The dragon did not respond. Whether it was because it chose to ignore me, or it didn't understand me, I'm not sure. Kolgrim had given me a funny look as I used the dragon tongue, and I'll admit a little disappointment that the dragon would not converse with me if it did hear my words. Instead, it simply sat on the ledge and watched us walk towards the next temple.

"They're fucking insane."

I wasn't the only one to burst into laughter as we stopped a few metres from the door leading into the temple. "Leliana, language!" Wynne gently chastised. Perched on the ledge behind us, the dragon continued to watch our progress and roared. "I think it can hear you too!"

"Tell me you don't agree, Wynne! Tell me any of you don't agree! How could anyone possibly believe that a dragon is our beloved Andraste returned?"

"Our bard does have a point," Aedan muttered, "But what do we do about the dragon?"

"Deal with it once we've got the ashes," I replied.

"What does it intend to do about a dragon, considering it is a creature of mere flesh and blood?" Shale asked, sarcasm dripping from its tone.

"You've seen my gift, Shale. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve. It can be done. It must be done. Whatever that dragon is, they appear not to be the same as the world I am from. It didn't understand a word I said of the language I know dragons speak. I doubt when we kill it that I will absorb its soul."

"It is written that dragons, at least on Thedas, contain the souls of the old gods," Wynne explained, "Whether there is truth to that, I'm not sure."

Gathering at the door, Aedan looked at me again. "Okay, we get the ashes first, then we hit the dragon. Uhtred, you will take the lead while dealing with the dragon. You've dealt with them before, and I can only assume a dragon is a dragon, so I doubt you'll be surprised. Tell us what to do and we'll follow your orders."

"The most important one. Don't get dead."

He nodded before glancing across the team. "Does anyone not want to enter? Do not feel obliged."

"I will take guard here and watch the cultists," Sten offered.

"I have no interest in the remains of a dead person. I will remain here too," Shale offered.

"Uhtred?" he asked me.

"I've lived here long enough to have at least an appreciation of Andraste. I'll join you."

He grinned, laying a hand on my shoulder. "We'll make a true native of you yet, brother."

Compared to the ruin temple we had entered first, this one appeared to be in relatively good condition. The door opened without a problem, and there was no problem with lights, as candles and braziers burned rather brightly. It was also rather warm in the entrance hall, carvings and paintings adoring both walls and the ceiling above us. That wasn't what took our attention though. A lone man was waiting for us. He had all the appearance of a warrior, though even I could see that his armour was positively ancient, left wondering who he was and how long he had been waiting for someone, anyone, to arrive.

"I can feel the holy spirit," Leliana whispered, "It is tied to this place. Can you not feel it?"

Her voice carried a sense of wonder. I thought she was about the start weeping. "If this entrance hall is an example of what we find within, then this is a very special place indeed," Wynne added.

The warrior raised a hand, bringing us to a halt before him, though he greeted all of us with a friendly smile. "I bid you all welcome, pilgrims. Welcome to the Temple of Andraste."

"Who are you?" my brother asked.

"I am the Guardian of the Ashes." He smiled again, meeting our eyes individually. "I have waited many years for this day. It pleases me to see so many of the faithful have made this journey."

"How long have you been waiting?" Leliana asked, still sure she wanted to take a knee and start praying. I'm not mocking. I understood how important this was for her.

"I cannot say. My duty, my life, has been to protect the Urn and prepare the faithful for those who come to revere Andraste. And I shall remain here until my task is done the Imperium has crumbled into the sea."

Aedan and Alistair shared an awkward glance. "Um, the Imperium is no longer as powerful as it once was, Guardian. They have been defeated on many fronts, not just by those who revere Andraste, but by others who have attacked from foreign lands."

He didn't appear surprised. "Maybe my task is on the verge of being fulfilled."

Whether we all wanted to ask plenty of questions or not, I'm not sure, but my brother was eager to get on with it. I didn't blame him, as we'd fought our way to the temple, and knew we'd have some more fighting to do upon leaving. But he did have to ask about the cultists outside. To say the Guardian was mocking in his description would be an understatement. He didn't exactly get angry, but echoed Leliana's words outside. Andraste would definitely not return to the world as a dragon, if she were to ever return. "A true believer would not require audacious displays of power. She will not return as she will remain at the Maker's side."

