Kas led Sera, Blackwall, the Orlesian mage, and Iron Bull down the path towards the forward camp. She drew her cloak around her a bit tighter. This place was freezing. How did people stand living here? Though, from the looks of things, not many were. "We'll need to get supplies out, or it will be a race to see if they freeze or starve first." She shook her head as she walked over to meet Harding.

"The red templars have been mounting frequent attacks. They want Emprise du Lion. Bad." Harding gestured down at the remains of the war torn village. "Let's get out there, and take it back from them."

"You said something about a rift?"

Harding pointed. "There, on the river."

She nodded, and gestured to her companions. "With me."

#

If Kas were honest with herself, she'd have to admit the Orlesian mage was starting to grow on her. Unlike the other two, the woman knew her place and didn't screw around with dangerous magic. And best of all, she knew when to shut up. The rage demon stopped in its tracks as ice froze it to the river. Iron Bull's axe came down, shattering it into a thousand pieces with a satisfying crackling sound.

Kas looked around. That appeared to be the last of them. She raised her hand and willed the mark to close the rift. It vanished with a twist of green light, and she shook her hand after, flexing her fingers to rid herself of the strange sensation. "Let's head into the village, get a better look at the lay of the land."

#

Kas glared at Mistress Poulin's disappearing back as the woman went back into her house. One of the few in the village with all the walls standing and a roof. Sera was fingering her arrows again. "We'll have to fight our way through several templar camps to get to this quarry." She turned to look at her companions. "Let's check in with the camp. They'll have to move in behind us if we are to hold this territory. Blackwall, get me numbers on the village, and get a raven off to Josephine letting her know what supplies are needed."

Both Sera and Blackwall smiled at the order. "Yes, Inquisitor."

#

She saw the Orlesian mage's eyes widen at the man who'd joined them in the fight against the first group of red templars. "Michel de Chevin at your service, Your Worship. I saw the Inquisition's banners from afar." He saluted. "Never expected to see the Herald of Andraste herself."

Kas asked him a few questions. Politics and demons. Lovely combination. But she had to admit, the guy was right about having a strong arm. "We could use you in the Inquisition."

He gave her a reluctant shake of his head. "No. Not until Imshael is defeated."

"We'll meet you at this keep, then, after we've dealt with the situation at the quarry. I'm not leaving a demon this close to a village under our protection."

#

"Hey, look up. Giant lady with titsicles."

She looked up out of reflex, and sighed. There were, indeed, giant icicles hanging off the breasts of a massive statue. Sera cackled. The Orlesian mage shrugged. "Those were the fashion in Orlais two seasons ago."

"You're shitting me."

"I could happily have gone the rest of my life without knowing that," Kas muttered.

"Heh. Titsicles."

#

They were on the first camp before the red templars really knew what hit them. Kas and Iron Bull charged simultaneously, using their size and momentum to knock down the red templars in their path and leave the rest scrambling. The Orlesian mage used a combination of lightning and ice to devastating effect. Sera appeared to be everywhere at once, firing arrows that had a disturbing tendency to end up in enemy asses. Kas suspected the elven woman was doing it on purpose.

Blackwall battered one of the twisted templars to the ground with his shield, and finished it off with an overhand blow. Kas yanked her axe out of one wearing some kind of ranked plate, and looked around for another target. Iron Bull finished off one that was still twitching, but otherwise it looked as if they'd taken the camp. "Signal our people, have them move in. Mage, use your healing. We'll need to keep moving before they get a chance to set against us."

"Yes, Inquisitor."

It occurred to her that if the Orlesian mage stopped needling Sera, she might actually start to like the woman.

#

Iron Bull glanced back at Sera as they headed up through the tunnels. "Sera, how did you get an entire beehive into Cullen's training dummy?"

"I don't know. Can't remember." When he raised an eyebrow, she shrugged. "What? Things go sideways if you think too hard."

He shook his head. "But it's a beehive. Full of bees. Most people would pay attention."

"That's why most people get stung."

"That..." Kas shook her head. "Makes a disturbing amount of sense." And possibly explained how her brother had once managed getting three badgers into a former captain's tent. There was still pain when she thought of him, but it was bittersweet now.

#

She started to walk around one of the wagons, and froze. A second look and... "There's a corpse in this lyrium!"

The Orlesian mage narrowed her eyes. "So that's how the red templars created it so quickly. Blood, to speed the growth."

Fucking mages. "Cullen will want to know about this." Kas touched the pommel of her axe. "Move in, smash anything red."

"There's a nice kind of poetry to your orders, boss." Iron Bull hefted his own axe.

#

They moved through the mountain, clearing out the red templars as they went. At the top of the rise, they encountered one of the behemoths. Kas directed Iron Bull to the left and Blackwall to the right. Behind her, Sera started unleashing arrows. Kas bounded up the rocks, letting the behemoth focus on her as the two men came around from behind. She dodged, rolling out of the way of a blow. The creature raised its fist again just as Iron Bull and Blackwall hit it simultaneously.

