Knight-Captain Rylen looked around with a critical eye. Griffon Wing Keep was going to need a lot of work before he considered it up to snuff. The well was completely shot. Damned Venatori idiots had dropped corpses into it and spoiled the water. Half the structures within the walls were scorched or smashed to bits. The Inquisitor certainly hadn't messed around when she took the place.

Speaking of which, he had yet to see her. Apparently her group had run off again as soon as the troops started arriving. Rylen sighed. How on earth did the Commander expect him to keep an eye on her? She was the bloody Inquisitor! It's not like he could put a tail on her without somebody getting curious.

The Knight-Captain was actually a bit nervous about meeting her… With Cullen holding down the fort at Skyhold, it was usually more beneficial for Rylen to coordinate from a secondary location. As a result of this, he hadn't even really seen their leader much less spoken with her. What was she like?

Shrugging, he headed up the stairs leading to the top level. His eye was caught by some men across the keep struggling to erect a wooden platform that bridged a gap in the ramparts. They were yelling at each other in annoyance.

"Oi!" He barked at them, voice carrying easily. They froze. "We need that thing built and built well! If it falls again, I'll know exactly who to tear into so keep that in mind!"

"Hello."

Rylen spun toward the voice, about to royally chew out whoever was not working on their assigned duties. He caught himself, mouth partway open, as he identified the speaker. The descriptions hadn't done her justice. Even coated in dust, the Inquisitor made for a sight. Her strange grey-purple eyes met his calmly.

"I- Inquisitor! You're back," he stammered, but quickly regained his military composure. "We weren't sure when to expect you. We've been making good progress, but Griffon Wing is still far from fully restored."

As if meeting her wasn't intimidating enough, she was accompanied by another three of the Inquisition's most powerful members. Rylen had met Varric in passing prior to the Inquisition's forming, and the dwarf gave a slight wave. The Qunari mercenary and the Tevinter mage were what gave him pause, though all of them seemed perfectly comfortable together.

"Been having much trouble with the locals?" Iron Bull asked amiably.

"Since the well was spoiled by the previous tenants, we've been looking for an alternate water source. One has been found so far, though the varghests are proving troublesome. There's still some Venatori running around doing Maker knows what. And darkspawn have also been spotted further out."

"We haven't met, have we?" The Inquisitor tilted her head curiously. "What's your name? Where are you from?"

"I beg your pardon, Inquisitor. Knight-Captain Rylen at your service," he bowed smartly. "I served with the Templars in Starkhaven until they all ran off to the hills, barking at the moon. Commander Cullen offered me a job, and I was glad to do anything to help stop all this madness."

"I recognize the name. The Commander thinks quite highly of you. It's nice to finally meet," she said warmly. "What is it that you do exactly?"

"Well, I am Commander Cullen's second-in-command," Rylen continued explaining, surprised that she seemed so interested in speaking with him. "As such, I handle logistics for many of our more high-risk missions. I also coordinate reports for the commander from agents out in the field."

"That sounds quite important," Faydren nodded before frowning in thought. "Why would he send you all the way out here?"

The Knight-Captain paused uncertainly. A look at her companions' smug expressions said they were completely aware of the full reasoning behind Cullen's decision. Somehow he doubted she'd appreciate knowing it was partly to keep an eye on her, so he decided to leave that part out.

"This is a good tactical location. With me here and Cullen in Skyhold, we have greatly expanded the reach of our forces," he was relieved that the answer seemed to satisfy her. Varric winked slyly.

"I see…"

"Your Worship!"

Rylen watched Jace run up with a thrilled smile on his face as Faydren turned to greet him. The young scout had been checking regularly to see if the Inquisitor had returned. He was clearly quite attached to her – understandably so, if his full report was accurate. For a moment Rylen was sure the boy was actually going to hug her, but he stopped just short of that. Thank the Maker. Watching the two chat, the Knight-Captain tried to figure out what it was about her…

The Inquisitor didn't have the bearing or natural authority of a military leader like Cullen or Cassandra. Nor did she seem prone to using charm and charisma like the Ambassador. There was no sign of the fearful respect gained through use of cunning and shady dealings. What he saw was a forthright, caring young woman who somehow inspired loyalty from the most diverse group he'd ever seen... by accident. He shook his head incredulously. Definitely not what he expected.

