Valen struggled for several seconds to move his newly mangled legs and try to tp force himself back to his feet. Biting back what was probably the worst pain he had ever felt in his life in the process. When nothing happened, and he stayed in the dirt, he finally accepted that his legs might be broken. His resolve broke and he let out a cry that echoed much louder than he meant it to. The pain was just too intense.

How in the Maker's name did this happen?! One minute he's riding back with a rather generous haul via a settlement that sat comfortably out in the middle of nowhere. The next, a damn whirlwind blasted him and his horse clear across the fields and into darkness. He was still alive thankfully, though Andraste knows where his horse was; and over the past several minutes since he regained consciousness, his ears had been picking up the sounds of what remained of his group getting slaughtered but what he guessed was their attackers. It wasn't necessarily brutal. No loud blood-curdling screams that drug out for agonizing moments or anything that. It was more unnerving than anything else. Someone started a yell, then it stopped. A sword clashed with a sword then silence. A failed plea for mercy here or there that was cut short. A pair of running feet that would stop dead, followed by the sound of flesh falling to the ground. Quick, efficient stuff like that.

After a particularly long droning period of silence, a pair of footsteps picked up. Coming straight for him

He kept his eyes closed and tried desperately to slow his breathing to give the illusion of death. The footsteps kept going until thy stopped beside him. No further than a foot away. He stopped his breathing entirely, praying that the footsteps would pick up again and move away from him. When no such thing occurred and his lungs threatened to burst, he let out a loud raspy gasp and cough. Opening his eyes a bit too fast and getting a blurry look at the figure who stood above him. He took in several deep breaths trying to get his air back and strengthen his vision. As he did that, the figure spoke.

"Jeez, you got mangled up didn't ya?"

That voice. It sounded older. Maybe late forties-early fifties. Yet it had a youthful kick to it. The kind he himself had lost maybe a decade ago. With his vision finally stable, he looked up to the man. He was about average height just a bit taller than himself, covered from neck to toes in a strange style of plate armor he hadn't seen before. He gripped a strange sword in his right hand and with his left, lifted Valen right off the ground by the cuff of his fur shirt.

"Now, you want your luck to hold?" The man asked Valen, hoisting him up until his eyes sat perpendicular to his. Having neither the courage nor the stupidity to try and break free, Valen nodded his head and stared directly into the cold steely eyes of the man who held him in the air.

"Good. First off. Where's the rest of your guys?"

Naturally, Valen was more than a little thrown off by the question. Who takes on a group of a hundred guys and then immediately asks where's the rest? "W-We had a group guarding the fort…" He began.

"I took care of them already." His captor interrupted. "I meant like any smaller hideouts the hills, mini strongholds, stuff like that."

Valen shook his head. "No, we did….we didn't have anything else outside the fort."

"You're not lying to me, right? I hate being lied to." His captor said rather too calm for Valen's liking.

"N-No. We used Greyguard as our headquarters and just ran around extorting a few surrounding settlements."

Greyguard? Good town name. Hardvak thought to himself. "Just extortion?" He whispered just loud enough so Valen could here him. "Nothing else? Your frontman did try to run me down in the road."

"M-Me, I mean." Valen quickly clarified waving one hand. "I meant I only extorted people."

Hardvak had to bite back a chuckle. Looks like there was no love lost between him and his group. Can't say he was surprised. Bandits were rarely close to each other. "Hm." He went silent looking over Valen again. He was still a young man, mid-twenties. Trimmed back black hair, cold but still slightly youthful brown eyes. Not exactly matching his image of long term reavers, or bandits. "What's your name kid?" He asked

"Valen." He replied a little too quickly.

Hardvak eyes widened ever so slightly and a smile grew across from his lips. "Your last name wouldn't happen to be Wood, would it?"

"N-No," Valen replied clearly unnerved by the smile. That seemed to be enough for the man who dropped him right back to the ground and onto his still broken legs. The cry of pain caused, the newly awake Alduin to cover his ears in annoyance.

