Chapter 21: Old Friends and Enemies
Treasure was in her element.
Starkhaven cavalry were trying to ride down on the wardens, and fell right into the trap the blonde warden had set for them. She pulled one knight off his horse, hooking him with her halberd. Its pike end, sent him to the Maker before he even had a chance to recover. Another came at her, trying to disarm her with his shield, she split it down the middle, and then, for good measure, did the same to him as well.
The girl smiled hungrily, her green eyes flashing with savage delight.
Come to me little marchers, my halberd is thirsty!
This was why she had wanted to join the order, to face their enemies head on. To show them the folly of trying to stand in the way of the Grey Wardens, Treasure wanted to be just like her hero, the legendary mage Solona Amell.
Solona had done what was required of her, and she had not even been eager about it. She had simply done her duty. Treasure reveled in her duty, welcoming the taste of sweet blood and victory!
And she was always hungry for more!
Lady Oslin and Merrill fought back to back, freeing her to wage her own war against the forces of Starkhaven. That is when she spotted new fighters on the field. She saw a chantry seeker and a mage in strange looking leather armor….
That is when she noticed the elf, silver haired and wielding a great sword.
A Starkhaven mercenary no doubt, she thought grinning maniacally.
He would be hers.
She charged her halberd collided with his blade, the strange markings on his arms pulsed, burning her.
So not just another hired sword after all, the blonde warden thought, good.
"You are no match for a Grey Warden," she said triumphantly.
The elf's eyes widened, he thought her some random fighter, she was not in her armor after all.
Still she found herself looking forward to the fight to come.
This would be a battle worthy of tale or song.
"Treasure stand down," an Orlesian accented voice said behind her.
She circled around; the elf with the strange markings followed her.
Fortunately, it gave her a view of who had shouted at her.
Treasure's green eyes widened.
"L…L…Lieutenant Serene?" the blonde warden could not believe it!
The elf was glaring at her, just as she had done so many times during her training.
"Fenris is on our side Treasure, stand down." The bard repeated.
"How do I know it is really you?" Treasure growled, "This could be some kind of magical trick!"
The elf shook her head, Maker save her from Templar trained children.
"The griffons may be gone," Treasure said to her, it was an old warden recognition phrase.
"But we still walk beneath the shadows of their beating wings," Serene replied, giving her the proper response.
It seemed that it was indeed the lieutenant.
Treasure cursed under her breath.
She relaxed her stance, but was still careful not to underestimate the elf.
"Sorry," she offered.
The elf, the one Serene called Fenris did not seem to think much of that.
"Turn your attention to our true enemies' girl," he growled, engaging yet another Starkhaven soldier.
Treasure shook her head.
The Commander would be pleased to see that Serene was alive, but at the same time…
The girl frowned.
"There goes my promotion," she grumbled angrily.
Another knight tried to ride her down.
She sidestepped his charge, and hooked him with her halberd.
Treasure was not in a good mood, the man would die ugly.
And so, the battle continued.
IOI
Wren could not help but smile, the look on Justin Oslin's face…priceless.
How many nights had he dreamed of this moment, facing his former Captain with staff in hand? Unfortunately survival demanded he not satisfy those urges, at least not yet.
Wren raised his staff, a fresh bolt of arcane energy crackling there.
His smile widened at his oldest friend's look of disbelief.
"Down Captain," Wren said helpfully.
Years of fighting at his side made Justin obey, the bolt struck a Starkhaven rogue trying to sneak up on Justin from behind, knocking the man flat.
Justin made sure that he did not get up again.
The two men spun back to back, it was almost second nature after almost ten years of fighting at each other sides.
"I thought that the trick with those knight's weapons looked familiar," Justin growled.
"I should certainly hope so," Wren chuckled, "Tis a very old trick, one you have seen me use many times."
"What are you doing here Birdie!"
"For the moment, I'm trying to save your life, again. Tis a common enough occurrence, how you have survived these many months without me is truly a mystery."
Justin's eyes narrowed, it was easy to fall back into old habits, but he would not let that happen, he and Wren had unfinished business.
It would need to be settled before all was said and done.
"You and I are going to have words later," Justin said coldly.
"I can hardly wait," Wren replied dryly.
IOI
Bethany's force magic crushed two archers trying to shoot her and Merrill. The mage cursed under her breath, this entire place had been a trap. Had Constance been captured? Perhaps Sebastian and his men had already been defeated? Perhaps poor Sebastian was now dead?
No…no, she would not think like that, they would fight through this, and then they would find some answers.
She heard Merrill's victims scream as the Dalish brought the full wrath of her blood magic down on them. She could not help but shudder. In Kirkwall Merrill had at least abstained from using her dark powers, she had not wanted to upset Mari or Fenris.
In the wardens, Merrill did whatever was necessary, that was not exactly a good thing.
The Dalish glanced around at the others, seeing if anyone needed her help, when her eyes fell on Justin they widened.
"Ooh Bethany look," she said pointing, "Wren is here, he has come to help us! Isn't that nice of him?"
Bethany felt her heart lurch, she looked for her husband, and yes…there he was…and fighting back to back with him…
Andreas Wren.
He was alive.
Memories of that dark night in the dragonbone wastes came screaming back. She saw Wren as he truly was that night, a monster, not human, not dragon, but something dangerously both.
A witch of the wilds, a son of Flemeth, Wren was a monster!
"Watch it Sunshine!"
