Grand Enchanters Office

"Are they gone yet?"

"They weren't gone five minutes ago...so what makes you think-" The older boy stopped himself when the 8 year old blond began to sob, "Hey...don't cry, they'll find us if you cry."

"They're gonna find us anyway." A 14 year old brunette with pigtails said while the rest of the children hiding in the office looked at her, "They know that we're in here...they just don't care."

"Then we'll be alright?"

"No...we'll starve to death." The brunette answered while the 7 year old started to quietly sob, "Stop crying...it's pathetic."

"I want...my...mother..."

"Too bad...your mother didn't want you anymore." Now the boy was loudly crying, "None of our parents wanted us...that's why they sent us away to this place."

"My father wants me! He sent me here to protect me!" A 10 year old boy with brown hair shouted, "Just you watch! He'll come here for me when the bad men are gone from the castle!"

"Keep dreaming."

"Why not dream?" The 15 year old boy asked in an oddly confident mood, "Didn't Mairon say that belief is first born in dreams? It's where we form our hopes and goals..where we face our fears and fouls...so what's wrong with dreaming?"

"Because dreams aren't real...this nightmare...is real..."

"Yeah...but mages turned heaven into hell...why can't we turn hell into heaven?" The boy asked and thought of something, "I think we need to just cheer up and idea should come to mind."

"But how?"

"What was that catchy song..." The boy asked outloud, hoping that one of the younger children would answer, "Something about...raindrops and roses-"

"No! None of that!" The oldest boy shouted when they heard something outside, "Maker's breath! They know that we're here!"

"Stop shouting!"

"Oh good! More shouting! That'll make them go away faster!" The oldest girl rebuked while the rest of the children began to loudly call and cry, "Idiots...we're going to die..."

"OPEN THE DOOR!" The children heard someone scream from outside, "OR I SWEAR I WILL DECORATE THE HALLS WITH YOUR DISECTED INTESTINES AND USE YOUR TONGUE AS A LUBRICANT WHILE I FORNICATE AND DESECRATE YOUR SKULL!"

"Millandros...what is he saying?"

"Nothing Bill...don't worry about it..." Millandros assured the child who was too young to understand any of the words that the stranger outside was saying, "Just stay quiet and he won't find us-"

"AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT HIDING! I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN THERE!" The voice screamed, more frightened than angry now that Millandros noticed, "NOT MUCH USE IN LOCKING A DOOR WHEN I CAN BREAK IT APART WITH MY SODDING MIND!"

"Then what's keeping you?" Another voice asked that Millandros recognized, "Go ahead...bust down the door...what is that yellow liquid draining down your leg? Cowardice or Grease?"

"It's-"

"Either way...it's flamable." Suddenly the children heard the sound of violent fire ignite from the other side of the door while the earlier voice was now screaming in agonizing pain, "See...that's why you shouldn't drink so much...I can't believe that I can do that...now I really need to warn Oghren."

"WHY WON'T YOU KILL ME?"

"Good Question," The door burst off of it's hinges and fell with a shaking burnt mage upon it as a confident and familiar figure walked into the office, "Now then...time to raid Irving's belongings while he's not here to stop me! Why would it matter if he were here? I am a Grey Warden now...so...he can suck on a-"

"Mairon!" One of the children cried out in joy as she ran from her hiding place and embraced the leg of the surprised mage, "I knew that you weren't dead!"

"Sera? Good to see you too...I take it that the others are in here?" Mairon asked while patting the girls head as the rest of the children emerged from hiding to greet their new-come rescuer, "Amazing! You've all put a lot of older mages and enchanters to shame!"

"Why? Did we do something wrong?"

"No little Timmy...you lived." Mairon assured the boy with a smile, "The others didn't...most of them anyway...and the ones that I killed...but they were bad so...yeah..."

"Maker bless you Mairon!" Millandros said with relief, "You've been in the outside world right? Right?"

"How else would I have returned here?" Mairon asked the boy while excepting his hug and the hug of a girl with pig-tails, "I don't recognize you...or that boy with half of a broken sword...who are they?"

"Newcomers from Highever."

