At the first light of dawn the companions woke and went to have a light breakfast together. The Inquisitor seemed especially tired and Asha made a note to herself to brew her up some rejuvinating potion later. The woman looked as though she had hardly slept at all.
It came to not much surprise, that Adaar announced she had been up early to try and organize some horses for her advisors and the warden.
"You won't believe how hard it is to weedle something with hooves and a saddle out of these villagers." She sighed annoyed. "They could only give me two beasts and to be true they are hardly worthy of being called horse."
Leliana laid a hand on the Inquisitors arm. "I'm sure it will not be a problem. This will be preferable to walking either way."
"Faster too I hope." Adaar nodded at her red haired spymaster. "First one is a sturdy farm horse. Master Dennet would throw a fit if I brought such home, but it will do. Would just as well pull a plow as carry two people. The other is a rickety mare that will probably die on you before you reach Val Royeaux, but I guess you will change horses earlier anyway."
"As soon as we reach an outpost I will hand your missives over to go by bird, so they'll arrive at Josies well before us." Leliana said. "I have the one for Dorian too. They will send that north. As soon as any reply arrives one of my spies will find you here."
The Inquisitor really hoped that Josephine back at the Keep would be able to contain the political desaster they had caused with their performance at Weisshaupt. If they could hope to speak to the wardens again, maybe it was still possible to have an understanding.
Naturally they would link Alistairs escape to the intrusion of her spy. And having Asha back was suspicious as well. But if they could brush the whole thing off as a misunderstanding, Leliana not purposefully stumbling into their dungeons and use the knowledge about the red lyrium as leverage, maybe there was a way.
The Anders royalty would probably not be happy to hear about red lyrium inside the borders of their land. It could put a wedge between them and the wardens if the issue was made public. The Inquisitor had written as much in her letters. Blackmail was not beyond Adaar or Josephine for that matter if it would assure them a way to clean up this mess.
When they said their goodbyes Asha tried to put on a brave face. It saddened her to see her friends go, but she knew it made no sense for them to stay in Nevarran no man's land.
She hugged Alistair, whose sense of humour and affability had endeared him to her and gave a friendly handshake to Leliana. Saying goodbye to Cullen was harder. Again their embrace seemed to last forever and when he kissed her on the lips she almost felt tears welling up again.
"Nice going Curly." Varric cheered and they parted blushing.
Leliana was riding double behind Cullen, as Alistair had opted to take the mare which was less likely to buck and bite. The farm-horse was a stout gelding but his temper was ugly.
When they disappeared in the distance the mages hand had closed tightly around the small coin that was residing in her pocket.
The going was slow for the Commander and his companions. The horses did not seem happy to be led away from the village, but he was an adept rider and Alistairs mare was more likely to follow the geldings lead than to bolt.
"I'm sure Neria will be relieved to have you back alive." Leliana started conversation with her warden friend who rode up next to them.
"I hope so." Alistair said. "We have not seen each other for so long, she'll probably not recognize me anymore."
Leliana smiled gently. "How could she not. You have not changed a bit."
The warden nodded. "Maybe. You have changed a lot, you know?"
Though Lelianas face was still as young and beautiful as it had been during the blight, the naivety and easygoing demeanour of these days seemed to have faded. Alistair was not sure if this was a good thing and was relieved for every shred of her old self she was revealing from time to time.
"Things have been hard Alistair." The former bards expression was serious. "I could not stay the way I was."
"Well, we all change I guess." Alistair turned to the Commander. "You do not seem to hate mages anymore for example."
Cullen narrowed his eyes: "I said some ill-advised things in the past. It is beyond me, leave it be."
Alistair threw up his hands in defense, almost spooking his mare who gave a little jump.
"I did not mean to offend. Just saying .. I was suspicious of mages too I guess, until I met Neria." The wardens smile was fond as he thought of his wife.
"It can be weird too, when they do that thing with the magic." Alistair wiggled his fingers grinning.