Then he told us something that I think saddened us all when asked who he actually was.

"I am all that remains of the first disciples. I swore I would protect the urn as long as I lived, and I have lived a very long time."

Leliana stepped forward and bent a knee, grabbing his hand. "Blessed Guardian, I must know. Did you know Andraste?"

He looked down and smiled at her before beckoning for her to stand. "Did anyone really know Her, child, save the Maker? She would often spend weeks alone in meditation, often without food or water."

"What was she like?" she asked quietly.

He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, the smile never wavering. "Child, I cannot begin to express in words the love I have in my heart for Andraste. You must seek Her out for yourself. You all must."

If Leliana was disappointed, she gave nothing away, simply thanking the Guardian before stepping back. "Apologies if this appears a little blunt, but how are you still alive?" I asked. I mean, I'd met very old people back on Skyrim, what we called 'elders'. But even I could do the maths and recognise the man in front of us would be positively ancient.

"I made a vow to Andraste, and to the Maker. My life is tied to the Ashes. As long as they remain, so will I."

"Does that mean you are immortal?" I wondered.

"Such a possibility does exist."

"Guardian, we would like to see the Urn of Sacred Ashes," my brother announced.

The Guardian nodded. "Very well. You have come to honour Andraste, and you shall, if you all prove yourself worthy."

"What do we need to do?"

"A test of faith. It is not my place to decide if you are all worthy or not. No, it is the Gauntlet that will decide. And, if you are found worthy, you will see the Urn and be allowed a pinch of the sacred ashes. If not…" He trailed off as it wasn't hard to figure out what would happen if we failed. I'd heard of similar tests in Skyrim. You either passed, lived and gained the treasure, or you failed and paid with your life. It may seem extreme, but the devout would be willing to lay their life on the line to prove their worth and devotion to a God.

Aedan looked at each of us, I guess for anyone who was having second thoughts to back out and join Shale and Sten outside. I nodded along with everyone else. Even Morrigan nodded. "I will admit, I am interested to see what all the fuss is about." I couldn't help chuckle at her blunt remark, but at least she was willing.

Then the Guardian announced he had a question for us. In fact, he had a question for each of us. Now I was intrigued, wondering what this man, who had lived for centuries, could possibly know about us. We quickly realised he knew everything about us. All our secrets.

It was the first test.

The first question was aimed at my brother. The Guardian pulled no punches and I'll admit even I winced as he laid bare the demons my brother was no doubt carrying in his heart. I had those same feelings, but the Guardian made them feel so intense, it felt like only yesterday that we had left them behind.

"How could you possibly…" my brother started to ask, before he stopped and figured it out. "Do I feel like I failed my parents? No, because they wanted me to live. My brother too. They wanted us to live and take back what they lost. And we will take it back one day. It may be far in the future, but Howe will pay for his crimes. But if you are asking about regret, then yes, of course I feel that. I feel it every single day. But I do not feel any guilt. I loved my parents. They loved me. And they wanted what was best for their children."

The Guardian nodded before turning towards Leliana. Each question was like the last. A real punch in the gut as our insecurities, our regrets, our pain and loss, was laid out for everyone else to witness. Leliana was angered that he accused her of faking her vision, retorting that she was a true believer, and would remain so until lying on her deathbed. Alistair admitted he should have died at Ostagar instead of Cailan or Duncan. Aedan and I tried to argue, unaware how much heartbreak he had carried around within since Ostagar. Aedan rested a hand on his shoulder and said we would have to talk later. Zevran was very short when asked about a kill he regretted. None of us had a clue to what the Guardian referred, and I was already assuming Zevran wouldn't willingly share either.

Then he focused on the mages. He asked about Solona's role in the uprising at the Circle and if she believes she failed her companions. "Never. We fought for what we believed. There would always be casualties. Did we go too far?" She stopped, obviously thinking how to put it, before finally nodding. "Yes, we did. And, for that reason, I carry regret and guilt for the deaths that I caused. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat, though I would ensure it would be done differently."