"Really? I know a Rivani Spirit Warrior from Highever." Mairon replied, distantly hearing someone curse his name from down the hall, "Apart from the heavy mess outside, how are you liking your stay here?"

"I want out."

"Me too..."

"We all want out." Mairon agreed, having just seen much of the state of the Tower's Second Floor, "It just so happens that the Grey Wardens are somewhat low in numbers and I might be able to put in a good word..."

"Really?"

"When you're older." Many children groaned while Mairon inwardly groaned with them, "I know that you want out, but I'm pretty sure that the Wardens don't take children."

"Where are the other wardens?"

"Doesn't matter, they'll catch up in a little while." Mairon boredly answered, "On the outside world...the only non-ravaged town that we visited was this place called Lothering."

"Lothering..." The pig-tailed girl thought to herself, "Can we visit it someday?"

"Maybe..." Mairon stated, "It's probably not the best of times right now..."

Outskirts of Lothering

It was the darkest and the worst of times for the past three years.

Galian still remembered when his father died of a fatal disease, one that neither he, nor father or Bethany could cure. Rendering the family powerless as they watched Malcolm Hawke die shortly after the shared birthdays of his twin siblings. It was on that day that he swore to protect his family in his father's place.

Now his home had been destroyed, his country was torn asunder by blight and civil war and his strength was waning...

Before him lied an ogre that he, his brother and a fellow survivor from Ostagar had struggled to slay, but at a terrible price.

His sister.

"Bethany!" His mother cried while holding the limp form of her daughter, "Bethany...wake up...please...it's over now..." The image of his mother begging for the inevitable to not be true was a blow to his already faltering will.

"I'm sorry ma'am..." The templar Weasley regretfully said while placing a hand on Mother Hawke's shoulder, "Your daughter has passed on."

"No! No!" Mother shouted while using a broken piece of Bethany's staff to stab the Templar's hand, "These things will not have Bethany! I won't allow it!"

"I don't think you're in a position to dispute the Maker-"

"I'm holding your sister's dead corpse in my arms and all you can do is make jokes about it?" Galian just shrugged while his mother wept, "How could you let Bethany end up like this?"

"To be fair, she only got hurt while trying to save you." Galian pointed out while his mother began to cry more loudly, drowning out the sounds of Weasley's cries for a bandage, "Sorry mother...it's just that you can't stand still in a warzone and expect nothing bad to happen."

"How dare you talk to mother like that-"

"Shut up Carver!" Leandra shouted at Bethany's twin, "This is still your fault...and my fault...I'm sorry Malcolm..."

"If I may say a few words?" Weasley asked, his wounded arm now bandaged by cloth taken from a bleeding darkspawn soldier, "Ashes we were, and ashes we become. Maker, give this young woman a place at your side. Let us find comfort in the peace she has found, in eternity."

"Oh Bethany!" Leandra cried as she placed her head against Bethany's chest, "I promise...you won't have died in vain..."

"Beth?" Galian and Leandra gasped as Bethany started to loudly cough, "Bethany!"

"Galian? Mother?" Bethany asked while short of breath, "I'm...I'm actually still alive..."

"As we commend this mortally wounded soul to your presence-"

"Wait..." Bethany said while her mother allowed her to sit up, "It hurts...but it's not that bad..."

"As we commend this hopelessly crippled soul to your presence-"

"Crippled? I can..." With her mother's help, Bethany stood on her feet with Galian's help, "I can still walk...Brother...can you heal me?"

"Of course Bethany." Galian replied and cast a Healing spell upon his sister, "How do you feel?"

"Much better..." Bethany tiredly said and allowed her crying mother to hold on to her, "There...there mother...I'm alright."

"Thank the Maker!" Leandra cried out, "I said such terrible things to you Galian...I'm so sorry...I just thought that I'd...lost my little girl..."

"At least you care." Galian remarked and silently motioned to Carver to loot the bloodied Ogre corpse, "How did you survive?"

"This vest..." Bethany noticed her torn vest and took it off while Weasley looked away from her state of near-nudity, "Now I remember! This was the vest that cousin Mairon gave me."

