waiting for my explanation.

Finn was puzzled.

"Varterral? I believe I read about those…but I thought they were a Dalish tale to ward of human treasure hunters…"

"I can assure you they are quite real, Finn. Keeper Solan told us that they are the immortal guardians of places and items sacred to the elvhen people." Ariane croaked after she had dealt with her choking.

I nodded along with her comment.

"Ariane is correct. Tis said that of all the beasts, the Varterral are not creatures of Ghilanain. They had been an experiment by Dirthamen, who used stone and tree to fashion a sturdy body and bound a guardian spirit to it. Such creatures make for terrifying foes, but there are some tips I can give you for our eventual combat with it."

I made sure that all three were paying close attention to my next words.

"The first thing you need to know is this, a Varterral cannot die. Their bodies can be destroyed, but they will inevitably reform and the spirit will return to it and resume its duty."

"So we need to damage the body enough for the spirit to leave it… and in the time it reforms we can get in and out of the dragon bone ruins?" Theron reiterated.

"Essentially, yes. Keep in mind though, since it is not a natural body, it will not feel pain.

Varterral stand on 5 legs like a stone spider. Their height is on average 2 and a half meters. Despite their mass, they are fast and can climb very well. If pressed it can leap far distances.

Their saliva is sticky and toxic, so do not let it hit you with it. Our advantage is this: they cannot see. They feel their prey through vibrations of the ground and loud noises."

"So a stealth approach would be effective?" Theron asked.

"Yes. In your case I suggest aiming your arrows at the joints or the head. Both the one eye and the open mouth make for good soft targets."

He gave me a serious nod.

"Ariane." I addressed the elf directly. "Look after our mage. Make sure to distract the Varterral during his longer casting phases. If you can get a hit in, aim for the softer underbelly of the creature."

"Fine I will babysit the mage…. Again." She sighed.

"Hey! What about me?" Finn whined.

"The Varterral is relatively magic resistant. Try using Force magic or anything that does Spirit damage. Do you know the Crushing Prison spell? That could work well."

"I do. Got it covered." He stated proudly.

"Other than that the battle plan is fairly simple. Get on high ground, stay away from its spit and keep moving so it cannot focus on you." I concluded my impromptu battle strategy briefing.

"Detailed and to the point, well done captain." Theron grinned at me.

"Thank you kindly, commander."

"Right let's get going." He clapped his hands and grabbed his pack.

Since he had been there before, Theron took the lead.

Soon enough we reached the gloomy, rocky terrain of the dragon bone wastes.

Not ten paces past the first boulder we were received by a violent welcoming committee.

Dragonlings ran to flank us, just as several heavily armored individuals started a frontal assault.

"Cultists! Careful of the horned helmets, those are reavers!"

So expect unnaturally violent behavior, high pain tolerance, beastly stamina and supernatural strength. Got it.

The good thing about the thin Veil in this area? It made my use of Veil shroud infinitely easier.

With just a bit of focus and a long breath I slipped into the half state of being here and there. One part of me was in the waking world, the other in the Fade, giving me the ability to phase through physical objects like a wraith could.

While difficult to pull off, it was also very rewarding in combat.

My mana circulated faster and in combination with the Fadestep spell I was a virtual ghost on the battlefield.

The reavers had the unfortunate experience of having to fight an insubstantial opponent. Their blades passed through me as I whizzed past their group to flank them.

I left a trail of slippery ice behind me, unbalancing the warriors before I slid my blades across their faces, hands and other vulnerable places.

As we made our way through the wastes we efficiently did away with several groups of cultists.

Theron picked off their mages and crossbow users from afar.

Ariane took point and attracted the attention of their melee forces.

Finn provided us with barriers, healing and was generally being helpful.

I used my ghost mode to Fadestep through the enemies and pick them of from behind.

Our team set up worked very well so far.

Before we reached the open area where the Varterral waited for us, we got ambushed by a horde of dragonlings led by a drake.

The tiny fire breathers were easily dispatched, the bigger one was a problem.

By the time they were taller than a horse, their scales were hard enough to protect the creature from arrows.

Thankfully Finn had provided us with an ice enchantment for our weapons.

As I dodged the fiery breath of the lizard I laid down some Ice mine glyphs on the ground.

Theron meanwhile had switched to his dual dagger and lured the angry reptile into my ice traps.

As they detonated in crystalline explosions of cold magic, he jumped onto the back of the drake and buried both of his daggers into its head.

Using his left over momentum he jumped onto a scuttling dragonling and almost got scorched in the process.

While I was impressed by his performance, he should not take such risks.

I glared at him reproachfully as he tried to put out the flames on his sleeves.