Wynne admitted to carrying doubts about nearly everything to do with her life. Her time in the Circle. The abandonment of her son, though we all argued that she was left no choice. She smiled at us, but said that is what she feels, and that is what is most important. But her final retort made the Guardian smile and nod. "Only a fool is truly certain of themselves."

Then came Morrigan. "Begone, spirit, I will not play your games."

Thankfully, the Guardian wasn't offended, respecting her wishes. Then he finally turned to me. "Uhtred, you are a stranger to these lands."

"Know that, eh?"

"Yes. The Maker does work in mysterious ways. You watched your mother slowly die over two winters, knowing there was nothing you could do, yet even after all this time, you still blame yourself. Do you still believe you could have saved her?"

"You… How could you…"

"You were a simple farmer, not a warrior. Not gifted with magic. Too poor to afford any proper medical treatment. You did everything you could. She was always going to die."

"No, I don't believe I could have saved her. But I wish there was something I could have done. Instead, I had to watch her waste away, growing weaker each and every day, until finally I held her hand as she took her last breath. I then had to dig a hole in our backyard and bury her under the oak tree, where she still rests to this day. That is one of two reasons why I left the farm. I could not remain there, knowing she was in the ground. Do not speak as if you know me, spirit, because that is not the only heartbreak I carry deep within."

There was silence, and I wasn't even aware of the wetness on my cheeks until I felt someone grab my hand. "Uhtred, we had no idea," Solona said quietly.

"No-one knows. Not even Aedan. I didn't know my real father. He died before I was born. And I watched my mother die slowly. Of course that will scar the heart and soul. I have moved on, but I can still close my eyes and see her own looking back at me, hoping against hope that she would live to see the next morning."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Aedan asked.

"Because although I think you would have believed me, talking about my mother back in Skyrim would have just been awkward. So I didn't mention it. And, to be honest, I actually haven't given it much thought until he mentioned it."

"The way to the ashes is now open. May you all find what you seek," the Guardian stated. A bright light then enveloped him, causing myself and I assumed everyone to look away. We looked back to where he had been standing to find that he's disappeared.

"Figured," Aedan muttered, before he pointed at the doors, which were now open. "Well, at least we can proceed. Shame Genitivi couldn't come. He would have loved this."

"Perhaps afterwards, once we've killed the dragon?" I suggested. My brother just grinned and nodded.

Over the next hour, we were tested as a group. The first was a test of brains, or knowledge if you will. Eight questions in total, asked by what appeared to be spirits. I knew none of them, though Leliana and Wynne recognised most of the names, particularly towards the end, where we were asked incredibly difficult questions that took minutes of quiet discussion before we felt confident to answer. After successfully answering the last question, the doors ahead opened, and I wasn't the only one to grumble about 'never being asked another bloody question.'

My brain hurt.

The next test, if it was a test, was a real kick in the guts for my brother and I. It was only a reflection, or a spirit who looked like him, but the likeness was uncanny. And when he spoke, it was like he was there with us. We knew he wasn't. He was dead, and had been since that night at Castle Cousland. The reflection spoke only to my brother, so it was up to me to usher us backwards so the two could speak in peace. None of us heard the words that were shared.

The spirit eventually blinked out of existence but had handed my brother a memento, turning to us as he looped the necklace around his neck. I asked what it was, he simply shrugged. Wynne approached and took hold of it. "It's magical, Aedan. I can focus once we're done here and tell you how it may help you."

Following the hallway, it turned a couple of times, the door ahead opening, revealing an empty room. "Well, this isn't concerning at all!" Alistair stated.

It was a test of skill, of strength and also of… I would assume courage or bravery because we were fighting ourselves. "Take out yourselves before helping anyone else," Aedan ordered. I needed no instruction, unsheathing my sword and heading straight for me. Yes, it was as strange as it sounds.

