Another morning dawned over Hossberg. Smoke trails marked where fires still smoldered among the ruins left behind. Looking out the window, Merana could see the increased patrols. What few people she had seen before, what little life the streets had held was now absent. Few had even dared to brave the streets since the attack.
"How are things going over here?" Hector asked. His demeanor had improved after a good night's rest, but most everyone else had kept one eye open, and as a result, were somewhat cranky.
"Good morning." Lenli said. "And as to the state of our equipment, I managed to recover everything, or replace everything that I couldn't. It would have been faster if you hadn't let half the stuff get buried."
"I heard the sounds of battle. What would you have expected me to do?"
"What if it had been my pack, idiot? I doubt anyone here would have appreciated being blown to the void because you got distracted."
Hector smirked. "I like to think I have a good instinct in regards to danger. After all, we all remain with our persons intact."
Lenli snorted, muttering something about stupid humans.
"All is well, I take it." Darran said, entering the room with Phyren at his heels.
His question was met with an assortment of nods and confirmations.
"Good. Thanks to Phyren's contacts, we have horses and some extra muscle as we continue north."
"Since you will be here one more night, would you care to join me for dinner? I do recall we were rudely interrupted last time."
"Are the rest of us invited?"
"In the interest of both security and courtesy, yes, you are all invited."
Unlike the night before, the tension could be felt in the atmosphere outside, but the mood around the table was jovial by comparison. For a moment, Merana wondered if the events from the previous night was a bad dream.
In front of the mansion, the expedition rallied for their journey. Thanks to the efforts of the clearing crews, they had made a path out of the city. The horses were laden with the necessary equipment for a trip north and the men gripping the reins in anticipation.
Phyren emerged from his estate, flanked by servants carrying packages.
"This was left here this morning. I assume someone found out that we were going after the culprits of the attack."
It was not much, but the intent and hidden message were clear.
"Much appreciated." Darran said, accepting the package. The rest was distributed among the other horses.
Merana smiled. All in all, Phyren had proven to be a great asset in their quest, though she was sure to avoid mentioning it to the man's face. Darran, on the other hand, was very focused and stern.
"All set?" he asked. When there was no response he nodded. "Then let's move out."
Taking the road to the northeast, the group made their way to Kassel, Along the way, Merana would discretely glance at the phylactery. The point gradually tilted to the left. By the time they had arrived at their next destination, it pointed in roughly a northwesterly direction
As the group dismounted, the captain issued out orders.
"We have a long journey ahead of us yet. Get some food and rest, and stay sober, men. We need to be away with the dawn."
Receiving disappointed consent, the captain dismissed them.
Looking around, Merana felt a great unease. She could feel eyes on her, though she could not see who was watching. The hair on the back of her neck stood on ends and she could feel the bumps on her arms rising.
There she was again. Her sister was staring at her, a single point of calm a constantly shifting crowd. Merana could not understand how someone covered in so much blood could go unnoticed.
A hand landed on Merana's shoulder, causing her to flinch and wheel around. Seeing Hector's concerned eyes halted any further public disturbance. Looking back at that spot, her sister was gone.
"Are you alright, Merana?" Hector asked.
"Yes." she replied. "I am fine."
Rising with the crack of dawn, they prepared to ride out.
"Merana, you take the lead." Darran said.
Taking her place at the front of the column, Merana held the phylactery out, just out of sight of their traveling companions. She looked one last time over her shoulder, wondering if should would if she would see it again.
Journeying north carried them across much of the same dreary terrain that made up the Anderfels. Dust storms were becoming more common, becoming more intense and frequently with every passing day. Venturing to the east, they hoped to find some relief offered by the seas.
"What are they doing?" one of the mercenaries asked.
Darran looked in the direction the man was pointing.
"The Dalish riders?" Darran asked. "They have been getting closer than they have in the past, haven't they."
"What do you suppose they're after?" The man asked, who Darran remembered was named Judel.
"Has anyone else had them follow like this?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
Scratching his chin, Darran watched the scouts vanish into a cloud of dust.
"It's going to be dark soon." he said to the captain. "We should set camp before it gets too late."
"As you wish, sir."
While they set up camp, Lenli made her presence known working next to Merana. She began with idle chatter, but when it seemed that there were no-one eavesdropping, she got down to business, taking care to keep her voice low.
"I hate having to say it," she said. "But I think their interest might be with one of us."
"Why would you say that?" Merana asked.
"We've seen them several times since we got to Anderfels, but no one else has seen much of them for the past years."
Merana made a quick check over her shoulder. "You heard that, too?"
"I'm talking about it, so yeah."
"Did Garbune ever have dealings with the Dalish?"
"No, we avoided each other. He could have had some business with them when he was a part of the Circle, but I wouldn't know anything about that."
"I wonder if the phylactery might have been something of theirs."
"No, I saw the schematics he had written up about that. The notation was in his hand."
Racking her brain, Merana perused for any theory that could explain their silent escorts.
"Do you think you had any business with someone who might have taken something from the Dalish?"
"Again, I haven't got any ideas about that."
"Now that is a sight you don't see every day."
Crossing the lands was a large collection of dragon creatures headed eastward. The drakes stalked on, corralling the younglings into the middle of the formation. Humans marched alongside the beasts without a shred of fear, even as the elder, wingless males snapped at the interlopers. Noting the unwanted presence, a group of humans broke off to confront them.