"All right, let's get you a horse." The man replied to the very much in pain Valen. Hardvak left the Valen's plain of vision for little more than a moment before he returned with a horse. Not just any horse either, a young hazelnut brown mare. The exact same one he had been riding.

"Regal?" Valen's pain momentarily vanished at the sight of his horse looking a bit ruffled and bruised, but all together unharmed. He looked back over to Hardvak, "How?"

"What can I say, I've got a soft spot for horses," Hardvak replied patting Regal on the neck. "Most of the horses, took off after I patched them up but this one stayed behind."

Regal knelt down and nudged Valen.

"I like horses. Not their fault their riders are assholes, so I like to avoid letting them die if I can." Hardvak said leaning down to putting his hand out over Valen's legs. A shining golden light, the likes of which Valen had never seen before radiated out from his hand. Within seconds, his mangled legs began to pop back into place. His discomfort lowering with each distinct pop until they resembled working appendages again and became movable. Valen's shock and awe were palpable. So much so, that it gave Hardvak a smile.

"I'd get out of here if I were you," Hardvak said pulling him back up to his feet. Valen wasted little time. Throwing himself onto his horse with the energy of a frightened cat.

"You're just gonna let me go? Not gonna chase me down or anything like that?" Valen asked.

"Nope. Just tell whoever you meet, what you saw here. And that Greyguard is now under Hardvak the Heroic's control." Hardvak ordered pointing him in a direction that he'd be wise to follow. "But if you really want to be safe, find a different line of work."

Valen's nod came swiftly and he soon galloped away at a speed that could make saber cat jealous.

"That makes seven. That should do it." Hardvak thought. Seven out of one hundred five bandits. That seemed a little lower than usual to him but most of them had been assholes so that took care of itself. And with that taken care of, he looked out towards the ninety-eight bodies of the not so lucky bandits.

Time to check for valuables.

Not long after the blast of Magic rattled across their land and shook the very foundations of the castle that gave the town its name, the people of Greyguard crowded around the battlements and looked out from the castle not really knowing what to expect. A young girl was hoisted up to her father's shoulders, giving her a better view to the outside. Their homes remained intact and the bandits were nowhere to be seen.

Her eyes squinted looking out further away from their village and towards road and whispers of the frightened villagers began to erupt all over the castle. With the sun rising it made it almost impossible to get a decent look but for a moment she thought she saw something walking towards their town. It may have been just a flash of light as the sun crept up behind him but she felt that it was something larger than life with a shadow that stretched across the road, over their village past the castle and even crossing over the mountain that sat above it.

A few more moments went by and the sight became much more distinguishable. Especially to those with telescopes.

"Son of a…" One of the men whom Hardvak had talked met breathed in awe.

"What? What is it Roren?" Another man said beside him, fearing the worst.

"It's…..It's him." The blue-shirted man named Roren replied handing the looking glass over to his friend. His friend, the one in the green, took it without haste and looked out to their village. Just as Roren said, their Hardvak was, his traveling clothes bloodied slightly but other than that, having no visible marks of a fight or battle. Beside him walked another figure draped in rags that covered his body save for searing red eyes that flashed up towards him through the scope. The instantly turned away from the sight and shoved the scope back into Roren's hands.

"H-How?"

"Perhaps Andraste took pity on us after all. Eh, Ed?" Roren replied with a light laugh as he finally began to grasp what had happened. His friend didn't match his enthusiasm.

"Or she sent a new tyrant our way." Ed replied.

"Just had to use your shout didn't you?" Alduin growled rubbing his head.

"What? I could've slept through it." Came Hardvak's reply, keeping his eyes on the glass sword that sat comfortably in his hand. "Been a while since I used glass, it might be a bit too light for me."

Alduin tilted his head, confused. "It seemed to cut through the mortals just fine."

