Ferelden: New Arrivals

There wasn't even a word for how tired Bethana felt as the hours wore on. 'Exhausted' didn't begin to cover it. She felt as though every cell in her body had been wrung dry and stretched past its limit. Her very soul ached with the effort of trying to pull more magic from reserves that simply weren't there in her younger body. Her muscles trembled; her grip on her staff grew slack. She wasn't the only one feeling the strain.

"I don't know how much longer I can do this," Mathis wheezed, sinking to the ground as the latest batch of attackers finally fell.

"As long as we have to," Erik replied. It was a fairly convincing show of determination even if he was subtly leaning against the wall while he caught his breath.

Bethana nodded somewhat listlessly and sat next to Cullen's cage to rest while she could. He gave her an odd look every time she did that, probably wondering why she'd chosen that spot. She couldn't help herself. He spent much of his time pacing inside, his frustration at not being able to help them slowly but steadily overwhelming his fear.

She had barely gotten settled when they heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs moving towards them. There was a chorus of muttered curses from her allies as they all struggled back to their feet and fell into fighting stances.

Mathis threw a fireball the instant the first stranger showed his face at the top of the stairs. The weak spell was blocked by a templar shield, accompanied by a "Hey! That's rude," in a voice that pricked at Bethana's memories, and they all grew still. When the first people who stepped out of the stairway were not blood mages but young versions of the future king and queen of Ferelden, Bethana nearly dropped her staff in relief.

"Stop there," Erik said, low and stern enough that the strangers listened.

"Who are you?" Ratth demanded. He kept his sword pointed at Alistair despite the fact that most of his party looking nothing like mages.

"Erik. Ratth?" a grey-haired woman asked, stepping out from behind Alistair's defensive stance. "Flura, Trum, Mathis, Cullen, Len!" Disbelief blossomed into joy and relief on her wisened face.

"Wynne," Erik echoed her startled tone.

"Oh thank the Maker," the old woman said. "I was beginning to think there was no one else left." Her grey eyes, hungry for reassurance, grew moist as they swept over the children.

"How do we know you're not part of this treachery?" Ratth growled.

Wynne's spine stiffened abruptly. "If you think for one instant that I would have allowed any of this-"

"We don't have time to argue," the young woman next to Alistair interrupted before Wynn's sharp protest could gain steam. Even if she hadn't been wearing warden armor, Bethana would have know who she was. The Hero of Ferelden looked very much like the paintings she'd seen in the future of the queen: dark blond hair tucked into braids, light brown eyes and the bearing of nobility despite the sweat on her brow and the blood on her armor. She was taller than Bethana with a face that seemed made for fierce expressions and two daggers in her hands. Even if Bethana hadn't known who the woman was and who she would become, she would have found the Warden intimidating.

"The Knight-Commander is going to call for the Rite of Annulment if we can't find the First Enchanter and bring him back as proof that the abominations haven't taken everybody," Elissa Cousland continued.

"Please somebody tell me he's still alive," Alistair added hopefully.

Bethana's group traded discomforted glances.

"We don't know. Uldred captured some of the senior mages, but it was some time ago. We hadn't the strength to attempt a rescue," said Erik.

"You can't trust anyone who's been up there anyways," Cullen said darkly. "Even if he is alive. You don't understand... what he's capable of- what he's done to them. They'll turn on you. They'll wait until you trust them, then-"

"I don't know if you were listening, but if we don't have Irving, we're all going to have a hard time getting out of here alive," the blond elf with the wardens said in a clipped Antivan accent. "You included."

Cullen only frowned, looking very tired and lost. "Better that than risking the release of blood mages into the world."

There was a large man with the wardens as well, as tall and as muscular as a Qunari, though he had no horns. The scowl on his face grew increasingly forbidding at Cullen's words, and he gave a grunt that seemed to be an agreement.

"We can't just go up there and kill everyone," said Elissa. "We have to try."

"If nothing else, Uldred needs to be stopped," Bethana said before Cullen or Ratth could argue.

Elissa nodded, resolute. "Everything else can wait until we've seen the situation."

Bethana would have liked to offer to help, but in the state she was in she was likely to be more of a hindrance than anything. The wardens had managed all right without her the first time anyways. She sat back down next to Cullen's cage with a sigh as the wardens' group headed for the stairs leading up. Ratth grumbled, but he didn't try to stop them.

"We cleared out most of the tower on the way up," Wynne told Erik quietly. "I don't believe you should have any problems with abominations before we get back." She lingered a moment longer to speak to Mathis and the children, then she turned to follow the wardens. She gave Bethana a curious look as she passed- obviously aware that she wasn't from the Ferelden circle- but her suspicion turned quickly to confusion as their eyes met and Bethana felt a jolt of recognition.

Faith, she thought, mouthing the word without meaning to. The faith spirit she had met in the future and in her dreams was there inside Wynne. If her expression was anything to go by, the older mage could feel that the spirit knew Bethana too. Wynne's eyes turned contemplative, but she said nothing as she followed her companions up the stairs. Quiet fell over the group that remained- for a while.

"They'll never make it," Cullen stated quietly, tired. "Uldred is too strong. He'll be coming after us next."

"Then we'll fight as long and hard as we can," Bethana said without scolding. "But I wouldn't give up on them yet. They have to be strong to have made it all the way through the tower."

"They have to be tired," Mathis murmured worriedly.

Bethana pressed her lips together and didn't voice an argument. They'll be all right. They have to be.