"Neria always resorted to fire when .." He blushed.
The Commander was close to putting his fingers up his ears. There were some things he did not want to hear about his first crush at the circle. He gripped the reins harder.
"I guess small shocks of lightning are not as bad as burning the bedsheet." Alistair continued.
Maker could this man not shut his mouth? There were some things Cullen did not want to discuss about his current relationship too. Mainly all of it. Lelianas giggles right behind him did not make things better.
"You must feel like kindred souls." She now teased. "Anyway I've never seen two men with such nice hair. Is it a templar-secret?"
Alistair straightened in the saddle for a bit, obviously thankful for the praise. "I should not tell you but it's hard work having it fall like that. Takes lots of attention with a razor and a little bit of nug-oil for finishing touches."
The former bard giggled delighted. "And what is your secret Commander? Pray tell?"
"I don't .. I." Cullen was stuttering now.
"So it falls like this naturally?" The spymaster sounded surprised.
"No. I .. I actually do something." The Commander could not believe his hair grooming would be subject of conversation, but in the end it was a slightly better topic than the one before.
The tips Alistair had in that regard were not even half bad as the man had to admit. He only zoned out again as Leliana brought the topic around to shoes.
When finally they made camp and everything fell silent relief washed over him, coupled with dread. It would be a long ride home.
Days passed and the Bull seemed to have gotten quite well with the tavern owner and the villagers. He often drank with some of the locals in the evening, while Varric divested them of their coins by means of diamondback.
In the daytime the companions roamed the nearby woods and hills killing bears and wolves that threatened the villagers cattle. It was easy work and even the occasional group of bandits was not fit to make them break a sweat. The villagers where thankful enough, even though they had not much to pay them.
For all it was worth they seemed like a group of mercenarys, waiting for something or maybe hiding. Whenever someone asked they made sure to identify themselves as the Bulls Chargers. It was easier than to explain the presence of the Herald of Andraste.
The local Lord did not take notice of them and that suited Adaar quite well. It probably helped that the taverns owner seemed to turn a blind eye and maybe a deaf ear or two to their private conversations.
After their first night in Perendale they had agreed to only keep renting the two smaller rooms of the tavern. Asha saw no problem in sharing a room with Varric, though the dwarf complained of his bedsheets smelling like wet leather and thunderstorm the first night. They should probably have had the taverns owner change them, but Asha doubted the man would have been able to be as forthcoming as long as they rented the room anyway.
When the first spy arrived, bringing messages from the Keep it was a welcome distraction. Josephine had been immensely relieved to have the other two advisors back with her at the Keep. The warden Alistair was on his way to Orzammar and had promised to relay information about Nerias findings as soon as he located her. They would then try to rally some of the remaining wardens in the south and take up contact with Weisshaupt too.
Josephine had made some more inquiries about the First Warden too. He would soon get an offer regarding a new meeting with the Inquisitor on neutral grounds to discuss his dealings in a certain variant of lyrium. So far it seemed like they would have to fight boredom for a little longer.
That same day Adaar approached Asha stealthily.
"Speak with you? In private?"
They went to the bedroom Adaar and the Bull occupied at night.
"Inquisitor, how may I serve you?" The words came to Asha almost automatically. Adaar rolled her
eyes.
"It's kind of personal." She began and Asha thought she saw the grey skinned woman blush.
The mage lifted one eyebrow. "Well I'm a healer, you can tell me. If it's a rash or something .."
The Inquisitor interrupted her and grinned. "No, nothing of the sort. It's just .. We have been
here for quite some time now and .. I'm kinda out of nug skins."
"What would you need nug skins for .. Oh." Now Asha was blushing.
"I wondered if you could mix me up some potion or the like. You mages must know how to do these
things surely? The things I've heard about your Circles .."
".. Are utterly exaggerated." The mage sighed. "I lack the proper ingredients. But I could help you
out with a localized paralysis spell. As long as there is nothing hampering the magic that should
work quite fine."