"Of course, that's all you'd think about. As long as it works, who cares if you like it." Hardvak's sword slid back into its sheath strapped to his side after Alduin's words and Hardvak's mind once again raced with questions about The World Eater's time here. He knew he would eventually have a discussion about it but they could save that for later. Preferably for a point where he didn't feel the urge to beat Alduin into the ground or him likewise. After a few more moments the pair arrived back at the entrance to the fort which was now surrounded by a crowd of villagers, about two dozen women and children and about half as much men. And all with the exact same expression of shock and awe on their faces.

" I'm going to sleep. Don't wake me till we're going to leave." Alduin growled out, barely staving off a yawn. " None of you mortals follow me." He commanded to the others. The villagers moved to his side as he passed either out of fear of the scaled one himself or his choice in traveling companions, leaving Hardvak alone before them.

"So…." Hardvak started taking in the number of people who stood in front of him. "Who's hungry?"

Turns out the bandits who held Greyguard had actually kept it pretty well stocked with food, probably from the village itself and a surrounding settlement or two. He'd learn soon enough.

"So, Greyguard is it?" Hardvak asked biting into an apple. He tossed his map of Thedas onto the table. "Any chance you point out where we are?"

After taking a bite of roasted pheasant, Roren looked at the map.. His eyes dashed across the parchment before blinking and pressing a finger right below the edge of the frost backs, maybe an inch or two away from a town called Jader

"Right here. About a days ride from the Waking Sea."

"Huh." Hardvak tilted his head in momentary surprise at how far north he'd traveled in the past few days. "Neat." A laugh escaped Roren's lips a the rather childish response. Hardvak took another bite of his apple before continuing. "So, what are the chances any of your people know about the war going on?" Roren's smile faded at the subject, as did Ed's. Giving Hardvak his answer. "The war not exactly treating you well, I take it."

"No. Not at all actually." Roren replied shifting his gaze over to Ed who seemed to take offense to Hardvak's words with a furrowed brow and cold stare. But he remained silent and let Roren continue.

"The General and Empress's forces have been battling back and forth all over Orlais. The Western Approach, The Dales, The Heartlands. No place has been left untouched to this damn war." Roren lectured with a notable disdain that Hardvak had often heard from disgruntled or broken soldiers. "And if by some miracle they don't move into your area, bandits do."

"How long had those guys been bothering you," Hardvak asked.

"Months," Ed spoke up keeping his glare on the Nord. "Moved in after Gaspard moved out."

Hardvak nodded eyes drifted down from the ramparts and to the townspeople who looked like they were taking to the outside with a renewed sense of purpose. A hopeful glint in their eyes that he always got a little kick at seeing. It was probably his sappy heart kicking in again but this time he wouldn't complain. He took another bite of the apple.

"Right. Well, the good news is you shouldn't be bothered anymore." He garbled through his chewing. "I told the survivors that this town was off-limits from now on."

"And they believed you?" Roren asked.

"I think I made an impression." Hardvak winked. " Besides, bandits rarely keep their mouths shut. They'll join up with other groups, or apply themselves to a different trade, but either way, word will get out about what they saw."

"And what did they see?" Ed asked.

"Hardvak the Heroic, setting up his home front." The Nord replied. "As of this moment, all of you here are under my protection. Anyone who picks a fight or bothers you, answers to me."

"Oh yes. Of course, you're majesty." Ed said with a sarcastic bow. "And just what do you want in return for you're protection?"

Hardvak tilted his head confused by the tone. "Well for one, maybe a little less sarcasm. I'm a Nord of my word after all."

While Roren pondered what exactly a Nord was, Ed kept his cold gaze. "You didn't answer the question."

Well someone's a cynic. Hardvak thought. "Fine. Would you, or any of you're people know where I can find some dragons?" Hardvak asked.

Roren's eyes widened while Ed's laughs could be heard in the village below.