It roared, and she was back on her feet, hitting it as it turned to face the others. She came in low just as Iron Bull came in high. Their blows shattered the creature. Kas laid her axe on her shoulder, and headed in. "Looks like a good spot to set up a war camp."

Iron Bull gestured. "That path would take us up to that fort."

Kas considered a moment, and then shook her head. "The demon will keep. The miners may not."

"Might need more arrows." Sera grinned.

#

They moved in from above. Kas gestured to Sera and the Orlesian mage, both of whom nodded in response. Silently, she and the other warriors crept down. She nodded to Blackwall.

The sound of the war horn broke the silence. It echoed through rocks and winding ravines. Red templars turned towards the sound, and started to fall beneath the axes of herself and Iron Bull. The red templars started group together as they flowed into the ravine. From above, the Orlesian mage unleashed her magic. Red templars turned to ice, and shattered beneath their blows.

Kas heard Sera cackling as arrows rained down. Between the mage and the archers, half the templars fell before they reached the warriors. She smiled.

#

Sera picked the lock on the cage, and opened it with a flourish. The miners were effusive in their gratitude as they escaped. One hesitated before fleeing, and filled Sera in on just how many others were imprisoned. Sera turned her huge eyes towards Kas, and Kas nodded in response before readying her axe again. Everyone was going home tonight.

#

"Iron Bull, did you clean your weapon after the last fight?"

"Er..." Iron Bull glanced down at the Orlesian mage. "No. Odds are we're gonna be killing something again in a few minutes. Besides, the bloodstains are good for scaring enemies! They see a big messy blade and they..." He trailed off as she just stared at him. "You know. Argh..." He dropped his eyes first. "I'll go clean it."

"Thank you, darling." The Orlesian mage smiled.

"Yes, ma'am."

Kas shielded her eyes from the glare, and looked out at the fort. She could just barely make out a few figures moving around. "The fort doesn't appear well defended. We could probably take it, even with them expecting us."

Iron Bull rested his freshly cleaned axe on his shoulder. "We should stop in. Say hi. Let them know we just moved into the neighborhood."

#

Ser Michel met them at the gate, and helped them take out the red templars on guard. He bowed after the last one had been felled. "Bad news, Herald. Your efforts to drive off the red templars have not gone unnoticed. Ishmael knows we're here. He's sent red templars after me, and a pack of shades descends now upon Sahrnia. The people are defenseless - I must return without delay. It's up to you to destroy Imshael."

Kas nodded. "Keep them safe. We'll deal with this. Good luck."

"And you, Herald."

#

A giant. An actual giant. She tilted her head at it, and glanced over at Iron Bull. They exchanged a smile, hefted their axes, and headed in.

Blackwall and the Orlesian mage focused their efforts on the red templars. Sera just fired arrows at everything moving that wasn't her comrades. Every time the giant tried to focus on one of the qunari, the other moved in to hit it. The beast was big, but stupid, unable to cope with the constantly shifting attacks. Iron Bull got in a good, solid blow to the thing's knee, and it fell. Its hands flailed desperately. For a moment, Kas actually felt some pity for the thing. She put an end to its torment by opening its throat with an angled blow from her axe. It spasmed, and died.

#

"Ah, the hero arrives. But is it hero? Or murderer? It's so hard to tell." The demon appeared to be a perfectly ordinary, unremarkable man. And it was talking.

Kas shifted her grip on her axe and started towards it.

"Talky ones." Iron Bull mirrored her actions. "I hate the talky ones."

"Wait. Wait. Wait." Imshael held up his hands. "These are your friends? They're very violent. It's worrying." He turned his eyes to her. "True to my name, I will show you that you have a choice. It doesn't always have to end in blood."

It looked inclined to keep talking. So she hit it with the axe. It made a shrieking sound, and red templars moved in to attack as it started to shift form. It talked as they fought, calling out taunts, claiming they should take the deal. She continued to press the attack, trusting Blackwall and Iron Bull to deal with the red templars. There was the tightening sensation to her skin that indicated the Orlesian mage was using defensive magic.

And there were arrows.

Lots of arrows.

#

She tossed the flag to Sera. "Let them know the fort is ours."

Sera caught the flag and blew her a kiss. Kas smiled.

#

By the time they had reached the base of the mountain, the Inquisition's reinforcements and supplies were already starting to arrive. The freed minors were all but singing praises to the Inquisition and Andraste. Two Inquisition members stood next to a large pot over a cookfire, ladling hot soup to everyone who lined up.

Sera brought over two bowls, and handed one to Kas. Kas smiled. "We did good today."

"Nice, innit?" Sera seated herself on the log next to Kas.

She fought the urge to put her arm around the other woman, and instead listened as Sera told her a story about letting a wolverine lose in some lord or another's salon.