"So that's how you do it? Spells? How convenient." Adaar grinned.
"Yes, well. Let's just get on with it." As reassuring as it was to know that Adaar would do her
part to not have personal issues interfere with her work as Inquisitor, so awkward was the topic
for the mage. Naturally she knew about the Inquisitor and the Bull, but Maker, she did not need
details.
Sleep did not come easily to Asha that night. Mainly she blamed the sounds from the adjoining room. Adaar had found some ropes and chains somewhere and they obviously had some use for that Asha did not want to imagine. So she lay in the darkness eyes as big as saucers staring at the ceiling.
"Varric?" She whispered.
The dwarf stirred. "Can't sleep either Sparklehands?"
"You wonder?" Asha barked out a muffled laugh. "You would think they strangle a dragon over there."
"Probably doing just that." Varric answered dryly. "Strangling a dragon, forging the moaning statue, donning the velvet hat, sheathing the sword, take your pick!"
The mage grimaced. "I guess it should not bother me, but Maker, have they got to be that loud about it?"
She pretended his mumbled "Hear who's talking." did not reach her ears.
"You could .. tell me a story." Asha suddenly suggested, wanting really badly to change the subject and craving some other sound to concentrate on. Varrics voice had a nice timbre to it and his tales were usually entertaining. The dwarf chuckled lowly and indulged her.
He forewent his more daring stories and regaled her with the tale of Korth the Mountain-Father, god of the Avvars and how he sought to hide his heart in the Frostback-Mountains for fear of being weakened by it.
"..neither eagle nor falcon nor any other of the mighty birds was able to retrieve the heart, but the little ptarmigan fought her way up and succeeded where they could not." Varric ended his tale, finding his audience fast asleep.
"Just shows you don't need to be best, just suited to the task I guess." He mumbled to himself, giving her sleeping figure a last glance and turning to the wall. The noise from the other room had abated and the dwarf could get some rest as well.
It took another week until a new batch of missives arrived. Dorian had apparently taken a deep look into his tomes and found hints of a couple of contemporarys who could have been with Corypheus a thousand years ago. As it were seven old gods whispering their promises to their priests, one could venture a guess that there had been seven magisters as well entering the Black City. Other sources only spoke of followers of the Old God Dumat to have done the same, but without mention of their numbers. One source mentioned an eyewitness who apparently had once seen a group of darkspawn argue in the deep roads. Speaking words like no darkspawn normally could. Then one of these was killed and devoured by the others. However it was entirely possible that there were more creatures like Corypheus still in the world.
Another letter was written by the Hero of Ferelden herself. She described the sighting of another talking darkspawn in Amaranthine, someone who called himself the Architect. Apparently she had killed that one, but who knew for sure, Corypheus had been killed by Hawke before too.
Neria had also had once met a grey warden mage named Avernus, who experimented with bloodmagic and lived far beyond the span of normal wardens. That and the cure the mage Fiona apparently found for the taint could be what interested and drove the Weisshaupt-Wardens too. Maybe their experimenting with the red lyrium was just another search for a way to master the taint in themselves or removing it from Thedas for good. However she had not found further proof of someone being around the red lyrium deposits around Orzammar. It was possible that they were naturally tainted. That normal lyrium had become corrupted by the creatures presence in the area.
Probably the best news came from the Weisshaupt-Wardens themselves who had contacted Josephine about a meeting. Adaar would finally see the First Warden himself.
The Wardens had scheduled an appointment in a small village near the border between Anderfels and Tevinter. Apparently they still thought them to be around Vol Dorma.
Adaar was glad to have the innkeep know of their departure in the early morning of the next day. As nice as it was to sleep in an actual bed for so many nights in a row she was getting anxious to get moving again.
"You know it could be a trap." Varric mentioned casually as they strolled out of town heading for the Imperial Highway.