"Stay sharp."
"Let me handle this."
The leader was muscular, but thin, standing in such a manner that even though he was shorter, looked down on them. His skin was marked with burns, long since healed, but no less noticeable. His vestments looked like mixture of warrior and priest.
"Hail, travelers." He said. "I am Ven."
"Greetings, Master Ven. I am Hector. What brings you and yours out this far from the mountain homes?"
"A gathering has been called. Such has not happened since mortals thought to count the days." Pausing, Ven gave Hector an appraising glance. "Why does a brother travel with such heathens?"
Hector grimaced. "My clan was destroyed long ago."
"What waylays you now, child? Certainly there is nothing keeping you at this time."
"At this time, I am accompanying these people on a quest."
"That...is a shame. Should your mind change, we would welcome you with open arms. However, do not tarry too long, for the door is soon closing."
Overhead, a number of females swooped around, circling the formation before continuing on. Two of them were substantially larger compared to their kin. They gave those below irritated glares, but otherwise left everyone alone.
"What is your purpose?"
"Would that you become one of us, then it will be seen that you are properly instructed. Until then, you are all considered outsiders."
Giving his impromptu audience a quick smirk, Ven led his band back to the heard as it was disappearing behind a dune. Stopping at the next crest, he turned to look back. "Repent, and you may yet be spared. No matter what else, the end will come!" With a last shout, he followed his people out of view.
Left with the trails of dozens of dragons and their followers, the expedition rallied together. Most were quickly abuzz with talk of the odd crossing. Darran did not bother picking out the individual discussions, zeroing in on Hector as he talked with Merana.
"Who were those people?" Merana asked. "And why did they keep referring to you as brother?"
"You remember my village right?" Hector replied.
"The one that was wiped out by the Hero of Fereldan? Yes."
"Well, they were dragon cultists. I never had the opportunity to go through the final ritual because of my age, but I still had more than a few generations of my ancestors that did. I guess it enough passed on to me."
"Never thought I'd see one of their kind in my lifetime."
"I thought most dragon cultists kept themselves in isolation." Darran pondered aloud. "What are they doing wandering out in the open?"
"Something about a gathering." Hector replied. "I don't like all that 'end of the world' talk he was going about."
"Probably full of it anyways."
"What's this about the Hero of Fereldan wiping out a village?"
The other mercenaries took notice of the conversation.
"I always thought he was a paragon of justice and whatnot." One said.
"He is." Hector replied. "It's just that everyone attacked him. They were difficult people."
"Was."
"Hm?"
"The Hero's been missing for a few years now. Cousin of mine got asked about him, but not even whisper to had on his whereabouts."
"I heard he was seduced by a witch and kidnapped," one piped.
"No, he's just travelling for the Wardens," said another.
"Then why don't they know where he is?" He his friend replied. "It's not like he can hide very well."
"Maybe he's on a secret mission." Another offered.
Another round of debate erupted, but the discussion soon turned back to what they had just seen.
"Two of those were high dragons!" a guard shrieked.
Watching as the mercenaries made themselves look silly, Merana approached Hector with her own thoughts on the matter.
"I thought these people preferred isolation." She wondered aloud. "Namely in the mountains."
"Normally, yes. Granted, my knowledge is quite limited, but I have never heard of any gathering ever happening. I never heard of any other conclave even communicating with one another, much less any legends of a gathering that necessitating a mass migration."
Merana frowned as she looked in the direction Ven and his people had gone.
Arriving in Tallo, Merana gave the phylactery another discrete glance. The point had traveled to a north-westerly direction. It would not be long before the would have to head straight for their objective instead of skirting around the northern wastes.
Darran and Captain Wergotte went about their routine of finding lodging and reminding the mercenaries and other followers not to get too drunk.
Merana scooted into the bar and was beginning to order a drink when her sister sat next to her.
Leaping from her stool, Merana glared at the phantom.
"Stop bothering me." she barked.
Seeing the eyes following her, she quickly vacated the room.
Slipping out of sight, she pulled out a vial of lyrium, gulping down the contents as quickly as possible. Feeling the buzz fade, she slouched against the wall. "I'm too young to be seeing that sort of thing."
"What sort of things?" Hector asked.
Merana jumped, hastily stowing away the empty bottle.
"You really need to stop doing that." she growled.
"Apparently. What's troubling you?"
Sighing, Merana scooted back up. "I'm seeing things. Things that I know aren't there."
"I take it that this isn't a normal occurrence for someone in your position."
"Templars use this in order to use our powers, or so I heard. I wouldn't be the first to suspect that we're started on it just to keep us in line." Holding the vial out, she looked at the traces of liquid gold. "Anyways, one of the side-effects is hallucinations. Though, typically that isn't until later in a Templar's life."
"I think that may be less to do with you being a Templar and more with you being filled with regrets."
"I don't really have a shortage of those."
"I know. I'm all too familiar with that. It makes it easy to see it in others."
Merana looked up at Hector. "Do you think about the people from your home?"
"All the time."
"How do you deal with it?"
"You learn to accept it."
"That sounds too easy."
"The simplest solutions typically are. The hard part about them is getting yourself to go through with it."
Pulling out the empty bottle, Merana ran her finger along the side. Hector patted her on the shoulder and offered his hand to help her back to her feet.