Varric's warning caused her to throw herself forward; she only just avoided an attack from a man in heavy plate. She parried the man's blow with her staff; twirling it defensively she was pushed back. Merrill was too busy to aid her, and she had lost sight of Treasure.
The knight managed to knock her down. She rolled out of the way of his weapon the best she could. She tried to cast, but her mana was exhausted.
A black streak moved across the battlefield.
It slammed into the knight, he fought bravely, but his opponent was just too good for him.
The warrior in black decapitated the man.
Then she turned to Bethany.
Marian Hawke pulled her to her feet.
"Are you all right Bethany?" her sister sounded concerned.
"I…I…I'm fine sister," Bethany stammered, "I…how did you find us?"
Hawke grinned.
"We will talk later sis, for now we have to survive this little scrape."
Bethany snorted, trust Marian to see this battle as a 'little scrape."
Still, Bethany could not help but smile.
Mari was here!
Marian was here, and she had not come alone.
Bethany spotted Fenris; she should have known that Wolf would not let her sister go into battle without him.
Her sister had seemed to have built a new flock. Bethany saw a glowing teenage elf girl, as well as chantry Seeker in full armor and helmet.
Why was a Seeker fighting with her sister? She would definitely have many questions for her when the battle was over.
And that was not all…
Serene was here as well! Here and fighting at the side of the Seeker!
Bethany felt her head swim. First Wren and now Serene, it seemed that no one stayed dead anymore.
IOI
Justin gave the signal; the other wardens rushed the battlefield. The landing was stained red with blood, and flame. The arrival of Hawke and her allies had tipped the balance in the warden's favor.
Quill hid behind a tree, the mage cursed as the Starkhaven troops fell to the skill of the wardens and their allies.
Plus, the champion was here! How had the bitch managed to escape the trap he had set back at the inn?
Quill did not know, and it did not matter.
The Witch King would be most displeased, he had wanted the Champion of Kirkwall captured by the inquisition, that way, when he freed her, she would be in his debt.
So much for that plan, Quill thought.
The mage began to creep away, he needed to get back to the coast, he would contact the Witch King there, maybe see if someone could come and collect him.
He almost collided with Wren.
"Quill," Wren smiled savagely, "My good…good…god friend!"
The other mage turned pale.
"Now Birdie, don't do anything stupid now," he warned the healer, flames began to come to Quill's fingers, "I was only obeying orders. The Witch King wanted this, it wasn't my fault."
"Oh I know all about that," Wren smirked, "You see, I even know what is going to happen to you when you report back on this failure. The way I see it, why wait, I will do the Witch King a favor and punish you myself."
Quill through fire at Wren, but the healer dispelled it. He advanced on his fellow mage.
Quill tried to bring up his staff, Wren knocked it aside, and he pushed his way into Quill's defenses, and touched the man's forehead.
Wren spoke a quick spell.
Quill's eyes widened as it took effect, and then…he screamed!
He screamed and screamed.
As Quill fell to the ground, clawing out his own eyes, Wren sneered.
Such was the price of betraying a son of Flemeth.
The nightmares that Wren had put into Quill's head would likely burst his old friend's heart, but not yet, oh not yet. Wren hoped that it would be slow, slow and painful.
He left his betrayer to his fate.
Part of him wondered it would be this sweet in dealing with other enemies.
No, he decided, it would not be…
It would be sweeter.
IOI
The battle ended, the Starkhaven troops found themselves out matched. Few retreated, the others chose to fight to the death, death would be preferable than reporting back to Thrash, the Prince's High Inquisitor would show no mercy to the failures, and it was unlikely that the prince would speak up for them.
Justin gasped, feeling the rage within him cool.
He turned looking for Wren; the healer emerged from the tree line. He was smiling like the cat that ate the canary.
Justin found himself feeling sorry for someone.
The wardens mingled with the ones that had come to their rescue. Justin saw Bethany hugging one of them, a woman in black armor.
Wait! Was…was that Marian Hawke?
He knew he should not be surprised, Varric had said that it was likely that they would bump into her out here.
Wren sneered at the two sisters. He stood beside Justin.
"Sentiment," he spat shaking his head.
Justin glanced over at him; did Birdie think he could just come back? Just reenter their lives like nothing had happened?
"I thought you dead," Justin said flatly.
"Did you?" Wren snorted, "Tell me, did you mourn my passing? Did you shower flowers on the top of the tower where you pushed me into the sea?"
Justin grabbed him by the front of the robes, the healer did not resist.
"Did you think I wouldn't mourn you?" Justin growled angrily, "You were my best friend Birdie! Did that mean nothing to you?"
"It was business," the healer shrugged, "and besides you shouldn't be surprised. Bethany told you my true parentage did she not? What else would you expect from a witch of the wilds?"
'You were my friend," Justin repeated.
Wren snorted, it seemed that Justin's circle pet was not the only one guilty of being overly sentimental.
He pushed Justin's hands away, he had no desire to be manhandled, he limped back to where Hawke was…
He did not make it.
The ground shook, Wren turned just in time to see a massive silverite hand close around his throat. He tried a spell, but he could not even gasp.
The healer was brought to his knees.
He found himself staring up into cold glowing blue magical eyes, eyes that blazed like stars.
He was staring into the eyes of an enraged golem.
"Wren," Leonie purred, her tinny Orlesian voice dripping with scorn.
He tried to speak, to explain, but he could not even breath.
"You are finally in my way mage," the golem hissed triumphantly, "Let us see what we can do about that."