And, to no surprise whatsoever, the spirit version of myself Shouted. Of course, it had no real effect, as I'd withstood the Shouts of Alduin and lived to tell the tale. But the spirit version was an exact copy, as skilled with sword and shield as I was. It knew all the tricks I did, so I knew I would have to fight differently. That's easier said than done, considering I'd fought the same way for years. I'm usually one for all-out attack, only considering defence when absolutely necessary. So in an effort to confuse the spirit version, I stayed only on defence, parrying most swings of the sword, blocking those that would inflict pain with my shield. It took only a minute or so to figure out the weakness, and after the spirit stepped forward, I simply turned, using my shield at the same time, lowering myself almost to a knee and thrusting my sword up and under the shield. The spirit disappeared immediately.

I turned to see Leliana had already defeated hers and was now firing arrows, Zevran in combat, twirling daggers as he fought his own reflection, while the three mages were already done and dusted. I helped out my brother, and together we managed to defeat his spirit, before rushing forward and killing Alistair's without a problem.

"Okay, I'll be honest. I saw plenty of weird and disturbing shit in Skyrim. But I can honestly say I never fought myself in all that time."

The third trial was a puzzle. I hate puzzles. I'd completed plenty in Skyrim but I was glad to have plenty of companions this time, as to complete this puzzle, we needed plenty of bodies and it took us quite a while to figure out how to make the bridge first appear, and then appear sturdy enough for us to cross over. Once it appeared solid, once of had to attempt to cross. A few of us shared glances before we all looked at Aedan.

"Come on, fearless leader. Take the first step and prove your worth," I stated. And, yes, there was a little sarcasm. I met the eyes of Alistair and he burst into laughter, unable to hide my smirk.

His first couple of steps were tentative, clearly checking that the bridge actually existed. But once he had confidence that he wasn't going to fall to his death, he strode confidently across, turning around at the end and performing a theatrical bow. "Smartarse!" I called out as the rest of us crossed as well.

Another hallway led to doors that opened as we approached. We walked into a grand hall, the ceiling high above us, arches appearing to hold it up. More carvings and mural lined the walls, and Leliana murmured that the feeling of faith increased in intensity upon walking in. Before us was a small altar. A few paces in front of the altar was a bank of flames. Standing a dozen paces away, the heat was intense. I was left wondering how we would proceed.

Aedan approached the altar to find an inscription written in stone. He read it out for us. "Cast off the trappings of worldly life and cloak yourself in the goodness of spirit. King and slave, lord and beggar; be born anew in the Maker's sight."

"It's the true test of faith," Leliana stated, "We must strip ourselves bare and prove our worth to Andraste and the Maker. Only by showing our belief will we pass through the flames untouched."

Those of Andrastrian faith started to take off their armour straight away. I was surprised Morrigan wasted no time disrobing too, meeting my glance with a smirk. "You think a little fire concerns me?"

Solona must have noticed me just staring at the flames. "You have faith?" she asked.

I held up the amulet I generally kept hidden. "I have faith, but not the same as you."

"What of Andraste though? Do you believe she exists?" I nodded. "Do you believe she is the bride of the Maker?"

"There's nothing to suggest that she isn't. From what I have read, she earned the devotion she receives from all of you."

"Do you believe you are worthy of passing through?"

"I have passed all the tests with you."

She smiled. "Then get naked, Uhtred. I think you will find Andraste rather accepting."

It was weird seeing everyone naked. Alistair covered himself up, naturally embarrassed. Surprisingly, Aedan did as well. I shrugged and let it all hang freely. Solona looked me up and down, smiled, then licked her lips rather seductively. Leliana, who hadn't seen me in all my naked glory, didn't know where to look except up and down my body, unable to tear her eyes away. I returned the compliment, Leliana proving to be a natural redhead, and she probably had the greatest pair of breasts I'd ever seen on a woman. They were so perfect I felt myself get a little excited, and she noticed too, a smile creeping across her face. So I showed a little modesty, and covered myself.

Morrigan walked over to stand in front of me, looked me up and down, moved my hands away and felt me up, which caused me to shudder, then simply stated, "Impressive, Uhtred. Very impressive." That led to roars of laughter from my brother. I'd never given it much thought before, but even Zevran sidled across and gave me rather positive feedback, whispering something in my ear I'm glad my brother couldn't hear.

"Okay, are we all ready?" my brother asked once his laughter died down, "How should we do this?"

