Chapter Seven
All The Things She Said
Redcliffe Castle
As a rule Theron didn't trust humans.
They enslaved his species, treated him like dirt on their boots and then expected him to do something because he was a Grey Warden now. If he had his way the Darkspawn were welcome to them but he made a promise to Duncan at Ostagar and he was going to see it through. Duncan was the only human to treat him like an equal even before the Joining ritual.
Although defending a human village from an army of undead wasn't exactly what Theron had pictured and now it was very likely that Teagan was walking into a trap by the Arlessa. She had arrived into the village with a single guard and begged the Bann to come back with her to the castle to protect her husband and child. Theron had always been good at spotting a lie and Isolde was lying through her teeth whenever she mentioned her son Connor.
The woman refused to listen to the Warden which was no surprise and eventually it was decided that Teagan would go back to the castle. Before he left he gave a ring to Theron with the instructions to use it to access the dungeons leading into the castle courtyard. Aedan wouldn't be left behind and another would Alistair so that left Theron little choice in the matter. Morrigan didn't want to waste anymore time helping out people who were stupid enough to get involved with undead creatures and demonic activity.
Leliana volunteered to come along with Theron into the dungeons and as soon as he bought some more potions and supplies the group made their way towards the old mill situated on the hill overlooking Lake Calenhad. Once inside the mill Theron used the signet ring on the trapdoor and climbed down into the dungeons.
"It reeks down here." Alistair coughed as the smell of rotting flesh assaulted his nostrils.
"There's something else down here." Theron drew his daggers out. "Watch your step."
"I can hear someone." Leliana stepped forward towards the doorway, her bow drawn up and ready to fire. "Ahh, the smell is worse here."
"We're doing no good standing here." Theron approached the licked door and kicked it open. He saw a long passageway lined with cells.
"Move!" Aedan commanded when he saw a group of shambling corpses stumbling through the passageway. Aedan tossed a well placed fireball into the group and they ignited sending pieces of burning flesh in every direction.
"Note to self, bring a towel next time." Alistair groaned as he wiped off some skin from his clothing.
Aedan smirked at the other man's discomfort while Theron moved to the other side of the passageway. He navigated the group through another section of the dungeon which also had roaming corpses. They were slow and already falling apart so it wasn't hard to defeat them and Leliana slipped past to run up the steps into the castle. Their plan was to reach the courtyard and let Teagan's men into the castle to help fight against whatever threat existed against the Arl and his family. Aedan felt an unnatural chill pass through his body when he stepped onto the main floor of the castle. Invernus could now sense the presence of a powerful demon within the castle but it was nothing he couldn't handle. It was just a matter of reaching it in one piece.
The hallways were eerily quiet but Theron could practically taste the malevolence in the air. Thanks to the Taint in his blood the elf could feel whenever something evil or just plain wrong was near him. He had never encountered demons before but he fought more than enough Darkspawn to be prepared for whatever was creating these corpses. The party managed to make it to the main hall when they were attacked by what could only be demons. They looked like large beasts wrapped in black smoke with red eyes and numerous teeth.
Theron countered three in total and Aedan immediately attacked them by channelling Invernus. The entity was once more in control as his host's eyes turned blood red and his magic levels spiked to immense levels. Theron noticed how the monsters backed away from Invernus but that didn't save them. He unleashed a powerful wave of ice to the trio and froze them in place.
"Such power..." Leliana breathed out as Invernus finished them off with a well placed earth attack shattering them completely. "I have heard of abilities often used by the mages of the Tevinter Imperium but never on this scale."
"Will you be in control now Invernus?" Theron approached the entity.
"Aedan is more than a match for the demon but we don't have time for side trips. I'll handle the threat myself." Invernus nodded. More than that he wanted to keep Aedan safe from harm as best he could.
"How long can you maintain control of the host?" Alistair asked curiously.
"I don't plan on testing his limits." Invernus replied with fire in those red eyes. "He is still human and can be hurt with my level of power."
"Then let's get this over with." Theron motioned for them to follow him out of the hall.
"I can sense the demon nearby...it's on this floor." Invernus sniffed the air. "Go get the knights so they can secure the rest of the castle. I'll handle this."
"But what if it's a trap?" Alistair spoke up. He didn't want to just let his friend walk into a trap with a demon waiting for him.
"We'll both be fine Alistair; I won't let anything happen to Aedan." Invernus smiled at him. "Once the knights come in then you can join me. If this demon is after Eamon then we'll find it in the main hall perhaps, the seat of power here."
"We're on it." Theron and Leliana made their way to the entrance while Alistair looked torn.
"I'm going with you." He made up his mind. "I need to see if Teagan and Eamon are ok. And Connor is like a little brother to me."
"This is a creature from the Fade; this won't be a simple fight." Invernus warned. He didn't want to worry about Alistair in there.
"Look I can take care of myself. I'm coming with you Invernus." Alistair was remarkably stubborn with he wanted to be.
"Alright...but be careful." The entity sighed out. With Alistair in tow then made their way to the main hall of the castle.
"Leliana, pull that lever now!" Theron called to the archer once they entered the courtyard. As soon as they stepped out of the castle they saw numerous skeletal warriors waiting for them.
