Blackmarshes – The Faded Marshes

Agrona POV

He had to repress a sigh as he once again looked at the staircase. Mentally, he cursed whoever it was that decided to house Fereldan mages in this Tower. Yes, it was all well and good for the younger mages, but for the poor First Enchanter still suffering from the effects of Uldred's magic and the stress of the Siege of Denerim, the stairs were a nightmare and accident waiting to happen. But he had to get down to the first floor. He'd already put it off long enough, even making Wynne double back to get him. And making her so fussy as well. Then again, Wynne fussing wasn't nearly as bad as…

"Irving, Wynne said that you were still up here." As his star pupil's. Wynne knew that he couldn't stand Solana's worried tone and face and movements. It hurt his pride, and heart, more than anything else. Which Wynne knew and would deliberately take advantage of if she thought he was being too prideful. As much as he adored his old friend… damn her. "Irving?"

He sighed gustily and stepped back from the wall he'd leaned against for a rest. "I'm here, Solana," he replied, voice still a little raspy. The damage he'd done to it from screaming in pain had not fully healed before he decided it would be a good idea to shout orders at Denerim and he was still paying for it.

Away from the wall, he could see Solana near the staircase door and her relieved smile. "You had me worried," she scolded, closing the gap between them easily. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Are your joints still bothering you?" They were, but he didn't like to admit it. Yes, Solana was no longer a child, but he still remembered the hero worship she had for him as a child and he liked to live up to that adoration, even now. Besides, he'd heard of few 'fathers' who liked appearing weak in front of their 'child'. "Come on, Irving. We'll walk down together." She smiled hesitantly. "We've done that before. And the tower is kinda scary nowadays." Yes, even with cleaning, the mages who'd survived still saw the bodies twisted around the desks and beds and the blood splattered on the wall. Uldred, you fool. Your quest for freedom had led to the Tower becoming more of a cage than ever. "So, let's go?"

The pleading look on her face almost made him laugh. She hadn't asked him to help her down the 'scary staircase' in years. Not since Alim came to the Tower, actually. Alim had always appeared 'stronger' and 'safer' than Jowan, or even Anders. No, Irving, do not dwell on those thoughts. What was done was done and there was nothing you could do about it, no matter how much you wanted. Just because a person had magic didn't mean they could save everyone. Or anyone, for that matter. "Yes, let's head down together," he agreed, letting Solana lead him down the cursed stairs. He forced himself to think of something happier, funnier. A memory surfaced to help. "I think I've enough magic to keep the shadow-monster away." Solana made a face at her old 'monster', but laughed as they descended to the first floor.

Wynne was waiting right there, healing magic already in hand. Solana gave him a sympathetic look before going to where Alim was waiting by the door. As Wynne did her near hourly check on him, he studied the two new Senior Enchanters. He still remembered them from when they were small, laughing and getting into everything. As the two talked, he could almost see two specters hovering over their shoulders, the other two dear friends. But Jowan was Tranquil, despite his pleas, and Anders was apparently a Warden. Perhaps it was time for Alim and Solana to step outside of the Tower as well. They would be a credit.

"You're too pensive, Irving," Wynne informed him as she let her magic fade. No lectures this time meant that he was actually healing, a good note. "What troubles you, old friend?"

"Old is right," he jested with a laugh. "Maybe I should retire."

"Don't you dare. The Tower needs you to balance out Gregoir." And he was really the only one who could, through sarcasm and prodding. Though Gregoir was a reasonable Knight Commander, unlike Meredith of Kirkwall. She and Orsino fought far too much for there to be any growth and development. Of course, he admitted, that some of the fault was Orsino's too. It took two to argue. "Irving, if you get lost in your head, I don't know if I can send someone after you."

"They are the frets and worries of an old man, Wynne," he dismissed, steering his thoughts a different way. "I must also figure out who to make the Court Mage now, since a certain Spirit Healer refused the position, ultimately."