"So, how mad was Curly anyway?" Varric had moved to stand next to him, and Faydren was out of earshot as Jace dragged her away to show off something.

"If I could guess based on the message I got and the ungodly terror on the messenger's face, I'd say there was steam coming out of his ears," Rylen chuckled.

"Does he actually think you'll be able to keep her out of trouble?"

"Maker, I hope not…"

Ever since her first night drinking with the Chargers, Faydren loved hanging out with the crazy mercenaries. They were one of the few groups who didn't just treat her like 'The Inquisitor'. When she heard they were coming to the Western Approach to help clear the place out, she decided to stay at least long enough to see them. They did not disappoint.

"I've never seen someone so bad at cards!" Dalish howled with mirth.

"These games are just so much pressure…" Faydren sighed. She had just folded again, and her allotted money pile was looking quite small.

"Pressure? I've seen you face down the Chief in Archon without breaking a sweat," Krem shook his head, grinning.

"Yes, well, Archon doesn't make me bet anything…"

Grim grunted and showed his cards, getting boos and complaints from the rest of the table as he collected the pot yet again. There was drinking and jokes all around as they continued to play. The small storeroom they'd commandeered in the keep barely held the group of them, but that didn't stop the fun.

Faydren was the only non-Charger there since the others had decided to entertain themselves elsewhere. Even Bull was absent, and she heard the guys joke about seeing him run off with some redhead. They'd been carousing long enough that everyone was a bit buzzed before Dalish piped up with an idea.

"Oooooh, let's go out huntin'!"

"Hunting? But it's dark out," Skinner said matter-of-factly.

"So? I really want to use my bowww," she pleaded.

"It's a nice night. I wouldn't mind a jaunt in the desert while it's not blazing," Stitches jumped in the conversation.

Grim grunted in an agreeable way and Rocky shrugged.

"Well, what do you think, Inquisitor? Care for a stroll?" Krem laughed.

"Sure, why not," she smiled.

The desert was beautiful at night if the wind was calm. The moon practically seemed to fill the sky as it turned the sands into a pale, pristine ocean. The seven of them walked around casually, occasionally sharing drinks from a bottle they'd brought with. Dalish pranced about with her 'bow', taking magical pot shots at Fennecs and other small creatures. She even went so far as to draw back her arm along the staff and make a 'Pew' arrow noise when she cast.

Nobody really paid attention to the time as they wandered, eventually stopping at the edge of a craggy precipice to gaze out over the landscape. A shallow watering hole glittered below, supporting a sparse amount of brush along its shores. The keep was just a hazy shadow in the distance. Even Dalish took a break from her hunting to admire the moment with them in silence. So nobody noticed as a small sphere bounced across the sand behind them.

It exploded with a pop, filling the air around them with a dark cloud. Faydren coughed violently and tried to wave the smoke aside. She could barely see the Chargers still next to her, much less any possible attackers further away. There was a thud as Stitches dropped to the ground at her feet. Her head grew fuzzy and she started to wobble. A hand grabbed her shoulder roughly and turned her. It was Krem.

"Sleeping powder!" He shouted around the hand covering his mouth. Skinner fell next. The powder plus the alcohol was taking them out fast.

"But why?" She was feeling too sleepy to ask a better question. The lieutenant ignored it, turning his head to shout.

"Dalish! On my voice!"

"Gotcha!" A barrier sprung to life around him and Faydren as he looked at her with a grim smile, hand still on her shoulder.

"Sorry, Your Worship. The Chief would have our hides if we let anything happen to you. Can't say I'd be too happy with us either."

Krem gave a hard shove and Faydren's eyes went wide as she felt nothing but empty air behind her. The sleeping powder finally kicked in and everything slowly faded to black - but not before she saw Krem slump to the ground.

Faydren's head was pounding as she felt something wet and fuzzy nuzzle her face. Her eyes opened to find a young Fennec staring at her with great interest. She lifted a hand gently and he sniffed it a couple times before running off. The mage groaned as the rest of her body started screaming at her. It was still dark. Why was she on the ground out here?