"Done!" Leliana's fast reflexes allowed her to reach the gate and she pulled the lever down and the knights came charging into the courtyard.
Theron attacked the archers lining the stone walkway around the castle entrance while Leliana used her ballads to aid the men and women in combat against their enemy. Theron slashed his way through the skeletons and then he saw a large human shaped beast wielding a thick black sword. Leliana was already attacking it but its attention was fixed on the Grey Warden.
Theron grasped his bloodied daggers then lunged at his opponent. The black sword came down hard but Theron managed to parry the blow but not without feeling like his arms had turned into jelly. Leliana kept attacking the monster while the knights cleaned up the courtyard. Theron ducked when the sword came down again but he managed to drive his dagger up into the belly of the monster.
Thick blood spurted out from the wound and Theron moved quickly to bring up his other dagger and slash it with immense force across the beast's head. He neatly severed the head from the torso in one clean stroke. Only laboured breathing could be heard now once all the undead were destroyed. Theron didn't waste any time running back into the castle with Leliana at his heels.
If Invernus could destroy this threat then Theron could try and ask Eamon for his help against the Blight. Despite his initial hatred and distrust of humans Theron could see that Alistair, Aedan and Teagan at least were trying to do the right thing for their home. As a Grey Warden the elf had to help his potential allies. Becoming more involved in human affairs was really something he could do without.
Castle Redcliffe
The Main Hall
It wasn't hard to find the hall where the demon had taken up its seat of power. Guards lined the walls and at the far end stood a sombre looking Isolde and a young boy at her side. Invernus recognized the boy as Connor but there was something very wrong with him. The aura of corruption within his soul was thick but there was a small spark on innocence left in there. Invernus sighed unhappily at watching the poor child's possession. Alistair was stunned at watching Connor as the child laughed manically while Teagan danced around like a fool. The man's mind had been taken and twisted like the others in the room except for Isolde. The woman was quite lucid if her look of frozen horror was telling Invernus anything.
"Demon..." Invernus stepped forward. He wouldn't entertain this thing anymore than it already was. Even if it possessed a boy Invernus wouldn't go easy on it.
"Who is this mother?" the boy's voice was warped twisted to match the thing living inside him. "Are these the ones who ruined my fun?"
"Y-Yes Connor." She stammered fearfully. She couldn't even look at her child.
"Then he shall pay for this defiance!" the demon shouted. "I will not let it ruin my fun!"
"Fun!" Teagan waved his arms like a child. His eyes were glassy and his movements sluggish.
"Shut up uncle!" the demon yelled. He slapped the man harshly across the face then he turned to Invernus. "I demand answers from you now."
"Your time is up demon. Leave the boy peacefully or I'll rip you from his soul myself." Invernus crossed his arms. "And believe me you don't want that."
"M-Mother..." Connor whimpered as he looked at the woman beside him. "Don't let the bad men hurt me!
"Wait!" Isolde held up her hands in plight. "Don't hurt my son! He doesn't know what he is doing."
"Open your eyes woman or are you blind as well as brain dead?" Invernus snarled at the pale woman. "He is possessed so Connor is still in there somewhere. I'm going to get him back."
"You cannot hope to stop me. I have everything I desire now. Father is on his deathbed and I have the throne. I can do what I want!" the demon laughed again causing Invernus' temper to finally snap.
"Put a cork in it brat!" Invernus thundered causing everyone in the room to cower. "Do you even know who I am?"
"You are nothing." The possessed boy hissed out.
"I am Invernus, lord of the Fade and the nastiest bastard you're ever going to meet if you piss me off. Now let the boy go." Invernus approached the now terrified demon.
"No! Invernus...you can't be here!" the demon backed away. "You were destroyed! We all felt it in the Fade."
"I found a way out right into this man." Invernus replied.
"Then we are exactly the same." The demon smirked at that.
"We are nothing alike demon. Aedan retains his own mind, his own personality and feelings. He is precious to me." Invernus reached out and grabbed the boy. "Now let the boy go, I won't ask again."
"Connor!" Isolde screamed. She tried to attack Invernus but Alistair reached out and pulled her back. "Let me go you worthless bastard!" she clawed at him violently. "He'll kill my son!"
"Connor won't be harmed Isolde." Alistair smacked her hands away. "Not unless I use my gift."
"Y-You're..." Isolde stopped struggling and stared at him.
Before she could say anything else Alistair let her go and approached a struggling Connor. The demon was about to command Teagan and his men to attack when Alistair reached out and grasped the boy's hands. Invernus watched in shock when Alistair started screaming along with Connor as a surge of energy began to flow from Alistair and into the writhing boy. When the Chantry priest let him go he collapsed to the ground unconscious leaving Connor gasping for breath. His eyes widened when he took in his surroundings then his face lit up in a bright smile when he saw his mother.
"Mother!" the boy squealed in delight.
"C-Connor?" she gasped out as she fearfully reached out for him. "Is it you Connor?"
"Are you alright mother? You look very pale." Connor frowned as he pressed his hands to her cold face.