"I think we should link arms and pass through as one," Leliana stated.

It was a sensible idea. My brother was in the middle, of course. And, naturally, I found myself flanked by Solona to one side and Leliana to the other. Once in position, we all looked at each other, nodded, then walked through the flames.

We all passed through unscathed.

The flames immediately disappeared as the Guardian blinked into existence behind us. He made no mention of our nudity, simply stating that we had passed on the tests and were therefore worthy of approaching the ashes. With a final bow, he then flashed out of existence once again.

Dressing ourselves first, we quietly approached the steps leading towards the ashes. Towering over us was an enormous statue of Andraste. Somewhat strangely, flame flickered in her left hand, I assume a symbol for something. I didn't know what. At the base of the steps, those of the faith lowered themselves to the ground and prayed. I stood with head bowed in solemn silence, simply to show my respect. I may not have been of the same faith, but I knew of Andraste and Her sacrifice. If all the stories were true, and as I said above, there was nothing to suggest it wasn't anything but fact, then I deemed her as worthy of respect as all the other gods I revered.

Aedan slowly walked the stairs, followed by all of us. We stayed back as he approached then urn, before he turned and took out the vial he had been given by Father Kolgrim. He grinned and called "Catch!" as he flicked the vial in my direction. I caught it easily and pocketed it.

"Thank you, Grey Warden," Wynne stated, bowing her head in his direction.

"Have faith, all of you. There will be hard choices ahead, but I will endeavour to make the right one's when I can."

Before the Urn, he took out a small pouch, laying it on the table. Reaching forward to grab the top of the Urn, even I noticed his hand shake. I shared a glance with Leliana, unsurprised that she now wept openly. I grabbed her hand and pulled her close, doing the same with Solona to the other side, as she too was overwhelmed.

Aedan retrieved a pinch of the ashes, carefully placing those in the pouch. Replacing the lid, he then kissed the top of the urn. "Blessed Andraste, guide my path," he whispered. Turning towards us, he gestured with his head for others to follow. Wynne, Leliana, Solona and Alistair all followed. As devout as she was, Leliana near collapsed, and it heartened me to see that it was Solona who offered her hand, both touching the base of Her statue with the same reverence I would have given a statue of Talos. Wynne was overcome as well, wiping her eyes as she walked back to us. Alistair was unusually silent, a sign that he could feel the sense of occasion.

It was a powerful moment, one that I would remember for the rest of my days, a sign of utter faith and devotion to their prophet and their God.

Clearing his throat, my brother spoke. "We should go. We have a dragon to kill, cultists to take care of and then we really must collect Brother Genitivi. The faithful must know of this place."

Father Kolgrim wasn't stupid. He knew we hadn't defiled the ashes, though I proved it when I took out the vial, showed it to him, dropped it on the ground and smashed it into pieces.

Then we killed them all. We purposely left Kolgrim alone for Leliana to kill, and I think she took great delight in slitting his throat. Heading back into the caverns, we searched for and killed the rest of the cultists, most of my colleagues fighting with a religious fervour that only seeing the ashes could have brought on.

Confident that the cultists to a man, and woman, were now dead, we headed back outside to deal with the dragon. There was no sign of the giant beast. Aedan asked how we would summon it. Back in Skyrim, I knew Shouts that would summon dragons. Not knowing if dragons even had names on this world, that simply wasn't an option. Then I noticed the giant gong, and I just knew that was what would summon it.

"Stand ready," I ordered, "Mages, get to high ground. Remember, dragons are completely immune to fire. They can be susceptible to freezing and ice attacks, definitely do not like being shocked. Leliana, you focus on hitting it with as many arrows as possible. Zevran, are you adept with a bow?"

"I am. I can assist if you wish?"

"I do. Before you do, give me a dagger. I'm going to need it." He looked confused by the request, but handed it over. "All you both need to do is ensure every arrow hits its mark." As those five disappeared, I gathered the rest close to me. "What we do is quite simple. Get in close and make it bleed. Try not to be a hero. I can use my Shouts."

"Won't they weaken you?" Aedan asked. I knew he would be concerned.