"Mairon? As in Amell Mairon of the Grey Wardens?"

"The same one." Leandra answered her eldest, "He and the surviving wardens passed through Lothering a while ago. I meant to tell you sooner, but the darkspawn were right on our heels."

"I understand mother." Galian assured his mother and looked towards the northwest with his will reinvigorated...knowing that he was not alone in this dark and mad world, "Thank the Maker for Cousin Mairon..."

Kinloch Hold, Senior Mage Storage Hall

"MAKER CURSE YOU MAIRON!" Alistair screamed while the great blade of the Revenant slashed through his chest and slashed off the top half of his shield. It then pulled his sword out of his hands and flung it into Gilead's leg who staggered and fell to the ground.

"Alistair! Focus on what's trying to kill us!" Gilead shouted to the ex-templar while wrenching the human's sword from his thigh, "Incredible...we outnumber him over ten to one and we're losing...badly." He grit his teeth when he managed to pull out the sword and slid it to a wounded Alistair. The Revenant briefly engaged Revan before pulling Durin towards them and standing still as the heavily armored dwarf was rammed into the Cousland noble and proceeded to hold back the swinging Oghren by placing it's hand on his helmet.

"That is why it is smart to burn the bodies of strong warriors." Wynne muttered as she cast a heal spell on Alistair, "Or else a high leveled demon will possess the corpse and create revenants."

"Of everything that I've read about..." Lily spat as she threw a fire bomb at the Revenant and watched as it remained unaffected by the blast of fire, "Why did this guy have to be real?"

"You think this is frightening?" Morrigan laughed and cast a hex of vulnerability upon the Revenant followed by a cone of frost that froze it and the attacking Alistair, "Listen to one of Flemeth's bedtime stories and then come talk to me."

"Flemeth?" Leliana asked, recognizing the name while she fired into one of the Revenant's eyes, "Is your mother "the Flemeth" from the tales?"

"Great question." Gimli sarcastically commented while he was halfway through reloading the depleted Kalah, "Just not an important one right now!" Blocking the Revenant's sword, Sten bashed his pommel into it's chest and dealt a heavy blow to it's exposed chest before being pushed away. Wynne conjured a fist of hardened stone that flew into the monster's back and flung it in the direction of Durin's axe. The dwarven noble swung and cleaved off it's arm as Revan slashed out it's side and Lily threw a single knife into it's eye. Missing an arm and an eye, the demon was helpless while the warriors hacked away at it's damaged armor and finally defeated it.

"Who dealt the killing blow?" Gimli asked, "Whoever it was, this only counts as one."

"Cariden's ass it does!"

"You're only saying that because you were knocked out for most of the fight!"

"No, I say this because it was only one adversary." Durin countered when Gimli finally finished reloading Kalah, "Not to mention that we had a sizable numerical advantage, hence lessening the challenge compared to if one were to face the creature by themselves."

"Is everyone alright?" Revan asked while helping Alistair to his feet, "Where is Amell?"

"Probably off looking at something shiny." Morrigan scoffed, "On the bright side, tis is one less demon for us to have to face."

"If the rest of the demons are as tough as this guy..." Gimli started as he eyed the tevinter architexture around him, "How about we just take out the pillars on the west side and collapse the rest of the tower into the lake?"

"An amusing plan, but it is a waste of what little intellect that you have-"

"Watch it Aeducan." Gimli warned, "Besides, I think we've got enough fire bombs and fire power between me, Lily, Mairon and Wynne-"

"I will not consent to such an action."

"We need the other mages remember?"

"I'm pretty sure that me and Mairon can manage then-"

"Manage what exactly?" Mairon asked when he appeared in the hallway with several younger apprentice mages running past him to the stairs leading to the lower floor, "Let me guess, Aeducan wants to blow the tower?"

"Yep."

"You lying casteless-" Durin was interrupted when a bolt of lightning surged through his armor and caused him to fall onto the floor, "I...hate...both...of you..."

"I'm used to being hated, so...why should it matter?" Mairon asked the groaning dwarf and then turned to a disapproving Wynne, "He could at least wait until after we save Irving."