Adaar nodded "Presumably it is."
"Good." Grinned the Bull. "I'm itching for a real fight. Though it doesn't have to be wardens. If you could find us a dragon ..."
Adaar gave him a wink. She would have loved to kill another dragon with him. It had been fun to drink with the Bull the first time they had slain one of the beasts. She could just imagine celebrating again together.
They took their time walking the distance to the meeting point, making camp frequently. Going by foot they would arrive just in time and on the road they were harder to spot than as a sitting duck in Vol Dorma or the town that was their destination itself.
"Korban .." Varric mused. "Never heard of it really. Must be damn small and unimportant. Probably no big loss if one should grind the whole place into dust."
"Let's just hope that won't happen please." Asha looked slightly sick. She really preferred thinking that they would have a nice talk with the wardens, agree on an understanding concerning the red lyrium and waltz out again, unscathed.
If they should capture her again, who knew if there would be anyone to save her then. If they should manage to capture, hurt or kill Adaar and the other two, that would be even worse.
"If the wardens are up to something we will fight them." Adaar turned her gaze to the mage with understanding. "We won't have a desaster like at Weisshaupt again. The location will be easier to leave, the wardens as much at home there as we are. I will lose no one again."
Asha wondered how the Inquisitor was always able to say these things in such a manner that made you believe, believe in your heart, that she was true. It was a voice of command and a voice you trusted instinctively. Nevertheless they did not know what lay ahead.
Their meetings in the war room were always missing something vital with the Inquisitor absent. Josephine relayed the contents of Adaars last missive to the other advisors. She had informed them, that they would approach the meeting point with the First Wardens men by foot, biding their time arriving. There would be no further communication with the Keep until after they had spoken with the wardens from Weisshaupt.
Though not everyone of them agreed with the decision, Cassandra arguing that this way they would probably arrive exhausted and leave themselves out in the open for far too long, there was nothing to be done about it. Their Inquisitor and her group had temporarily moved out of their reach. On the upside, Leliana suggested, if even their allies did not know of the groups location, their enemies would be none the wiser. During the blight they had camped outside so often, moving from battle to battle and always by foot, that this kind of tactic seemed second nature to the spymaster.
The Commander went to inspect the fortifications of the Skyhold afterwards before taking a break for quick prayer in the Keeps small chapel. He found Leliana there, who nodded mutely before taking up her silent chant again. For whatever the woman had gone through, she was still a devout follower of the Maker and just like her he called on him to safely return their friends.
They spent some time in silent contemplation and then left together. He often disagreed with the spymasters methods but in their faith he felt connected to her.
"A prayer for Adaar?" Cullen ventured, hoping the question was not too forward.
"For someone else." The spymaster almost whispered.
He nodded and did not implore, it did not seem his place.
"One for your mage?" The Orlesian smiled.
"Her as well, yes." The Commander wished for all of them to return. Especially the loss of Adaar was something he could not imagine. Should this happen .. no. It would not.
The redhead gave him a friendly glance. "I wondered what you saw in her at first."
This piqued his interest. "How so?"
"She's just not anything like Neria." Leliana sighed, her own feelings in this regard were nothing she would confide in him. "You know I have once been witness to your .. suffering."
That again? He did not like to be reminded. Cullens mood darkened.
"Neria inspired everyone, still does. Alistair was smitten with her from the beginning I believe and when I laid eyes on her .." She drifted off.
"The Hero of Ferelden is a remarkable woman. But my past infatuation with her I attribute to my youth." The Commander tried o explain with as much dignity as he could muster. These things were long gone and he intended not to look back anymore.
Leliana smiled. "She just seemed so plain, that Asha. Maybe she could still be called that. Nevertheless she broke you out of your shell when I had almost thought you had condemned yourself to being alone forever. I'm glad."
