"Here I found this book" Kolby threw it over to him "it looks like something a mage would find interesting."
"The Tome of Arcane Technique" Jowan read aloud flipping it open.
Floating, that was the only way to describe what was happening to him, flashes of silver sparked out of the corner of his eyes before he landed with a thump on what felt like solid ground. His eyes couldn't quite focus but he could hear what sounded like a furious battle being fought around him. A strange peacefulness settled over him and he strained his ears to listen, fragments of words filled his head until they became the knowledge he would need to become an Arcane Warrior. Feelings of power rushed through him as the force of his magic became the strength of his body. Suddenly the world around him was filled with lucidity for the briefest of moments before he was falling.
Garrett, Keran and Kolby watched in shock as Jowan collapsed head first into the book, his body flexed and rippled causing the men to draw their blades in alarm.
"What was in that book Kolby?" Garrett demanded angrily.
"I don't know, when I saw it I thought of your friend here, if I had known…" his words drifted off with dismay.
"Could it be… is he turning?" Keran's voice was a horrified whisper.
"I don't know perhaps the book was possessed?" Garrett drew his blade with the others following suit.
They hovered over him unsure of what to do, this is why they tell you not to make friends with mages Keran thought miserably, so this very thing doesn't happen, if they were in the circle Jowan would have struck down by now. He raised his sword ready to end him, he jumped back at the force of Garrett's blade meeting his as his blow was blocked.
"Not so quick Keran" he said through gritted teeth.
"But what if becomes an abomination, he will be a danger to us all?" Keran protested.
"But he hasn't yet has he? We're not doing anything until we are sure" Garrett's tone brooked no argument.
Keran gave Kolby a look of appeal but he shook his head "I agree with Hawke, I would rather face an abomination than mistakenly kill him."
"Fine, I hope…" his words came to an abrupt halt as Jowan sat upright his eyes wide open.
"You'll never guess what just happened to me" he gushed excitedly.
"Probably not" Garrett agreed sliding his blade away.
"I just felt… heard Arcane Warriors, I think… I think I just became one" he leaped to his feet racing over to their pack. He pulled out some heavy plate armour lifting it easily grinning in amazement. "Yesterday I wouldn't even have been able to lift this" he said raising it above his head. He searched through some more producing The Blade of Mercy Garrett kept as a spare and swung it gracefully in front of him, astonished at how natural it felt.
"Jowan, would you please care to explain?" Keran stood next to him relief mingling with shame at having been so eager to strike him down.
"Arcane Warriors died out centuries ago, Chantry rubbish of course, anyway that book pulled me into the… fade? I don't know but it was fantastic, I felt the fighting around me, mages using their swords to focus their powers… it is… hard to explain" he finished uncertainly.
Garrett sucked in his bottom lip "can you still heal Jowan?"
"Is that all I am to you Garrett?" Jowan straightened up turning on him.
"No I just…"
"Am I going to be sent away if I'm not?"
"What… no what I'm trying to…"
"Or will that be when it's all over?"
"Maker, Jowan listen to me" Garrett yelled "I only want to know in case we need other options. You are more than just a healer, you're my friend."
"Am I? Really?" Jowan narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, do you not believe me?"
"I don't know, I think you should prove it."
"Prove it, alright how?"
"Spar with me."
"What?"
"You heard, spar with me and I may believe you" Jowan grinned, both men knew he already believed him.
"Alright, but you can't use magic."
"Agreed, oh and to answer your question, yes I can still heal" Jowan assured him.
They went to the courtyard, a crowd gathering to see the pale weak mage spar with the skilled warrior. Jowan countered every attack with ease, swinging the blade as if he had been born with it in his hands, the sparring session soon turned into a tutorial with Garrett stopping him every now and then giving him tips to hone his new skills. Chastity watched utterly amazed, the thin arms she had clung to only hours before, now rippling with muscles that had not been there, her face flushed as she thought about wrapping her legs around his well-toned torso. Jerrod saw her reaction with a sinking feeling in his gut, he knew that look and he had just lost the physical edge he had previously had on the mage.