Eyes wandering up the rocks, the memory hit her and she jolted up. Ignoring the pain, she staggered to her feet. It hurt to breathe. Shit, it hurt to do anything. The barrier cushioned the fall enough to prevent significant injury and lacerations, but her ribs were definitely bruised (among other things). The Chargers...

Faydren stumbled along the cliff face until she found a path back up to where they had been. The remains of the powder bomb were still there, along with the bottle they were drinking from, but there was no blood and no bodies. She realized with relief that meant they were probably still alive. Where were they taken though? And why? She had to get back to the keep.

Krem tossed a small pebble up in the air before catching it again, repeating the action as he contemplated. Dalish, Grim, Rocky, Skinner, and Stiches were all in the cell with him – angry, but mostly unharmed. Based on the state of the place, it must have been the ruins of some ancient prison. The dried up skeletons in the adjacent cell seemed to support his theory.

Based on what he gathered from the guard's conversations, these Venatori were trying to excavate something here but had run low on workers due to darkspawn attacks and the Inquisition forces. Since the Chargers didn't wear any official Inquisition gear, the slave hunters must have assumed they were random travelers. That was a good thing at least, otherwise they might have just been killed on sight. Would've deserved it too for getting so careless.

Krem leaned his head back against the bars and closed his eyes, sighing. Hopefully the Inquisitor made it out alright. That drop couldn't have been pleasant, but the barrier should have held well enough. Even if she was fine though, there was no way for her to follow. A rescue was probably out of the question at this point. Angry grumbling approached and the door to the cell beside him squeaked open.

"Get in there, you!" The guard snapped.

Krem heard him shove someone and they fell to the ground behind him. The door slammed shut and footsteps left the room hastily. Sounded like they'd caught some other poor sap.

"Not even a hello, lieutenant?" A familiar voice spoke behind him. His eyes flew open and he spun around to see Faydren smiling painfully up at him from the floor, hands bound.

"Your Worship!" He knelt down as his cellmates exchanged unhappy glances. "The idea was for you not to get yourself captured, you know."

"Come now, Krem, don't I deserve a little more credit than that?"

The rope around her hands froze and she shattered it easily before getting to her feet with a wince. Shouting and screams echoed across the room, quickly cut short by the sound of crunching armor and a victorious roar. Krem knew that roar. So did the rest of the Chargers, and they quickly got to their feet.

"It's the Chief!" Stitches shouted with a grin.

"You let yourself get caught to lead them here..." Krem shook his head. It was more cunning than he'd come to expect from her. But then, Archon was her game of choice. "I can't believe they actually let you do it yourself."

"It wasn't difficult to convince them that I happen to be the least suspicious-looking of the four of us," she raised an eyebrow.

The lieutenant couldn't argue that point as the rest of her team charged into view – they were all a bit conspicuous. He felt a wave of relief at seeing Iron Bull, even though he knew the Chief was gonna yell at him for this later. Dorian swaggered over with a key ring dangling from his finger, a sly smirk on his face as he spoke.

"Fancy meeting you here!"

"Oh just get them out already," Bull growled. He paused to nod at them. "Good to see you, Chargers."

"Fine," Dorian fiddled with the lock but Krem heard him mumble. "Crazy ox-man."

"Dirty Vint," the Chief shot back.

Krem was surprised how well the two got along, considering Bull held no love for Tevinters. Before Dorian, the Chargers lieutenant was the only 'Vint' the Qunari would associate with. It just went to show that the Inquisitor was good at picking her allies.

With everyone free and decked out in their equipment once more, the group headed for the exit. However, they were not expecting to find the place suddenly swarming with darkspawn. Krem had fought darkspawn before but it was never pleasant. Plus, you had to be extra careful not to ingest any of their blood. There weren't enough working together to give them trouble though.

"Okay, now what the heck are these doing here?" Varric kicked one of the dead ones.

"Well, Rylen did say they had to be coming from somewhere," Bull replied.

"It doesn't matter. We can come back and deal with them later," Dorian turned toward the exit and stopped. The passageway had collapsed into a pile of rubble. "I may be mistaken, but isn't that the way we came in?"

"Sure is, Sparkler."
"Venhedis..."

"You can say that again," Krem stared with them at the blocked escape route.

"If the Venatori and the darkspawn were both using this place, and they managed not to run into each other before, wouldn't that mean there's another exit?" Faydren panted, wincing again. That fall had not been kind.