"We'll cross that bridge when it comes. If you know any tricks about dealing with fire, I suggest you use them now. Once we're fighting the dragon, it will be to the death."

Once everyone was in position, I raised the hammer and struck the metal gong. The clang was loud and echoed around the mountain top, left wondering if they would have heard it all the way in Denerim. Silence followed once the ringing in my ears stopped. Alistair looked ready to ask a question, but I raised a hand to halt it, closing my eyes and listening for the tell-tale signs of an approaching dragon.

It took a few minutes but I finally heard it. The flapping of giant wings in the wind. It was barely audible before it slowly grew louder and louder. "There!" I pointed towards a nearby mountain range. We all turned, mages with staffs raised, archers with arrows nocked, the rest of us simply watching. Then it appeared, roaring as it headed straight for us, almost straight for me, and flame was immediately fired in our direction, causing us to dive out of the way.

Getting to my feet straight away, my eyes searched the sky for the dragon, hearing it roar continuously. Reappearing from behind a mountain, it again dived in our direction, watching magic attacks flying towards it. Summoning all the internal strength I could muster, I locked eyes with the dragon as it approached and leaned back slightly.

"JOOR… ZAH… FRUL!"

The Shout worked a little differently in this world, as it didn't just force the dragon to land. The dragon took the full force of my Shout and simply stopped flying, crashing to the ground, again causing us to jump out of the way as its body slid past, wasting little time getting to its feet, swinging around to face me.

Holding up both hands, I yelled, "Wait!"

The dragon cocked it's head, and I was left assured that it understood that word at least. "This doesn't require bloodshed. But what tongue do you speak? Dov or common?" The dragon simply snorted, so now I wondered if it could understand but not speak. Lowering one hand to my chest, I said, "I am Uhtred. Some call me Dragonborn. Your kind called me Dovahkin." I pointed at the dragon. "Who are you?"

"Andraste!" the dragon roared, standing back on its hind legs for a moment, flapping its wings. I turned my head away to avoid the dirt and dust, before it settled down again.

"No, you're not. Andraste was a woman burned long ago. Her ashes are in the temple behind you. What is your true name, the one given to you by the gods?"

"I am Andraste!" I couldn't help but sigh. "And you killed my master!"

Lowering its head, its body in an attack position or perhaps ready to breathe flame, it snorted and had a look its eyes I'd seen before. I pulled up my shield, my blade on top, meeting its glare. "Your kind have no masters. Where I am from, your kind were once revered as gods. And I made a pact that I would live in peace with your kind. But if you intend to fight me, rest assured you will not survive. I have yet to meet a dragon yet to match my Thu'um, and rest assured again, yours will not defeat mine." In fact, I was left thinking it did not Shout or have a Thu'um. The dragon was somewhat different to those I had fought before.

Rearing up again, it simply roared, "I am Andraste risen!" Then it blew flames in my direction, causing me to roll out of the way, though I managed to get to my knees quickly.

"FUS... RO... DAH!" I Shouted from the ground, causing the dragon to stagger back from the full power of my Thu'um. I knew, then and there, that the conversation was over.

"For Skyrim!" I cried, getting to my feet and charging forward. I could feel exhaustion creeping up on me already, but ignored the tiredness in my bones, my eyes only for the dragon, hearing the charging footsteps of Aedan, Alistair, Sten and Shale beside me. We fell upon the dragon as a group, arrows and magic attacks smashing into the dragon at the same time.

Shaking its head, the dragon got to its feet and rounded on us, snapping at one of us while swiping at another. Shale took a hit and managed to shake it off, but even a golem was susceptible to attacks. Sten swung his sword with abandon, but the skin of the dragon was tough, and not all our attacks were breaking its skin. Snapping at me, I was lucky not to lose my head, raising my shield just in time, swinging my sword as its head lifted away, catching the underside of its neck. There was a cut, but barely any blood.

Then the dragon took off, trailing a little blood but nowhere near as much as I would have liked. "Can you do that again?"

I shook my head. "I'll be out of it if I do. The dragon will land again. They always do. Then I must do the same."

"What?"

"I must climb on and make for its neck. I can then drive my sword through its eye into its brain. It's generally what I've done before."