If Wynne had been younger, he had no doubt she'd have rolled her eyes. "If it was only Alistair and Serenity, I would, but it's not and I doubt I have the patience to deal with some of those… brats." She shook her head. "No, I think the Court Mage should be someone more… charismatic and welcoming than me. Alistair is the first in a very, very long time to have one, after all." Indeed, he'd been surprised when the new King specifically came over to request one, wanting a mage to help temper his templar training and to give a different perspective. It was enough to give him hope that this experiment he and Gregoir were performing might actually work and the mages given a little more freedom.

"You'll have to help me pick," he replied, still thinking rapidly. "It'll need to be someone who can get along with him."

"Just pick someone who didn't feel like pulling Anders's ponytail out of his skull." Wynne chuckled at her own joke. "The two have a similar sense of humor. Ah, but don't forget, you also need to pick a liaison for the Wardens." So many duties he had, but he would forge through. Irving wished that someone had warned him about that when he took the post, though.

"Wynne, Solana wants to talk to you," Alim said, appearing out of nowhere from Irving's perspective. It was always a shock that the boy was taller than him, even though he'd been this way for a good five years now. "She's worried about the transport, I think. Something about how the current plans aren't going to work." If it was because of his joints, he was going to give in to his urge to curse.

"Probably Irving. He's actually healing, so we should undo the damage," Wynne mused as she wandered off. He managed to resist the urge to sigh, but only just.

Still Alim read him like an open book, as befitting the most diligent mage of the Tower. "If you'd like, sir, I can use a bit of magic on you," he offered with a smile. "That way those two will stop fretting so much."

He smiled back. "Alim, you always know how to soothe my keening pride." Alim laughed in reply and explained just what he was going to do. While Irving listened, he was also thinking, again. Planning, really, to take the best advantage of the new opportunities that were being put forth.

"So, why exactly are the three of us coming to the creepy swamps?" Sigrun asked me as she wrinkled her nose at the place. "I think this place is worse than the Deep Roads."

"We are here to track down a missing Warden," I answered as I carefully led the way through the area with Revas's help. The place was as confusing as the Brecilian Forest, without the benefit of a somewhat defined path.

"And Oghren and I are here because…?"

"Because Serenity specifically requested Nathaniel to accompany her because there's a chance he'd find his sister in Amaranthine and Revas said that Anders shouldn't be anywhere near here." For damn good reason. There was another similarity between this place and the Forest. A very thin Veil. If I had to fight corpses, shades, abominations, or demons again, I was going to scream.

The area wasn't helping. The place was gloomy and desolate. According to Nathaniel, there'd been a village long ago, but after it suddenly vanished, everyone avoided the place like the plague.

"Figures the darkspawn would pick somewhere wet and muddy to hide," Oghren growled, glaring at some black and purple mud that Revas had thankfully led us around. "I better not lose a boot."

"Well, look on the bright side!" Sigrun commented with a mostly true smile. "Its dark and damp with a bunch of darkspawn. Oh, and look at all the twisted trees! And the ruined houses that look like they're going to eat us!"

"Houses don't eat people," I commented absently, staring at the ruins of a village in the distance. "Though, I think I heard a tale where ghosts did."

"Are surface ghosts different from Stone ghosts?" Sigrun asked curiously. "The ones in the thaigs just left us alone."

"I deal more with shades and corpses."

"And corpses, like in Redcliffe," Oghren added. "A shame. That had been a sporting fight. Well, until the little miss here took out most of them."

"Oghren, you are one of the few people I'm actually taller than," I groused. "There's no way in the Void I'm letting you call me short." Revas, far ahead, suddenly howled, wanting me to check something. "I'm going ahead. Oghren, keep your flirting to a minimum and Sigrun, please don't kill him. I need all the Wardens I can get." Both of them seemed to groan in protest of my orders and that almost made me laugh.