The spymaster was genuinely happy for the man. Over the course of time he had astounded her by standing his ground confidently among the strong women of the Inquisition. He never challenged their leadership, viewed them as equals, without regard for gender or even race. It would be easy to dismiss them as delusional women or Adaar for being Qunari, but he had never shown such way of thinking.
"I don't know if she's .. plain." Cullen ran his hand through his hair. "But she is pleasant company, understanding and sweet to everyone despite not everyone being nice to her in the past. She seems to see people, acknowledge them and listen. But I think it was her wit and humour that did me in." He smiled abashedly. No, he was not sure why her and why now, but he knew it was right.
It took a long time to reach the village Korban, but eventually the Inquisitor and her companions arrived. The place seemed deserted, which did not bode well. The wardens were secretive, but it could also be that they chose the place for the reason Varric had implied.
If there were no people living here, there was not much to lose if it should come to a fight. No eyewitnesses, no innocent bystanders killed. They could just vanish here and no one would be any wiser.
In front of a building that must have been the tavern, but was now but a ruin just like the other houses around, stood a single grey warden. They knew him by the insignia on his breastplate, the gryffon proudly displayed on his chest. The man gave Adaar a clipped nod and opened the door beckoning them in.
There at a table in the middle of the room sat an older warden. He exuded an air of leadership, a certain confidence that made him out to be of importance. The slightly greying hair on his head was cropped short, a well groomed beard of the same colour framing an angular and unrelenting chin. The lines around his mouth and 'twixt his eyebrows implied this man was more prone to scowling than laughing. His eyes were grey chips of ice glowering at the Inquisitor coming in.
The walls of the derelict tavern were lined by warriors, all bearing the grey wardens seal. A quick glance made Adaar think they could take them if it came to a fight.
The Inquisitor and her friends had kept watch over the village the previous day, camping quite near but hidden from sight. They had been witness to the warens arrival and could estimate their numbers. If they had still hidden reinforcements somewhere in the territory they had hidden them quite well.
"The Herald of Andraste." The words from the First Wardens mouth sounded clipped and void of emotion, he did not stand to greet her.
Adaar bowed her head slightly, acknowledging the man. "They call me that. The First Warden of the famed order of the grey I presume."
"Do not presume too much, Qunari. I have come here because you threatened our position in Anderfels, our headquarters as of old. You are not among friends here, Inquisitor."
The words were practically spit out. Adaar could see this getting a less than friendly chat. She decided for the diplomatic route, as all the reasons not to openly confront the wardens order still applied. She was just glad for Varrick and the Bull to keep their mouths shut this time.
"The incident at Weisshaupt was unfortunate." The Inquisitor took a seat, facing the Warden calmly. "We never intended to fight the grey wardens, but our inquiries were met with hostility as one of the members of my group got lost in your Fortress. However she came across some things you were .. storing in your cellars that have us worried."
"You want to make believe this was all coincidence?" Well, now the warden sounded angry. "You came into our Fortress on false pretenses, brought a spy inside and broke out two prisoners we had there for interrogation. One of those being a grey warden and therefore our responsibility and ours alone!" The First Warden droned on, pointing a finger angrily at Adaar.
Asha felt gooseflesh raise on her back. Something was wrong, so very wrong but she could not say what unnerved her so. It was as if the air was filled with magic, tasting of lead. Thick and red and hard to breathe. She knew that feeling from somewhere, the almost suffocating weight on her lungs, the building static that made the hairs on her neck stand on end.
The others did not seem to feel it. Maybe they were not as perceptive to magic, but for her it was second nature. Just not like this.
The man before them was not even a mage, none of the wardens in the room were. Just ordinary warriors, sporting swords and daggers on their hips, sometimes a greatsword or a shield.
The First Wardens eyes were staring ahead as he accused Adaar of yet more crimes against his order. Laying waste to interior and hurting guards badly, causing political complications with the Anders crown, raising suspicion against the honour of the grey wardens. Andraste preserve me, he is not himself.
Asha could not contain a sudden gasp, a yelp of fear escaping her mouth.