"At least your priorities are set." Wynne muttered as Alistair sneezed and coughed at the same time, "Is there a problem Alistair?"

"Nothing ma'am...just something obvious." Alistair answered and pried his sword out of the Revenant's cuiress, "Come to think of it...I think we can use this. Needs a little work, but it still looks durable. Anyone mind if I take it?"

"It was your kill Alistair-"

"But I dealt the most damage-"

"Then get up and get it." Mairon told the dwarf, "And since you won't be able to do that in the next few seconds...the cuiress of an abominable revenant goes to Alistair!"

"Thank you...I think..." Alistair said while looking at the design of the demonic armor, "Did you find anything ahead after you abandoned us?"

"A few abominations here and there, but nothing that I couldn't handle." Mairon casually answered, "I do suspect that some of the blood mages may be hiding in the caves in the storage hall."

"Caves?" Durin scoffed, "How is this tower wide enough to store a cave upon it's second floor?"

"Part of the tower is built into the rock." Wynne explained, "However, the key to those caves are only known to Senior Enchanters. If Uldred had come down from the upper towers, we would know."

"Still...it might not be a bad idea to check and make sure." Revan figured, "I'll lead a small group into the caves...Mairon and Wynne, you lead everyone else into the upper levels and we'll follow you shortly."

"I don't think that splitting the party is a good idea-"

"I am tired of civilized surroundings," Morrigan said to cut off Alistair, "I will accompany you..."

"I'll go too." Lily volunteered, coming between a smirking Morrigan and a perplexed Revan, "This stupid shemlen will just get himself killed otherwise."

"None of ya's been in a cave before, have ya?" Oghren asked, "In that case, count me in! If Gimli doesn't mind if I get a few points ahead."

"As long as Aeducan doesn't win."

"I really don't think that this is a good idea." Alistair stated before shrugging when everyone ignored him, "But...Maker be with you..."

"Even me?"

"Yes Morrigan...even you..."

"Why does this seem like a bad idea?"

"Because it was a bad idea Varric...it really was..."

"Then why did the wardens do it?" Cassandra demanded, "Splitting the party is the last thing that you want to do in an unknown environment!"

"Speaking from experience?"

"Yes! I am!" Cassandra answered before calming down, "Speaking of which...how come the rebels didn't use the-"

"All in good time my dear..."

Senior Mage Quarters Sidehall

"How does the demon's armor fit?"

"I'm still very uncomfortable with wearing it...but...it's not bad." Alistair answered Sten as they moved in the rear of the group, "I needed new armor anyway-"

"Why does the armor's comfort concern you?"

"Qunari never care about being comfortable with things?"

"No."

"Then how did you live with yourself while you were stuck in that cave?"

"Simple, I would offer riddles of chance to onlookers in exchange for treasure."

"Really?"

"No."

"What cha talking about?" Mairon innocently asked the ex-templar and the qunari, "You should take a look at my recent paint job...doesn't it...livin up the place?"

"I must question your fascination with red," Wynne remarked while dismissively observing the blood that flowed from mangled mages who were currently pinned to the walls by templar swords, "I see that your time with the Grey Wardens has not quenched your desire for wanton bloodshed."

"You speak as though you are unsurprised," Gilead said as he opened the door to a room and found it's floor littered with burnt templar corpses, "You or the blood mages?"

"That one was me." Mairon admitted as the group entered a cleared sideroom that was freed from the presence of freshly spilled blood, "They were more like lyrium filled ghouls anyway...so Eadric probably beat me to them."

"Eadric? What makes you believe that Eadric is with Uldred?"

"Because the templars tranquilized his bitch and he's probably pissed about it." Mairon answered Wynne while he sat at a table and started reading through a worn journal, "Whispers say Great Hall? Hidden above us the whole time! The vessel in hand, words from another time drip literal power. Put on a bowl! A sword raised, to sever connection. Cord out! A sword lowered, to strike though and ground. Bile! The threads placed before a warrior, spear raised. Shielded from each side, so whispers are known false. Where is this? It whispered order, but not where! It's in my head!"