"That's insane!" Alistair exclaimed.

"I would be amused to see it try before it ends up as dinner for the dragon," Shale added.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I retorted.

The dragon returned, circling us once, twice then three times, before it chose to land nearby. Arrows continued to impact it, causing the dragon to snort then breathe fire in their direction, the arrows temporarily stopping. Distracted as it was, we attacked again. Giving a series of gestures, Shale nodded and headed straight for its head, hoping the golem would keep it distracted. Sten and Aedan went for its back legs, hoping my idea would work.

It did. The dragon attempted to kick out, but a few good slices against its shins, and the dragon was forced to sit down for a moment. That was enough as I flung my sword away, unsheathing my dagger and I leapt onto the back of the dragon, digging the dagger in between its scales, doing the same with my sword, holding on for dear life as I knew what was coming.

The dragon lifted off from the ground, roaring as it did so. Whether in pain or not, I'm not sure.

I shut my eyes for a moment as we flew higher and higher. Opening them, I saw my colleagues far below me, the Temple of Andraste to the left, the ruined temple to my right, and what seemed like all of Ferelden in the distance. Gritting my teeth, I carefully lifted the dagger and found another gap in the scales, and slowly but surely dragged my way forward. Each time I found a gap, more blood flowed from the wound, and soon the back was coated in its blood, unsurprised to see it was black.

"Get on the ground, you fucking… stupid… dragon!" I yelled.

I'm still not sure whether the dragon understood me. But the blood loss and the fact I wasn't detached led to the dragon descending, almost completely vertical for a time, it was only pure luck that I didn't fall to my death. The dragon finally landed, immediately snapping its jaws at my brother and swiping at Sten, the qunari taking a hit and falling to the ground. He got up, but looked groggy.

Getting to my feet, I raced across the back of the dragon as it shuffled, trying to shake me off. I dove onto its neck and plunged my sword down, causing the dragon to roar, and it was a roar I knew well. It was pain. Shuffling forward, the dragon continued to try and shake me off, but the arrows, magic attacks and continuous cuts distracted it, and I sensed it was surely weakening.

Perched where I could finally reach, I lifted the dagger high and drove it straight through its right eye. As the dragon threw back its head back and roared, I purposely fell off the dragon to the ground, landing with a groan as I got to my feet and sliced its throat, swinging my sword back and forth and blood started to flood. Then, with a final thrust, I stepped forward and drove my sword under its jaw, my weapon disappearing all the way to the hilt. I roared at the same time, my language turning so blue a sailor would have blushed. I then felt hands grab me under my arms, being dragged back as the dragon writhed in agony for a few more moments before it finally collapsed to the ground.

"Holy shit!" Alistair muttered.

I collapsed to the ground, sucking in deep breaths. I noticed the clouds in the sky high above, and the fact the sky was still blue, the sun not providing much warmth but it still shone, and I'd never thought the sky could look as beautiful. But, in that moment, it was wonderful.

I already noticed I hadn't absorbed its soul, so that meant dragons were different in this world, but if I could use my Shouts, and if we ran into any more dragons, I would probably have no problem eliminating them, though I'd never admit that I hoped others were more peaceful than the one we just killed. But if I couldn't communicate and reason with them, then I could only consider them wild beasts, and despite what I had learned with the Greybeards, the rules I followed in Skyrim would not apply to Thedas.

Offering his hand, Aedan helped me to my feet and he kept hold of my hand before moving his hand up to my forearm as I reciprocated the gesture.

"Dragonborn," he stated respectfully.

"Grey Warden," I replied in kind.

We embraced, patting each other on the back as we started to laugh. "You're fucking nuts," he finally stated.

"You do it once, you've done it a thousand times. The flying though? I wouldn't recommend that."

The mages and archers joined us and, without a backwards glance at the dragon, Solona and Leliana grabbed a hand of mine each and we walked back down the mountain. Finding Genitivi in the temple, we explained what we had found, his excitement tempered by the fact we had just fought a dragon. Assuring him it was dead, he immediately spoke of organising an expedition.

But that was for later. All we wanted to do was head back to the village, wash and rest before heading back to Redcliffe. There was still a lot of work to do.