The pile of darkspawn corpses at the foot of an abandoned mansion, however, swallowed that laughter up. Revas nosed the bodies towards me, one by one, so that I could inspect them. Some were killed with large broad slashes that reminded me of the bodies Sten, Serenity, and Oghren would leave. So, two-handed weapon. Kristoff, perhaps? That would be a good sign, much better than the sign of the half-eaten darkspawn.

"We saw some corpses like that in Kal'hirol," Sigrun murmured from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Oghren nursing a shoulder (hinting that Sigrun had hit him) and Sigrun peering at the corpses. "Didn't see what caused them, though. Might be those maggot things." Maggot…? Oh, those odd darkspawn that took the Legion Squad Sigrun had been in by surprise and had startled my Wardens enough that they ended up pretty badly hurt.

"Let's look around for other corpses," I suggested softly, pushing myself into a standing position. "Shout if you find something. Might be the trail we need." I should've grabbed something of Kristoff's from his room. Revas could track through scent, after all. Why must hindsight be perfect?

Also, why must this place be so creepy? There were no signs of old fighting or anything. In fact, providing I remembered some of the things Dad said back at the Alienage, most of the damage here was due to neglect and weather. It was as if everyone had just… vanished. Disappeared. But how was that possible? As I carefully peeked into old houses, I saw evidence that these people hadn't even taken anything with them. A pot filled with stagnant water. A dress crumpled by a bed. A choked fireplace that nearly took out half the house in a blaze. A red toy horse that rocked back and forth. I picked that up and cradled it in my hands. I could easily see Muriel playing with this… an older memory bubbled up right then, flashing to Highever Castle when I'd first arrived and still been a brat. Oren had been playing with a toy horse just like this when he asked me about telling 'elf stories'. Huh. I hadn't thought of him in a long, long time. When things calmed down, I should pay my respects to the whole family. After all, they were Serenity's folks and meeting them had been the first step in me growing up. I should thank them for that, too.

Revas, appearing at my side, licked my hand before jumping to lick my face. "Yeah, I know," I whispered, tucking the horse into my pack as I scratched his ears. "I'm just thinking of how different I am now." I shook my head. "Come, Revas. Let's see whether the others have found anything?"

Sigrun didn't, but Oghren did, right at the edges of an old village gate. He showed me the wounds on them. No bite marks. "Think we might be on the right trail?" he asked, before pointing out. "There's also a trail, I think." Revas yipped in agreement and ran ahead to show us the right way through.

"Time to follow the wolf again," Sigrun commented with a laugh. "I feel like he's doing my job."

"Your job is killing things," Oghren corrected. "And getting it on. And drinking your fill."

Sigrun groaned, but I suddenly grinned as I remembered something and reached into my pack to toss the toy horse to Oghren. "Catch," I called, glad to associate a 'happy' (happier) memory with the toy.

He did, just barely. "You're giving me a toy?" he growled.

"You wanted a pony," I replied innocently.

It took him a long moment to realize what I was talking about and, when he did, his laugh echoed through the ruins and trees. Personally, I was surprised I didn't have to explain to him, considering how drunk he'd been.

"Have I missed something?" Sigrun asked once Oghren's laughter had calmed down enough so that she could be heard. "Some Warden joke?"

"It's an inside joke," I answered. "If he wants to explain, he can, but it's more of his story than mine." I shook my head and looked to my wolf who was giving us a 'hurry up' look. "Let's get going."

As we left the ruined village to follow the barely-there path, though, I suddenly felt very, very ill and swayed, having to lean heavily on a tree to stay up.

"Agrona?" Oghren called, stepping towards me. "You all right?"

"Give me a moment," I returned weakly, trying to regain control. What in the Void? I'd never felt like this. Why…?

Revas crooned to catch my attention and directed it to a nearby area to answer my question. A glowing green light that distorted the air and made it hard to see straight. The landscape behind it alternated between the marshes and the twisted islands I recognized from the Fade.