"What are you reading?"

"Some idiot's trying to summon the Watchguard of the Reaching." Mairon replied to the observant Gimli, "It's some stupid prank...apparently there's a bunch of statues that you can mess with and it'll cause this powerful demon to appear from the basement and give you an ultra powerful unbreakable sword."

"Sounds pretty neat-"

"After it kills you." Mairon finished when Gilead motioned towards a locked closet in the corner, "I think that the elf wants something. Do you want something homeless elf?"

"There's something in the closet you pathetic chained dog of the Chantry."

"I'm in the middle of reading something Seeker of a people without a kingdom, so go knock on the door."

"I'm low on arrows...please shoot it with your magic."

"Why would I waste my magic on a closet?"

"Perhaps to make amends for not using it against the demonic warrior that you summoned."

"So...you want me to destroy a closet to make up for the fact that you muggles can't fight a single adversary by yourselves?"

"Is this the part where I'm shocked to learn about your cold black heart?"

"My heart isn't cold! It's warm like the fireplace in a home which you don't have!"

"I'm sure that your little tea party is fun, but we have a job to do."

"Silence Alistair! I won't let this mage neglect his responsibility to this group anymore!"

"I'm sorry...if you think that I'm not contributing to this little gathering then feel free to find someone who will make me. What's his name again? Lord Absent Mac Non-Existent?"

"The Arvaarads of this country require greater efficiency..." Sten commented with a frown in Alistair's direction, "It is a wonder that the Grey Wardens do not have reliable Arvaarads themselves."

"Again...still waiting to hear about Lord Absent Mac Non-Existent Mahariel...well? Where is he?"

"Hello? Is someone out there-"

"OH SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" Gimli roared before he took aim and unleashed a rapidly firing payload of thick arrows towards the closet. After twenty seconds of holding the trigger to Kalah, the closet was lift with several holes in it's structure, "Happy? Whatever was in there is dead-"

"Maker's mercy!" Leliana cried out when the door opened to reveal an enchanter who'd been pinned to the door that he was hiding upon, "Is he dead?"

"My dear...do you not see how many arrows are..." Gimli said more shocked at Leliana's question than his own action, "Yes...he is no more...he has ceased to be. He's expired and gone to meet your Maker or whichever god you blindly worship! He's a stiff! Bereft of life! He rests in pieces! If he weren't nailed to the closet door then he'd be pushing up daisies! His inner-biological functions have been blown apart! He's fallen out of the wheel! He's kicked the bucket! He's shuffled off of the mortal coil! Went behind the curtain and joined the choir invisible!"

"THIS. IS. AN. EX. ENCHANTER!" Mairon finished with dramatic flair while the rest of the group looked at him, "I just wanted to participate, no harm done right?"

"Apart from the man whom we've murdered in cold blood?" Alistair asked, still horrified at what had occurred, "I just hope that he didn't feel anything..."

"Is that Godwin?" Wynne asked, recognizing the intact face of Gimli's victim, "Oh dear...poor fool hid himself in a closet rather than make a run for it. It's a miracle that no one even found him in that fancy Orleisan Closet."

"ORLEISANS!" Mairon cried out as he unleashed a blaze of fire from his hands that seared off the top half of the closet before he calmed down. Mahariel's glare made it appear as though the elf was trying to burrow a hole within the mage's face, "I don't know why...but...hearing that the closet was orleisan made me want to destroy it."

"And...you...didn't...notice this...before?"

"Nope."

"Don't encourage him Gilead," Alistair said in defeat, "Between Gimli and Mairon...it's just a matter of how the man was going to die...I'm so sorry Wynne."

"Hey guys...you might want to check the corpse again..." Mairon stated while he got up and disappeared in between a row of book shelves, "I think that it's moving."

"It's dead...why would it-" Gimli cursed his luck when Godwin's body began to levitate in the air while his skin eroded into a dark mist leaving only a thinly covered skeleton within shambled robes, "Wynne...why is Godwin's body floating in mid air? Why is his skin falling off? And why does it look like it it's reanimating when I just killed it a few seconds ago?"