"You're right," Skinner spoke this time, pointing the other direction. "I can hear them. And... something else as well."

"Guess we're going that way then," Rocky chimed in before grumbling a bunch of Dwarven expletives regarding darkspawn.

They rushed down the hallways, wiping out any darkspawn in their path. They stumbled onto a large hole that Rocky pointed out as a probable entrance to the Deep Roads. Krem was impressed as he watched Faydren and Dorian seal the opening with their magic, using the rubble to create a thick wall.

When they finally reached what seemed to be the opposite end of the prison, the ground shook for a moment and a loud muffled roar came through the wall. Everyone paused and looked around uneasily. That was rarely a good sign...

Krem was closest to the final double doors and approached them cautiously. Opening them just a crack, another roar blasted through the prison. He slammed the doors shut again quickly and planted his back against them as the others approached.

"What is it?" Varric didn't sound like he really wanted to know.

"Well, I found out why the darkspawn started using the other exit," Krem offered. Something slammed against the doors with enough force that he stumbled forward. "We might want to move away!"

The last of them had barely made it back around the corner when the two massive doors went sailing across the room, smashing to the floor with a loud clang. The ground trembled beneath their feet as one final foe stomped into the room.

"A giant?" Bull actually sounded excited.

Krem shook his head with a grin. The Chief always did enjoy killing the big stuff. It spotted them and gave an angry snarl before picking up one of the broken doors. Barriers were cast immediately. The Qunari shouted a single word.

"Scatter!"

The group split in all directions as the giant launched his ammo at them. Dorian and Grim had to dive the last couple feet to avoid getting hit. Bull and Krem wasted no time going for the beast's legs, hacking away to little effect and avoiding its clumsy swipes. Arrows and magic peppered its head and torso but only made it angrier.

Grim and Stitches had moved into melee while Skinner and Dalish stayed back with the Inquisitor's ranged fighters. The lieutenant spotted Rocky working away at something near the wall and quickly caught on to the dwarf's plan. The rest of the Chargers did too, because they started making their way out of the passage and into the large room with the exit. It didn't look like Faydren and the others had figured out the plan but they stuck with the Chargers anyway.

They were fighting it under the archway between the room and the hallway now. The dwarf sapper was fiddling on the opposite side now. The giant grunted and slammed its arms onto the ground, knocking the warriors off their feet. A blast of fire in its face caused it to snarl and stagger back before it could take advantage of their prone state.

"Rocky?" Bull shouted as he jumped up.

"Ready!"

"Bring it down!"

Everyone focused their attacks on the giant's right leg and it shouted in pain before dropping to its knees. Krem and the other melee dashed away from it as explosions went off at the wall's corners. With a great rumble, the archway collapsed and buried the creature under a mountain of rubble.

There was a moment of silence as the dust settled, but the giant made no move to rise. A cheer went up as everyone patted each other on the back. The Inquisitor's eyes were wide with astonishment.

"Wow," was all she said.

"Impressive!" Dorian clapped appreciatively with a laugh.

"Certainly one way to take down a giant," Varric shook his head, smiling.

"Venatori, darkspawn, and a giant - this turned out to be a great run!" Iron Bull sounded extremely satisfied.

The path to the exit was now open and they made their way out, joking and chatting excitedly. Bull lingered, putting a large hand on Krem's shoulder to hold him back from the others. Here it was. The Chief was about to lecture him for sure. The lieutenant looked up expectantly.

"Good work with the Inquisitor, Krem."

"Chief?" He blinked. Praise was the last thing he expected.

"She was a little banged up, but you got her out," Bull gave him a serious nod before smirking. "Don't tell her I said that though – she's already pissed."

"She's pissed?"

"Of course I am," a voice spoke from the door as Faydren stepped through. She must have come back to check on them. "You did push me off a cliff."

Her tone was serious, but Krem saw a twinkle in her eye as she punched him in the arm.

"Right. Sorry about that," he grinned.

"Let's get out of here. The rest are waiting," she shook her head and went back outside.

Bull winked at him and followed. Krem kept grinning as he walked after them. They may be getting paid to work for the Inquisition, but he couldn't help feeling that was just an excuse to stay at this point. The Inquisitor was good people. He'd be fine staying for free.