"What could you possibly want with those beasts?" Roren asked.

"I plan to start making an impression on both Gaspard and Celene's forces," Hardvak told them clasping his hands behind his head. " And since I don't have a standing army yet, I'm gonna need dragons."

"Wait. Wait. Wait." Roren threw up a hand to stop him from continuing as he tried to figure out exactly what he meant. "Are you telling me, that you're going to tame the dragons to stop the war? Just like that?"

"Not tame them, just ask for their help." Hardvak clarified.

"Ask? You think Dragons can talk?" Ed sneered crossing his arms.

"Are you saying they can't?" Hardvak asked. "When's the last time you tried to talk to one?"

When Ed didn't reply, Hardvak nodded. "See, don't knock it till you try it."

"Look, uh Hardvak." Roren started putting a second hand up to try and slow down Hardvak's thinking. "No doubt you can handle yourself better than any man I've ever seen but taming dragons, that's an altogether different than fighting men."

"Oh, I know," Hardvak said with a small smile at the man's worry for him. Honestly, it was weird hearing that from someone again. "And thanks for worrying but you really shouldn't. I have a history with this sort of thing."

"Lay off, Roren," Ed said with a huff, standing up to leave. " If the man has a death wish, so be it. We've got a town to watch."

"Yeah, 'cause you were doing such a good job with it when I got here," Hardvak said to him, finally starting to lose his cool.

Ed turned back around, enraged and started towards him. Hardvak stood up but a hand from Roren stopped them from going further.

"Relax. Ed, take a walk!" He ordered. Ed's rage began to dwindle at the words and he stepped back. He looked at Hardvak one last time before turning around and leaving. This time, vanishing from sight.

"Did I do something to piss him off?" Hardvak asked looking over to Roren who sighed.

"No. Look Ed's been dealt a bad hand is all. We all have."

"Ex-soldier?" Hardvak asked. Roren shifted his feet before nodding.

"Ed and I served in the Empire for years. When the civil war broke out, we decided to come home rather than fight our countrymen."

"You said Gaspard controlled this territory?" Hardvak asked.

"Yeah. We thought his forces would stay and guard home…until they left for the Exalted Plains. Then the bandits moved in and…."

"You guys didn't stop them." Hardvak sighed, putting the pieces together. Someone coming from out of nowhere and doing what you couldn't do. Yeah, that would piss most people off.

"Half the town left with Gaspard's men. Which left me, Ed, and maybe a few others down there. Nowhere near enough to stop a group that size. Best we could do was try to accommodate them. Especially after we heard they fought off a…." Roren's eyes widened in remembrance. He darted across the ramparts beckoning Hardvak to follow. The pair moved to a deck that looked out towards the rolling fields in the distance.

"Kellrig never stopped bragging about how they met a dragon in the Exalted Plains. It's a few days ride that way."He said pointing out towards the horizon. "That's probably the best you're gonna get from me or anyone else here."

"Good. Good." Hardvak said with a nod. "But if he's dead then that's not gonna be much help. Unless dragons travel in packs here." He finished with a chuckle.

Roren shook his head. "I don't claim to be an expert but, I think you should find be able to find what you're looking for. From what Kellrig yammered on about, he probably only managed a drake or something."

Hardvak's brow furrowed, confused. "What's a drake?"

"Jeez. I thought you said you knew your stuff." Roren laughed. "A drake's a male dragon. The big ones are female."

As the day went on and the people of Greyguard started to get their lives back on track, Hardvak sat up in the fort commander's room mulling over the little fact he learned that morning. Female Dragons existed. And apparently, they put their male counterparts to shame in terms of size. It shouldn't have been that hard to accept. Most species of anything have female gender. That was basic biology. But dragons? He'd spent his entire life learning from the dragons themselves, that they had been the Sons of Akatosh. Every dragon he'd ever met, good or bad, every one of them had been a male. After so many years of that, he'd just figured there was never such a thing as a female dragon.