"Because...a disembodied demon just possessed our recently departed friend," Wynne warned as the Arcane Horror screeched and fired a fireball at Gimli. The blast knocked back the party as the creature levitated over them and left the room while they got back up, "And it's going to get reinforcements..."

"Keep it down out there! I'm trying to read!" Mairon shouted as he returned to the scene and saw Gimli on his back with a black scorch mark on Kalah, "Are you okay?"

"I'm going to kill you...when this tower thing is done and this Blight is dead...you're gonna be dead soon afterwards. This...I swear on my grandfather's beard."

"Which beard?" Mairon asked as Gimli rose to his feet and the party heard several footsteps stomp through the halls, "Hold that thought, I think that we'll have friends coming soon."

Senior Mage Storage Caves

"You deny our dead their rest, and so you also will be hounded. Let the strength of our union bind you by your true name," Lily read outloud while she, Revan, Morrigan and Oghren explored the surprisingly deep cavern within the storage hall, "Quametha Kagat, revenant and perversion of an honored father. Though no spirit cage will undo what was suffered. Andraste hold you, demon, and bind your rage for eternity."

"What on earth are you reading?"

"I found this on that Revenant's corpse," Lily grudgingly answered Morrigan while examining something that marked the end of codex, "These thumbprints...It's probably from whoever placed that thing inside of the phylactery."

"One must question the logic of such an action."

"Do elaborate?"

"Of course," Morrigan said to Revan, "Why would they choose a fragile and small bottle to cage a powerful demon within instead of something more substantive like a diamond or a piece of armor. Better yet, why didn't they simply destroy it if they had the power to overpower and seal it?"

"Maybe they were sealing it for someone to find," Revan figured, "Or, there were other Revenant's that they were hunting and they wanted to save their strength until they found the rest of them."

"What's it matter? It's dead and we're not." Oghren pointed while inhaling the air of the caves and coughed, "Something's not right here..."

"Other than the dirt? Or that it's within the second floor of a tower?"

"None of that...I just tasted something that shouldn't be in caves like this." Oghren clarified, "There's an awful lot of lyrium stored here...it's not in storage either and...it's raw..."

"What's the difference?" Lily asked, "It's a mage tower, so wouldn't it make sense for mages to keep lyrium here?"

"Except that containment and usage of lyrium is closely monitored by templars." Revan stated, "Oghren...isn't raw lyrium lethal for non-dwarves to handle and dangerous for dwarves?"

"Yeah...usually the stuff gets processed before it comes to the surface. At least that's what I figured since dwarves don't got much use for the stuff."

"Lovely..." Morrigan muttered with mild interest, "Shall we see what has occurred within this cave?"

"There's two paths." Lily pointed out as the group came to a fork in the caves, "One to pick one and work our way back around or should we split up?"

"Split up? No...that would be foolhardy." Revan stated, "We'll take the left tunnel and work our way back around then catch up to the others-"

"Splitting up is foolhardy? Then why are we even here Karasten Revan?" Lily sarcastically asked, "How are we even sure that something's in here? This whole thing is just a waste of time."

"Better that it's a waste of time than an oversight that costs us lives later."

"Like you care as long as your precious Ferelden is safe."

"You live in Ferelden too, do try not to forget that my lady-"

"Are you ever going to shut up with the lady shit!" Lily's voice echoed through the caves before she exhaled, "I'm going this way...I'll move faster on my own and meet you guys halfway."

"I don't know what you've got against your man here but-" A knife embedded in the wall next to Oghren's cheek immediately made him rethink his words, "Soddin women...Ol'Oghren's staying out of this one."

"Fine...but don't come running if anything goes wrong." Revan told her while she went into the leftmost path, "Stupid girl...let's just survey these caves and get back to the others."

"And you're not going to try and stop her?" Morrigan asked while the trio entered the rightmost passage littered with decaying spider corpses, "What if our enemy captures her and they learn of our capabilities and intentions?"

"She can handle herself."