"Is… is that the Veil?" I croaked, coughing slightly as I felt even more ill. Revas nodded. "That's why Anders couldn't come, isn't it? He'd feel this even before we entered." He nodded again. "Could've warned me, wolf." I sighed gustily and forced myself to walk. "Guys, I need to sit down a bit. Veil's so busted up that it's actually showing in the 'real world'. And I'm sensitive to these things, apparently."

What had happened here to rip it apart this bad? Not even the Forest, Redcliffe, or the Keep had this.

It took nearly an hour for me to adjust fully, but Sigrun and Oghren were in good humor, once Oghren explained to Sigrun about my odd elf magic thing.

"So, the Taint woke up some elf power and then you somehow managed to wake up even more?" Sigrun asked me amusedly. Glad to know she took such joy from my misery. I was still pale from my wonderful experience with the visible Veil. Oghren was ahead, helping Revas scout. And maybe get away from Sigrun. From what I overheard, Sigrun suddenly decided to go along with Oghren's requests and he'd been scared off. Ah, it was so much fun seeing the heart of gold Oghren had.

"You more or less hit the nail on the head," I mumbled, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. I felt better as we got farther away from the green light thing, but it was a slow recovery.

"Or stole the jewels off a noble…" Sigrun trailed off suddenly, awkwardly even. That made me wonder something and, as per usual, I went ahead and asked.

"You used to be a thief?" I asked, curiously.

Sigrun winced. "Yeah," she mumbled. "Um, I promise to be good."

"I'd appreciate not pickpocketing from the people who help us, but if some guy's being a jerk, have at it." I winked at her startled look. "I used to be a thief myself, truth be told. A way to get extra money, and food, for my people back in the Alienage."

"Really?" She sounded so surprised. "But… but you're a Warden."

"I'm also an elf. Elves up here are second class citizens, at best." I sighed gustily. "We used to be slaves, but then got liberated. Well, technically liberated."

"So, elves have something in common with the casteless?" she tentatively asked. "I mean; no one says you don't actually exist or anything, but you're treated like you're lesser?"

"Pretty much. We're automatically assumed to be thieves and useless. Treated badly. I could go on and on." I smiled slightly. "Alistair is going to try and change that, though. Well, start the change at any rate." Something like that would take ages to fully change, if it ever did. "I became a Warden after a noble kidnapped some friends of mine and I killed him in revenge for that." And for raping Shianni. "Duncan conscripted me to save me. And get me to join, of course."

"Duncan?" Sigrun looked curious as she made a mark on a tree. "Serenity mentioned him once, but wouldn't talk much about him."

"You won't hear much more from me." Duncan… I could still see you dying if I closed my eyes. "He was the Warden-Commander before me. He died at Ostagar."

"I'm sorry for your loss," she murmured. "Um… if I may…?"

Oghren shouted right then. "Agrona, found your guy! I don't think he's breathing, though." All thoughts scattered as Sigrun and I raced to a small clearing where someone had set up a camp. There, right next to a recently burned out fire pit, was a corpse. I could sense the Taint still in the crusted blood and sensed the body was one of a Warden. There was only one Warden who'd be out here…

Oh, Aura. Forgive me for not saving your husband. Forgive me, Kristoff, for not coming sooner.

I frowned as I studied the corpse. There was barely any rot on the body. How…? Oh, wait. No, I remembered now. The Taint was so deadly that it killed even things that would cause rot. Shaking my head, I took off my leather glove and brushed along the bald head. Rough and crusty. Someone had taken the time to rip the hair out of the guy, probably while he was still alive. I continued feeling the body, murmuring prayers and apologies, trying to figure out how exactly he'd died. Puncture wounds in the shoulder. Carefully drawn lines in the abdomen. Arms and legs that flopped unnaturally (I knew because I tried to replicate the movement and found that there was something in my elbow and knees that prevented that). Shattered bones that I could see move under the skin as I prodded.