Her companions looked at her puzzled as she grasped for her throat, slowly walking backwards. It could not be.
"Bloodmagic." The word tasted like bile in her mouth.
The mages eyes darted back and forth through the room. There was the puppet, but where was the puppeteer?
"Clever child." The First Wardens dead gaze seemed to focus on Asha now. "How did you know?"
Because it's everywhere around us? Because I'm nearly suffocating? Because your eyes are empty and your voice hollow? All these answers in her thoughts, but none on her tongue.
One after another the grey wardens in the room grew still and slumped to the ground.
On Ashas warning Adaar had grabbed her weapons, the other two assuming a fighting stance as well.
"Red lyrium and now bloodmagic? Explain yourself!" Adaar stared down the First Warden who now stood, weapons still not drawn.
"This gets better and better." Varrick sighed pointing Bianca at the man, even though he was not sure this was really the threat they should concern themselves with. There was something else in here with them, the warden merely a distraction.
"Lay down your weapons Inquisition!" The First Warden demanded. "My power far exceeds yours and you surely do not want me to damage .. anything of yours."
Asha felt something pressing in on her mind. Her arms and legs going numb. Oh please no. The mage grit her teeth. So this was how it felt like, being possessed? Driven to the background of your own mind? Unable to fight? She heard Adaar shout at her. How funny the Inquisitors voice sounded. Asha felt like cotton blocked her ears or she was disconnected from the others by a surface of water. Water that drowned her.
The Inquisitor, Bull and Varrick looked on in horror as the mage slowly put her right hand to her face. "An unimportant one. Weak of mind. Her nature makes her perceptive. Her struggles are futile." The First Warden sounded almost amused.
The flash of lightning temporarily blinded Adaar as the mage sent a surge of power at herself.
Rage in her own eyes the Qunari spun around, beheading the First Warden in one swift stroke. But the man was still voice seemed now to directly speak in her head.
"You damaged my puppet. It's a pity. I will have a new one."
Varric kneeled down next to the fallen mage. She was breathing still, gasping in ragged breaths of pain.
The Bulls eyes were darting around the room. "Come out you shitty bloodmage! Fight like a man!"
"I am no man." The voice was calm and hostile but no longer droning in their heads. A creature was standing in one of the doorways leading to another part of the tavern. "I am so much more."
The thing was tall and dark and twisted. So similar to Corypheus, clad in the robes of old Tevinter. It's eyes were small and black, sparkling with menace. "What do you think you can do?"
The creature focused Adaar, standing squarely in front of her friends. "Whatever I can, darkspawn!"
A powerful static surged up around the thing. The First Wardens blood welled up from where Adaar had parted head from body, pooling around the magisters clawed feet. The hem of its robe was tinted a dark red.
"How dare you call me that, you ignorant fool." It hissed. "For a thousand years I have defended the realms of men. For a thousand years my vigil stood. For a thousand years I have sought them out. You owe me mortal."
"You?" Disbelief tinged Varrics voice. "And why should you defend the mortals?"
The creature did not even turn its head. "To find them. To kill them. Those that have betrayed us. That left us to despair. Those that have damned us. False gods."
"So you are just another megalomaniac on a vengeance trip. Good to know." The dwarf spoke low and the old magister ignored him.
"You wondered about the red lyrium in our possession? We use it. We grow stronger. I do not need the wardens to live for long. The taint is killing them, but they are useful. The lyrium is killing them but makes them more useful yet."
"So it was you all along? The First Warden a darkspawn?" Adaar concentrated on the mark in her palm, maybe her only chance of defense against Corypheus' like.
"They changed. They always changed. Puppets. Useful but their lifespan oh so short. I showed them the way. Control one and you control them all." The thing sounded so proud of himself, it sickened Adaar.
"The others did not agree. They were blind to our way. The only way that was left. Atonement. I guess I have to thank you though. For killing Corypheus." The creature came closer to Adaar who still waited for the right moment to strike.