"Against humans and darkspawn perhaps..." Morrigan acknowledged before firing a bolt of mana to better illuminate the corpse of large grostesque spider-scorpion creature that lied amidst a line of slain templars, "But considering that elves know so little of the human world...how would she fare against the profane? Against mages and demons?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't care...you do...that's why your steps are slowing." Morrigan pointed out to the Cousland Scion, "If you're going to go after her, then do it and stop wasting my time with your male pride. Besides, if she dies then that's one less warden to use against the Archdemon."

"What was that last part?"

"If she dies then that's one less warden to fight the darkspawn." Morrigan repeated even though Revan thought that something sounded different from last time, "The dwarf will suffice for my protection if that's what you're worried about."

"Are you sure?"

"At least he'll suffice as a meat shield." Morrigan added while Oghren started to loot the fallen scorpion-spider and was tackled by a nug, "A very...very...flimpsy meat shield."

"You'll be alright my lady." Revan assured the Witch of the Wilds as he retraced his steps and left Morrigan to watch as Oghren lost a wrestling match with a sickly nug.

"Mother...why did you stick me with these fools?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Stupid Noble...stupid shemlen...leading me into these stupid caves..." Lily cursed while she explored these empty caves and had found nothing but a few spider and templar corpses, "Why did I even follow him in the first place?"

"You didn't follow him my dear...you followed your own desires..."

"Maker's Ass!" Lily cried out after she heard a saucy voice whisper in her ear, "Now I'm going as crazy as the others..."

"Oh...you are all...crazy...you're simply the one in denial about it..."

"Where are you!"

"Hello..." Lily shuddered and immediately turned with both knives drawn. Before her stood a woman with horns and black hair, her skin peach until it turned a tone of purple past the bottom of her abdomen and only clothed with two strips of cloth around her hip, "Who are you?"

"Demon!" Lily shouted and prepared to attack, but found herself transfixed within the stare of the demon's eyes, "Stop it...what are you doing to me?"

"I'm looking through you my dear..." The more that Lily looked at this demon, the less that she wanted to fight it...and the more alluring that it's form seemed to her, "I felt the great desire that pulsed from your body the moment that you stepped into these caves."

"The hell are you talking about?"

"Denial...denial of such carnial desires..." The demon mused as she stepped closer to Lily who started backing away from this creature, "And it's all so...confused...how cruel..."

"Get back! I will use this!" Lily threatened while she felt a tug that told her to lower her weapons and allow this demon to approach. At the same time, her mind screamed at her to not to give in to the stupid suggestion and stab the creature already, "You think that I won't? You're not the first person that I've killed with this thing!"

"But wouldn't you rather kill humans?" The demon asked, Lily now felt the rough cavern wall press on her back while the demon came within inches of her face, "Or...has your thirst for revenge given way for a desire to...submit to them?"

"Submit?" Lily was too stunned by the demon's question to even care when it grabbed her thigh and started caressing it, "Never...I'd sooner die then...submit..."

"Then why is the Cousland Noble alive?" The demon asked as Lily felt her own breath stutter with heat rising in her face, "Is becoming his pet so much different then being Vaughen's whore?"

"It's a party isn't it? Grab a whore and have a good time!"

"Revan's...not like that bastard..." Lily countered, attempting to push the demon away from her and ended up grabbing the demon's breasts, "He's...one of the only shems that I can actually stand."

"Because you desire to be his bed warmer!" The demon mused while it tore open Lily's tunic and exposed her aroused breasts. In her shock, she didn't notice when the demon pressed Lily's arms against the wall and caused her knives to fall to the ground, "Did Vaughen's men break you so badly elven bride?"

"Break me?" Lily asked, images from her short abduction under Vaughen's men tore through her mind, "I killed them like the dogs that they were!"

"Yes...and you liked killing them, didn't you?"

"Hell yes!" Lily heard herself scream while the demon lightly licked her right nipple, causing her to fall further into her mixed stupor of confused arousal and rising anger, "They killed Nola! They killed Neleros! They raped Shianni! They ruined the happiest day of my life! They killed my mother when I was a little girl! I HATE THEM! I WANT THEM ALL TO DIE!"