Keran and Kolby had taken bets on who would win, but eventually had to give the money back when it became apparent there would be no winner, they brought cold water to them when they both conceded that they were spent wiping sweat from their brows.
"So how soon Kolby?" Jowan was eager to put himself to a real test.
"Rest tomorrow, then we take the fight to them lad" Kolby told him slapping him on the back.
"What's the plan?" Garrett asked glad for once that he wasn't the leader.
"We have recruited heavily and have far more people than I ever anticipated. We should be able to split up into two units, one for the circle, one for the castle. I have two good people to lead them. Us four" he gestured to their small group "will infiltrate the castle while the fighting is going on."
Garrett nodded anticipation flowing through him "five, we will take Rags with us this time."
"A mabari is always good to have on side" Kolby agreed.
He cheerily departed to The Hemmed Inn leaving the other three contemplating what was to come. Keran and Garrett left Jowan sitting in the courtyard thinking about the advantages of his new skills. He was brought out of his reverie by the bulk of Jerrod planted in front of him, he noticed idly that he felt strangely calm rather than the thrill of fear that would normally assail him.
"Just sit down Jerrod" he instructed taking the big man off guard.
"I seen 'ow Chastity looks at you, you know?" he said sounding uncomfortably.
Jowan remained silent, not sure what to say.
"I just wanted to say that if you die during the siege I will find a mage to raise you from the dead so I can kill you again."
Jowan couldn't help but laugh at the preposterousness of his statement "well we can't have that then, I will endeavour not to die."
"It's not funny, she will be 'eart broken if somethin' were to 'appen to you" Jerrod said sadly "as would I."
"As would you?" Jowan gave him a sidelong look.
"I've become quite fond of you boy, a good match for my Chastity" with that he stood and went inside leaving Jowan open mouthed.
Garrett was looking at Keran speculatively "so how well did you know Bethany?"
"We became friends, as much as mages and Templars can be" he replied.
"That's it, friends nothing more?"
"Yes, why?"
"It seems that you are going to great lengths to free a friend that is all."
"In different circumstances I think we could have been more" Keran sighed regretfully.
"I see" Garrett said quietly "what are you hoping for when we find her?"
"Just that she is alive at this point, I have no illusions Garrett, I know that she may not want me around. But I can't just leave her there or let you go in alone. You both saved me from the blood mages, and she saved my sanity when I was doing guard duty in the circle."
Garrett nodded satisfied with his answer "I am glad you are here Keran."
Keran thought he wasn't sure what he wanted anymore, at the start he had imagined being the conquering hero, rescuing the damsel in distress but the reality of what could happen to a woman being held captive had been brought home to him. Ire welled within him as he imagined the worst, poor sweet Bethany, she had been a bright spot in the circle, strong and kind she took everything in her stride with unabashed enthusiasm. He remembered Alrik talking about making her tranquil and that was what had pushed him over the edge into outright rebellion against his own order. He was the one who had sent the letter about the tranquil solution to Anders, had fed his paranoia and set it up so Alrik would be in the right place at the right time. The hardest part had been hiding his elation when the news of Alrik's death had been announced.
Fenris' death hadn't been as satisfying as Garrett had hoped, he still couldn't believe that all of this had come about from jealousy. He knew that Fenris had been in love with him, as well as Anders, Merrill and apparently Isabela had harboured feelings for him too, or maybe she just didn't take rejection well. Having to rebuff them all had been hard as he wasn't a person who liked to hurt people unnecessarily but quite simply he didn't return their feelings.
His thoughts turned to Orana, the only person who wanted nothing but to just to be around him. She nursed him when he was injured, cried with him when his mother had been killed and generally just loved him. He had loved her passionately going down on his knees begging her to become his wife. It had taken a while to get her to agree she didn't feel she was worthy of his love and was worried about what the other nobles would think. As he was about to give up he had nearly died from a battle out on the Wounded Coast and had woken in his bed with her clinging to his back whispering that she would marry him if he would still have her. His eyes filled with tears remembering the joy he felt at her words. She had moved into his room after that and had started joyously planning their wedding. He gripped the sheets of his bed his mind crying out at the injustice of it all, he should be married now, having a family, instead here he was fighting to reclaim the only part of his life that was left.