"Oh Connor!" she cried out joyfully.
"Alistair," Invernus knelt down next to him. "Isolde, what happened to him? What did he do to Connor?"
"Alistair...he is different from other people. It is the reason Eamon kept him in Redcliffe." Isolde held onto her child. "Alistair is an Empath."
"Empath..." Invernus whispered in shock. He knew of Empaths and the curse they carried with their gift. They could take on the pain of others, allowing their own bodies to be inflicted with great agony so that the initial victim would be spared.
"It's true." Teagan spoke up solemnly. Once Connor had been released the man had regained his own mind. "He's had the gift all his life."
"Teagan." Theron called as he entered the room. "The knights are here. What's going on?"
"I need to enter the Fade." Invernus turned to the Grey Warden. "I need to make sure Alistair is safe and to see if the demon is gone."
"Is the Arl safe?" Theron turned to Isolde.
"By the Maker." She gasped when she realised that her husband was still in danger from the demon. "I need to see him. The demon claimed that it was keeping him alive but I..."
"Isolde, stay with Connor. I'll see to my brother." Teagan answered.
"I'm going in." Invernus lifted Alistair and made his way to the sleeping chambers of the castle. "He'll need to be comfortable for this."
"What happened to him?" Theron frowned at the blond man.
"Have you ever heard of Empaths?" Invernus asked once they reached an empty room.
"Only from the books the Keeper had. They can take the pain and maladies of others and put their own bodies through the process. But Empaths died out centuries ago. Their own power was a curse, one that always led to an early death." Theron explained while Leliana paled in shock.
"Then will Alistair die?" she turned to the entity.
"I just saw him kill a high level demon outside the Fade." Invernus answered as he placed his hand on Alistair's sweaty brow. "It's nothing short of a miracle he's still alive."
"Are you sure about this?" Leliana didn't look convinced.
"I'll be fine." Invernus answered with firmness. "I have to make sure he's fine. And I want some answers."
Theron and Leliana didn't say anything else as Invernus used his powers to take both himself and Aedan into the Fade to find Alistair.
The Fade
Once they were asleep Aedan glanced at his best friend and his look demanded answers. Invernus had always been able to sense magical beings, spirits and demons but he hadn't been able to sense any kind of signature from Alistair. If he had been able to hide his gift then it would explain why he hadn't been taken to the Circle for training or exploitation.
Aedan shuddered to think what the Templars would have done to Alistair once they figured out he was an Empath. Even the mages would try to experiment on him, an actual living Empath. Alistair didn't deserve that, to be treated like a freak and used as a source of pain relief. Aedan watched as Invernus glided over to where Alistair was waiting for them.
"You guys didn't take long." Alistair was sitting on a slab of rock on one of the many floating islands within this dream realm. "I had a feeling you'd come after me."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Aedan got to the point. "You could've been killed taking on that demon."
"I had no choice. I couldn't let Connor suffer like that, not when I could do something for him." The priest sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"How many times have you used your ability?" Invernus glided so that he was next to the man.
"To be honest I've hardly used it. Teagan and Eamon would never let me." Alistair replied sadly. "They were afraid of the effects."
"They have good reason to be afraid." Invernus said. "There hasn't been an Empath in Thedas since before the time of the Archdemon."
"Can you wake up Alistair? Connor is safe but Eamon could still be in danger." Aedan asked quickly. The priest looked pained for a moment but he nodded and got off the slab.
"I...I didn't want you to treat me any differently." Alistair admitted quietly. "Aside from Teagan you're the first real friend I've made. I know it sounds stupid but I didn't want to jeopardize that."
"No, I can understand about keeping your own gift a secret Alistair." Aedan gave the man a reassuring smile. "But I'm glad you told me."
"Me too." Alistair looked like a weight had been lifted from him. "My body should be well enough for me to return to it."
"So you came to the Fade on purpose?" Aedan asked with surprise.
"When I absorb the pain of others my own body needs time to heal. To prevent my mind from fracturing I enter the Fade." Alistair explained.
"We can discuss this later. Right now Teagan needs us." Invernus broke in.
"You're right." Alistair and Aedan stood on either side of the entity. "Listen; about my power...I want to go with the Grey Warden."
"Seriously?" Aedan stared at his friend.
"After seeing how easily Redcliffe could be attacked I don't want to wait around for the Darkspawn to come. Theron told us the south is falling to them, how many villages like this one have fallen to them already?" Alistair let out a breath.
"I know how you feel." Aedan admitted. "When this is over let's talk to Theron."
"Thank you...I mean it." Alistair smiled brightly. "And now that the embarrassing moment is over let's move on shall we?"
Invernus watched the exchange with interest before taking them back to the living world. He could only hope that Eamon was still alive.
So sorry about the lack of Zevran in this but I wanted to finish up Redcliffe first.
But our favourite blond elf will be in the next chapter when the party travel to Denerim after the Urn of Sacred Ashes.
As for the long wait I got Mass Effect 2 and it is consuming my life!
Best Shepard line so far... "Tell me what I want to know or I'll cut your balls off and sell them to a krogan." Classic!
Till next time my lovelies.
Much love from glass!!!