"What?" he gave me an innocent look. It did not suit him.

"Once you faced an Archdemon everything else just seems so tiny in comparison."

"True, but a dragon's fire is just as real."

"But less potent." He grinned, idiotic little brother.

"Just try not to suicide before we reach the mirror and your witch, will you?" my eye roll hopefully conveyed to him what I thought of his performance.

"Sure thing."

And on we went. We went slower this time so Ariane could catch her breath and Finn could take his Lyrium potion. I paused when I saw the glowing blue potion.

The idea of drinking titan blood just made me feel queasy. Luckily I did not do any flashy spellcasting and had a ridiculously large mana pool. I could probably avoid drinking one of these potions for a long while.

With Finn's mana restored, he could cast a mass rejuvenate spell and the entire party breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well done Finn. Now let's go, we are almost at the center of the wastes."

Indeed we were. The closer we got to the central ruins, the more I could feel the ancient magic in the air.
It was a bit like someone plucked on invisible guitar strings in the air and all I could feel was the vibration on the other end of it. This must be the magic Morrigan had used to reactivate the mirror. I told the others as much.

Theron looked hopeful at the mention of the witch. He was well and truly head over heels in love. Poor sob, I could understand… somewhat. I shall hope Morrigan appreciates him and treats him well… or so help me I will make her miserable.

We made our way over a small outcropping and ended up in a large circular space.

As if posing for a movie shot, the Varterral crouched atop the highest roof. The moon light had risen behind it, illuminating the beasts dramatically.

"I-Is t-t-that…" Finn had a stutter in his voice.

"…the Varterral." Ariane finished for him.

"Get ready." I gave my order and drew my weapons.

I could not overload them, but I pushed as much of my spiritual aura as I could into my blades.

Finn had already thrown a barrier over us and just I time.

The Varterral had leapt of the temple and landed in front of us.

5 legs left 5 decently sized craters in the rocky ground and debris hit us like shrapnel.

"Remember my lecture! Target the weak spots and keep moving around!"

I needed to shout the reminder over the grueling shriek of the angry elvhen construct I front of us.

The way it leaned back and gurgled… I knew it was about to spit poison at us.

"Move!" I shouted as I ran forward. In my mind the strategy was clear: get in close, don't get hit, crack the armor and pierce through the creatures flesh… the application of said strategy might get a little complicated.

The Varterral had reared its head. Bringing its snout forward, a great amount of translucent green sludge hit the ground I had just left.
The ground sizzled under its corrosive effect.

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Theron run for high ground and Finn gaining distance and chanting his spell.

I needed to get a hit in before the creature could regain its balance.

My focus was on the battle now. My mind sharpened in the rush of combat. The mana concentrated in my legs as I willed it, making me much faster.

With a little leap I slipped between its front legs and ended up directly beneath the beast.

Using the momentum of my running start I twisted.

Technically this was a rogue technique. I had never tried out the spinning blades move before, I just hoped it would work for dual wielding warriors as well.

My armor and blades were a little too heavy for a complete spinning attack.

However the 5 spinning hits I did manage, hit the Varterral in the softer, less armored belly. And they did a good job of cracking through its armor and into the softer flesh underneath.

Had this been a creature of flesh and blood, it would have been bleeding heavily. As the Varterral was made from mostly enchanted rocks… the damage was less visible.

I had little time to feel victorious as the Varterral decided to rampage around.

It must have felt my attack and decided to get rid of me by trampling me to death, lovely.

At this point in time I had trapped myself right underneath the beast and thus had no choice other than to join a lethal dance with its legs, weaving in and out of range.

The dodging went on for a moment before I found a chance to jump out of the creatures reach.

Finn had either ignored or forgotten my advice about the enemy's magic resistance and showered the thing with elemental projectiles.

They may do very little damage, but they sure as heck were annoying the beast. When it swiveled its head sideways to glance at Finn and Ariane I saw my chance.

With a dash and a leap I fled in Theron's direction to get behind the Varterral.

Theron had gotten to a spot atop of a dragon skeleton and shot arrows at its head. Most of them were useless, some though hit the eye and mouth. The damage done by these few well-placed arrows was substantial.

One shot in particular hit the creature's mouth as it was about to deliver its acid spit once more. The impact of the arrow staggered the Varterral and just in time for Ariane to drag Finn away and out of reach.

I was the only combatant left in the immediate vicinity and became the Varterral's focus once more.

Like a creepy rock spider it scuttled towards me and swung its front paws at me. Not only were all of the beasts appendages heavy, but they also possessed razor sharp edges.

My problem was the creature's inherent magical presence. My favorite Veilshroud was useless against it and I was too lithe to block these attacks.