"He had the red lyrium first. He used it. But he was wrong, presumptuous, delusional." Saliva sprayed from the creatures mouth as he talked himself into a rage. "How could he dream of becoming a god. We have angered the Maker. He has forsaken us, thrown us into darkness."
The darkspawn that had been the First Warden for so long looked at them through slitted eyes.
"Our sin must be atoned for. The false gods that led us to our doom must be destroyed and no sooner will I give up the order and our cause. The red lyrium and it's power is ours. Just another part of the taint that we will use to redeem ourselves. And then we will truly see the Golden City."
"You are as delusional." The Bull looked in horror as the creature accumulated even more of the dead wardens blood around himself. "Just kill it Adaar!"
He just wanted to charge that thing and get it over with. Deal with this as they had with Corypheus before it spawned a horde of demons at them or overtook their minds. Being a puppet to another being was scaring the dauntless warrior.
Adaar had one last question: "So who are you? The Architect?"
"That fool? He let himself be killed by one of my best. No. I am the Warden." The creature gave off a raspy sound that seemed to be a laugh. Raising it's hands it prepared for attack.
Her strike came swiftly and with precision. The Inquisitor swirled around after her sword was deflected by a barrier the enemy had build around itself.
"Pathetic." Came the darkspawns taunt, followed by a volley of bloody spikes flying at the companions. Adaar jerked up her shield, only to feel no impact of the projectiles. A light blue barrier was shielding them, stopping the things attack in midair.
"Annoying pest." It glanced at Asha, still sitting by the door who held up her staff. The Bull took that moment to attack from the left, smashing the bloodbarrier with a mighty swing of his axe.
Varric sprung into action too, the flurry of quarrels he released making it harder for the enemy to concentrate.
The fight was lasting long, the creature trying to take control of their minds but failing due to the power of the mark in Adaars hand. Somehow she could shield her friends, break them free from the thing that called himself Warden and if it tried to take control over her it seemed to hurt it greatly.
It made the wardens around them attack, like puppets on strings. Unfocused and without much grace. But deadly were their weapons nonetheless.
It pained the Inquisitor to kill innocent men and women, but the taint inside their blood seemed to grant the creature power over them. This was different from the pull across the fade it exerted by bloodmagic.
When finally the Warden-thing lay slain Adaar let her gaze wander across the devastation it had brought. The grey wardens lay in pools of their own blood. Varric was wheezing in a corner, exhausted and bloodied as well.
The Bull had taken an ugly new gash across his chest, a wardens axe severing skin and flesh. His other wounds were minor in comparison, but even this one would heal. He nodded at his lover, indicating all was well.
The mage that had been out at the beginning of the fight, but still tried to protect them from the darkspawn-magisters first strike lay crumbled to a heap where she had fallen prior.
Adaar limped over to the smaller woman, turning her over by the shoulder. She was alive as well. Relief washed over the Inquisitor. Once more they had succeeded.
But the right side of the mages face, her eye made for a gruesome sight. The surge of lightning Asha had directed at herself had been of her own doing. The pain had jolted her out of the darkspawns thrall but damaged her more badly than she had thought.
The Bull carried the mage back to camp, Adaar limping close behind. His strength was unbelievable, even with a wound like this. Sometimes it seemed to her nothing could stop him and she hoped that would prove ever true.
Adaar did the stitches on his wound herself, the big man taking a huge swig out of a skin containing a sharp smelling liquid. The mage had prepared salve and more potions, with which the companions now treated themselves.
When Asha came to, finding a poultice covering her eye she ripped it off, panicked by the darkness. And still she could not see. She directed a healing spell on her right eye, feeling the skin knitting together over ragged edges running up her eyebrow and down her cheek.
Tears welled up in her eyes as darkness lingered. The voice of Varric calmed her down.
"Sleep now, worry later." He said and it was what she did.