"Want who to die?"

"HUMANS!" She kicked back the demon and grabbed her knives, the same pulsing wrath that she'd felt on that day was now surging through her body, "I hate humans...I want...I want them all...to die..."

"Then go kill the first human that you see..." The demon suggested just as heavy boots began to step into their direction, "Here comes one...right now..."

"Lily...are you alright-" Revan stopped when he saw the demon that smirked at him, "I see...a demon of desire...hope that you haven't harmed my friend."

"Are you so certain that she is your friend?" The demon asked while Lily stalked to Revan's side with an expression of cold hatred, "Perhaps you should keep better track of who your friends and foes are...lest you fall to the same fate as your family."

"The Couslands will always endure as long as our deeds are never forgotten-"

"I mean no disrespect to you...handsome lord." Revan nodded to Lily, who fell in behind Revan while he started to approach the demon with both of his blades drawn, "What befell your family was not your fault...it was your father's."

"Silence demon, you didn't know my father."

"Why should I have to?" The demon asked while she caressed her breast and licked her lips, "I can assume that your father was a noble sort. Honest, brave, bold, wise, fair and loyal to friends and country. I know this because that is how your stance portrays you as...therefore, I can assume that your weakness will be the same as your father's."

"I will hear no more of you-" Revan was stunted and held in place as he felt two steel knives drive into his shoulder blades, "What...have...you...done..."

"You are so trusting of others...that you never foresee the knife that drives into your back." The demon laughed as Revan fell to the ground while Lily stood above him with a malicious gleam in her eyes, "You've made him suffer...how does this make you feel Lily?"

"It feels...great..." Lily said while she turned Revan onto his back and sat upon his lap with her knives against his neck, "This is what you wanted...isn't it shemlen? You want me to warm your sword? Tease your manhood? Submit to your superior girth? Beg and plead for more? That's what you all want us pretty elven girls to do...isn't it?"

"Lily...stop it...the demon's...controlling you...fight it-"

"Why fight something that gives such joy?" The demon asked while Lily swiped her blade upon Revan's cheek and licked the blood from the wound, "Like you...this girl is filled with such great thirst for revenge...anger at those who wronged her...envy of those who benefit from her suffering and that of her family and her people...desire for vengeance upon the powers who vindicate her tormentors...it was so delicious that I just had to share..."

Author's Notes:

To those who are wondering why Lily is suddenly being controlled by a Desire Demon don't worry it's not an asspull. Remember that Desire Demons thrive on screwing with people's desires, envy, lust, fears and other emotional baggage and using those emotions for their own ends. Considering that any single warden could have a multitude of psychological issues, then it shouldn't be a surprise that a Desire Demon can warp those issues for it's own amusement.

Kudos to the hunters who hunted down and sealed those revenants that you free from the black vials by touching them...but I have a small question...

WHY WERE THEY IN FRAGILE PHYLACTERIES?

Whose bright idea was it to seal a Revenant inside of a fragile phylactery? Are you high? And to seal six of them in different phylacteries? Within places that any ordinary person can stumble across them and accidently shatter the phylactery, releasing the potently dangerous revenant from within it?

Why couldn't they just seal them inside of lamps and send them to Orlais as a sick joke? Disguise themselves as merchants and have people pay thousands of sovereigns for lamps that contain genies which grant wishes. You'd never have to worry about people wanting their money back unless anyone rich enough to pay for the lamp or steal it happens to be a badass who can go toe to toe with a demonic warrior and live to tell the tale. Anyone else would be screwed and you'd make a fortune.

Or how about sealing them within little gems like the one in the Elven Ruins? They're easy to hide and aren't easily destroyed like fragile glass phylacteries are. Why not exorcise the demonic spirit from the Revenant, place it within a willing mage and immediately kill the mage, destroying the demon along with them? Why weren't these phylacteries placed under Chantry Supervision? Did the Chantry not believe the hunter's story about sealing revenants inside of glass bottles? Or were they pissed off that a random muggle was able to perform a feat that most templars could only dream of accomplishing? Not to mention actually containing and ridding the world of a legitimate force of evil?