That of course changed with the conversation earlier. Thedas held a few more wonders than he thought.

He leaned back in his chair and allowed himself a chuckle at the pictures that came to his mind. "Female dragons. I wonder if they'll sound similar to the dragons back home."

His thoughts stopped at the sight of the newly awake Alduin. With the sun now high in the sky and shining through the window, it looked his skinny stature had actually started the change. Not a lot, obviously. It hadn't been more than a few days after all. But it was still a noticeable change.

"So, sleep well your highness?" Hardvak asked.

"Unquestionably." Alduin groaned as he looked around the room. "You look like you're planning something."

"I am. But first I wanted to ask." Hardvak looked over to his traveling companion and smiled. " What do you know about the dragons here?" Hardvak asked.

"That there are dragons here," Alduin replied stretching.

"Really?" Hardvak raised an eyebrow. "Ten years. And you never once try and seek out your own kind."

Alduin's sigh rolled through the room before he replied. " What would be the point, Dovahkiin? I lost my power, my body, everything that would tie me to the dragons."

"Minus the tail and scales, of course." Hardvak laughed, eliciting a growl from Alduin.

"Is there a point to this question or not?" He asked getting annoyed with the Nord.

"I found where a dragon is located. Figure I'll start with her before doing anything else."

"Brilliant strategy, let's just go out and…." Alduin nearly choked on his words when he realized Hardvak's wording. Hardvak's smile seemed to grow tenfold as Alduin's realization came full circle.

"This dragon…is a she?" Alduin asked.

"Apparently." Hardvak chuckled. "We'll ask when we meet her just to be safe but yeah….that's a thing."

As Alduin sat down on the floor to truly contemplate what he was being told Hardvak laughed again. Looks like the Exalted Plains were going to be a little more than just interesting.

The Temple of Dumat always made Sampson nervous lyrium or no lyrium. The statues, the wall carvings, the walls, the steps. It all just seemed unnerving. Like it was made to intimidate and scare whoever laid eyes on it into service.

He had to respect that. The designers knew how to instill fear and his master, the Elder One was said to know them personally. So it was little wonder that this place would become one of his bases of operation as his forces spread through Orlais, gaining power and supplies for the ensuing war to come.

Still, though he had to wonder why he was being called here. Surely things were still going according to plan. The little hiccup at Haven wasn't going to repeat itself. So what if some of the Inquisition had survived? They were nothing compared to his Red Templars. So if they ever became a problem again, he'd crush them where they stood. The pieces were still coming together with the summoning of the Demon army as far as he knew. And their contact in the Orlesain court was supplying them ample information on both Celene and Gaspard as well as any other names of interest.

So what exactly was cause for the meeting here?

Sampson decided he would know soon enough and pulled the handle of a large door that led to the temple's center. Inside, he saw several of the highest-ranking members of the Venatori. Standing as still as stone around a circle of people that he begrudgingly called his allies. One turned to see who had joined them. A particularly slimy magister with the last name Erimond.

"Well, the mighty Templar graces us with his presence." Livius sneered to Sampson.

"Keep talking mage," Sampson warned, keeping his voice low and calm.

"Wow. Your voice didn't crack. Get your new injection recently?" Livius asked with a twisted smile.

Sampson's gaze hardened at the magister and his and twitched for his sword. Before he could even think of moving to attack however, another voice rang out. "Well. Well. And here I thought I wasn't working with children."

Sampson turned to see a pale dark-robed woman beside him. Seemingly appeared from nothing. "Letting words anger you Sampson. Shameful."

"Silence witch," Sampson ordered. "You may have the Elder One's favor, but don't assume that gives you a free pass with me."

"Careful." She warned. A pair of shining darkly pink eyes growing brighter blinking once. "You forget just how easily you can be replaced."