I was nearly sick when my frozen mind finally gave me the answer. Torture. He'd died by torture. What a way to go. How did they hold him down long enough? My questing hand found part of the answer. There was blood at the base of his head, suggesting someone had knocked him out. His wrists and ankles were also raw, suggesting bindings there. But why take them away? Why not leave them? Wasn't the point of torture to humiliate your enemy? Unless there was another reason…

"Oghren, Sigrun, keep your eyes peeled!" I snapped, jumping to my feet and drawing a dagger. "Revas, is anything around?" Revas sniffed the air and sneezed multiple times. He even whimpered. Something was bad. Something was very, very bad. "Weapons out, you two. Now."

As if on cue, a swarm of darkspawn and creepy maggot things crawled out of the trees, surrounding us. Maker, preserve us.

"So, we divide them into quarters?" Oghren asked with a touch of glee and maybe even madness.

A darkspawn who looked to be in charged strode forward. "We wait to see what they have to say," I whispered, eyes narrowing as I studied his armor. High quality. "Disobey at your peril, berserker."

"Ah, it is as the Mother foretold," the darkspawn hissed smugly. "She said that if this Grey Warden would be slain and left here, you would come in time." Bait. Trap. And I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. "The Mother is always right."

"And who exactly are you?" I demanded, dropping a hand to keep a growling Revas at my side. It was hard as the maggot things slithered closer with bloody teeth in twisted grins.

"I am the First," he hissed. "First to join the Mother, first to swear loyalty, first to carry out her orders."

"And who is the Mother?" Just keep talking until a break appeared in their guard. Deep breaths, and keep calm. Thank you, Serenity, for teaching me tricks to keep calm. And thank you, Sigrun, for keeping steady as well.

"The Mother is she who bade me, to have you come to this place."

"And why does she want me here?"

"A message." A warning. "She be not permitting you to further His plan." Whose plan? "So, she be giving you a gift." …I was certain I didn't want this gift.

"There," Sigrun hissed as she nodded to a sudden crack in the surrounding guard. "Agrona… Commander!"

"Break through and get to a better location!" I ordered as the First held out his hand and an eerie black and green light appeared in his palm. The light resembled… "Don't fight! Just get away from-!"

Light burst through the air and sounds slowly disappeared as the world tilted… and went… black…

…

Author's notes:

The novel Asunder mentions that Wynne was considered an Archmage and a wanderer, which doesn't fit in with the whole Court Mage thing, so this shows that she refused. Does this mean that Fereldan won't be having a Court Mage? Of course not. I wouldn't bring it up if I weren't going to use it. I rarely like loose ends. And yes, that scene ended abruptly, I know. It was already a lot longer than I wanted and if I didn't stop it then, it might've ended up longer than the chapter itself.

Why the two dwarves here, instead of the two humans? Well, aside from the story reasons I just mentioned, I figured that Sigrun would 'click' a little better with Agrona, since they've both spent their pasts as the 'dredges' of their respective societies, and I wanted to put a mirroring effect between the Marshes and the Forest, hence Oghren switching between Serenity's group to Agrona's. Besides, who doesn't want to see the poor dwarves in the Fade?

It's mentioned in chapter 3 that Oren asked Agrona for 'elf stories' while in Highever. I thought I'd make a mention of it.

Justice in Awakening is bald, but in Warden's Fall, which provides backstory to Kristoff, he has hair (and using a different weapon, but I'll address that in a couple of chapters). So, this is how I get both versions. Kristoff dead by torture. Be grateful. I'd almost had bugs in the corpse, as would be typical if I'm remembering my forensics correctly, before remembering that the Taint would've killed them before they could make nests and lay eggs.

Next Chapter – Serenity, Nathaniel, and Anders in Amaranthine and the Wending Forest. Might actually be a long chapter for once.