I was reduced to dodge rolling around, like a bad parody of a DarkSouls boss battle.

One of the swings came too close and left me with no choice but to redirect the attack with my own weapons. The sound of rock claw on steel blade was horribly reminiscent of nails on chalkboard. My right hand sword had a long vertical crack to show for it.

I honestly started to wonder about what my companions were doing! They better be preparing something good… I was running low on stamina.

Just as another one of Theron's projectiles bounced off the armored head plates I felt a stirring of magic.

Finn had finished his casting. His spell snapped into place, holding the Varterral in a crushing prison. Sadly his area of effect spell also caught me in it.

The spell damage was redirected by my barrier, but the force of the spell effect made it hard to move.

The creature gave a harrowing wail. Spirit damage ignored its armor and attacked its magical composition instead. Meanwhile I tried as best I could to keep my barrier up and crawl away from the pressure of Finn's spell. It felt like I had put on 15 stones and was asked to walk through waist high mud.

After 2 meters the effect lessened and I regained some of my speed. Walking hurt and my bones still felt heavier than they should.

While I dispelled the effect on myself I failed to notice the 2 drakes, which had been attracted by the Varterral's cries.

Luckily the commander was on top of things…

He picked off the drakes with well-aimed shots into their eyes. Finn assisted with a cone of ice and in a matter of minutes the unfriendly lizards were no more.

Desperate to finish this fight for good, Ariane ran forward from her position.

As she sprinted towards the Varterral she dodged several swipes of its legs.

Her luck almost run out when one of the razor edges clipped her shoulder.

Despite the obvious pain she was in, she carried on for the last few steps and rammed her great sword into the split in the armor I had created earlier on.

Her sword went in halfway, broke through the back armor of the Varterral and got stuck there.

A violent shudder went through the construct. It gave one last shriek and collapsed in a heap.

Ariane collapsed similarly, most likely from pain rather than exhaustion.
I quickly went over to offer my help.

Finn came stumbling over as well, giving the collapsed pile of rock a wide berth.

"Ariane! Are you well?"

"Of course she isn't. Do not ask questions to which the answers are obvious." I replied in a clipped tone.

Theron checked on the dead drakes before joining us.

In the meanwhile I put my hand on Ariane's shoulder and suffused her cut shoulder with healing magic.

My healing techniques are mediocre in comparison to professional healers. It will get the job done efficiently in a pinch anyway.

I stopped when her bleeding had stopped and the wound had scabbed over.

"Make yourself useful and bandage her up." I told Finn.

"Yes mam." He squeaked and hurried to get bandages out of his satchel.

"That went surprisingly well." Theron said softly.

"We came warned and prepared. I feel we could have fared far worse, if we had stumbled in here without heed."

He gave a subtle nod.

"We should move on despite our injuries. Ae you alright? I saw the spell hit you."

His bow was furrowed.

Only now did I notice the slight traces of soot on his leather armor.

"I used a dispel to get rid of any lingering effects. Are you well? No burns?"

"No damage done. The armor is enchanted…" he shrugged.

"Very well. Let's collect the two tag-alongs and move on."

"Let's."

I let Theron take the lead once more.

Ariane's shoulder had been bandaged and Finn looked sheepishly at the Dalish warrior.

By the grace of the ancients, please tell me he is not developing a crush on her…

Theron sped up when we reached the inside of the Tevinter dome.

The place was lit up eerily by moonlight falling in from cracks in the ceiling.

As we approached the final destination of our quest the air got heavier.

And then… there it was, right in front of us.

Upon a dais in direct line of our sight, stood a tall, intact Eluvian, glowing purple and buzzing with magic.

In front of the mirror paced a dark haired, worried looking witch.

"The Eluvian… and it's glowing. We should…", but before Finn could finish his thoughts on the matter Ariane stepped in.

She could read the tension in the upcoming reunion and respected her fellow Dalish hunter enough to grant him privacy, despite her dislike for Morrigan.

"I think she is waiting for you." Ariane whispered.

I gave Theron's shoulder a squeeze and pushed him forward slightly.

He would have to talk to his dark haired sweetheart on his own.

They exchanged questions and answers for a while and then it seems they came to a conclusion… Morrigan tested the mirror portal surface.

"Are we not going to join them?" Finn asked in a low voice.

"No. This is between them. We have no business interfering." I answered confident in my foreknowledge.

"Fine by me. It isn't why I came here anyway." Ariane shrugged, but her voice was tense and slightly hostile.

As we looked on the conversation between the commander and the witch came to a conclusion. Theron gave one last look behind.

His eyes met mine and I smiled encouragingly at him.

He let out a deep breath and smiled.

Then both walked through the portal.