Sampson's anger threatened to get the better of him yet again before the only other figure in the room spoke. He was a tall man. Cloaked in a shadowy cloak just like the witch yet while you could see her bright eyes through the darkness. No such light was visible here just ever-present darkness that seemed to threaten to reach out and swallow all at any given chance.

"Quit chastising the man Potema." The figure ordered.

The witch laughed playfully before backing away from Sampson. "Just having a bit of fun."

Sampson watched with some relief as Potema walked back to the figure. Not speaking again save for a light chuckle at Sampson's unease. Livius for his part seemed more or less the same save for a few wary looks to the two cloaked ones.

"So, where exactly is the Elder One?" The magister asked.

"Here." A booming voice replied. All turned to see a towering creature that appeared in Hardvak's mind to look like a colossal Hagraven. A former magister, his skin agonizingly fused with shards of red lyrium and power and charisma to help him conquer the world. The Elder One.

"My lord." Every Venatori agent as well as Livius, and Sampson all bowed their heads at the sight of Corypheus. He paid them no mind and immediately turned his gaze to the only figure that matched him in stature.

"You received my message?" Corypheus asked.

"I did. And I can't say I'm surprised. That mortal always had a habit of getting in my way." The figure replied.

"You have no idea." Potema agreed, gritting her teeth behind her hood. "Him showing up here, right at this time can't be a coincidence."

"Uh…." Livius interrupted. "Who are we talking about here exactly? If it's the Hero of Ferelden, I assure you the Calling is affecting him as well. He won't be a problem."

"Sampson," Corypheus commanded. Sampson straightened up at his name. "What is it you require of me, my lord?"

"Beginning today, you will begin moving the bulk of your Orlesian Templars to the Western Approach. Nothing can interfere with the summoning at Adamant once it Erimond gathers the Grey Wardens."

"Of course my lord but what of our outposts in Orlais?" Sampson nodded though not seeing the reasoning while Erimond still looked as confused as before.

"Leave them to me." Potema smiled. "My undead will sweep through Orlais, weakening both the Duke and the Empress until both decide to meet at Halamshiral…..If that's still the plan?" She asked up to figure. When he nodded, she sighed. "Not quite as fun as I'd like but I'll get it done."

"Excellent." Corypheus nodded. "Sampson, Erimond. Leave us."

Without another word, the commander of the Red Templars and the Magister behind the Calling left the room. Leaving Corypheus and the two strangers.

"You said the ways to your world were closed." Corypheus snarled towards the figure.

"They were." The figure replied as cold and calm as ever. "That must've changed when the Inquisitor used the Anchor on the Breach."

"Is he really as powerful as you say he is?" Corypheus asked.

The figure laughed. "You've tasted his power. Do you think I'm lying?"

Corypheus thought back to his brief engagement with the mortal know as Hardvak and his fingers curled in rage at the memory of his shout. "He is just another mortal."

"Perhaps." The figure ceded with a cold chuckle. "But make no mistake. His power is not that of a mortal. And he will start coming for you if he hasn't already."

"Then why don't you get rid of him?" Corypheus asked. "He's from your world after all."

"I intend to." The figure replied. "My way."

And just like that, at the speed of a blink, the figure disappeared. Seemingly swallowed up by his own cloak. Potema laughed at the Elder One's confusion.

"My master is heading back to Mundus." The ancient Wolf Queen explained. "There he'll gather more souls from the war raging in Nirn and use them to gather more allies for the war to come."

"What allies could that monster have?" Corypheus asked. Potema's laugh rang through the room.

"Molag Bal's name carries more weight than you could ever know."

A/N: Tada! Finally, a little scene with the villains. With several more to come. Hope you guys don't mind Potema being a servant to Molag. Despite the whole Wolf Queen moniker, she always seemed much more of a dominater than a hunter. At least to me.

But what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Leave a review and let me know. This will probably be the last one for the year. So until next time.

See ya guys later.