"That ring," Ariane said. "You play with it often."

"I'd rather not talk about it." Morrigan must be bottled up tight. He had sensed nothing from her in days. Did she know the hunt had begun?

She nodded. "Forgive me. In my clan, there are few secrets. I forget you are not one of us."

"He's not?" Finn asked. "But I thought there was a Dalish Warden."

"There is," Jerath said. "I'm not him."

"So you're..." Finn's eyes widened. "You're the Commander of the Grey."

Not anymore. Saitada had the letter from Soris. And the helm. She'd be looking for him. He hadn't bothered with an explanation. Despite knowing it was necessary, he deeply regretted leaving his Wardens. They'd be safe though, at the Vigil. It was risky enough for Nathaniel and Loghain. He respected Saitada too much to leave a spy in her camp. It wouldn't be fair to her, or to the spy. Finn didn't need to know that. "Yes."

"You killed the archdemon."

"Yes."

"You stopped the next blight at Amaranthine."

"Yes."

Finn shook his head, his expression awestruck. "Wow."

#

He could sense the ghouls. This must be the right place. He gestured for Ariane and Finn to stay back, drew his weapons, and moved in.

The first shrieks attacked before they'd descended the stairs. He swept his sword through the first, spun, brought the axe through the second, then both weapons into the third. All three hit the ground within a heartbeat of each other.

"Four ghouls," he said. "Watch the mage." Ariane nodded. The young man looked about ready to run for it. Or possibly wet himself.

Jerath went right first. He dodged one arrow and simply cut the other out of the air before closing. The infected Dalish died. He spun and cut two more arrows out of the air, then went after the remaining two. The Dalish should not be here. Duncan had said he'd made the danger very clear to Marethari

Ariane stepped out of cover and managed to kill one as he closed. He took the head off the other. Finn was cowering. Ariane shook her head. "They were diseased. Dying. Right?"

"They were far beyond help," he assured her.

#

"I can't believe this is one of the Eluvians. It's magnificent... and broken." Finn stared. "Mostly broken."

Jerath found a shard that didn't have the feel of taint. He remembered well the fate of Brehan's friend Tamlen. Finn took it from him, twisting it this way and that. "We have the shard of the Eluvian, but we still need the Lights of Arlathan." He glanced at Jerath. "You indicated you knew something about Cadash Thaig?"

"I know how to get there," Jerath replied. Odd, how the paths of his former companions now crossed his. First Brehan, and now Shale. Lenore as well, if one counted the Circle. The Eluvian was likely in the basement of Denerim's Royal Palace.

#

By the time they reached Cadash Thaig, Finn and Ariane were fast friends. And he was considering dropping both of them off the next cliff they passed.

"Sacha, what do you call the substance on the outside of a tree?" Finn asked the mabari.

Sacha immediately barked in response. Ariane groaned dramatically, something that had long since been proved to just encourage the mage.

"And how does it feel?"

Sacha ruffed.

"And what's on the top of a house?"

Sacha woofed.

Jerath glared at the dog, and she panted happily at him, her tongue hanging out of the side of her mouth. Traitor.

Ariane grinned at Finn. "So, an elf, a shem, and a dwarf were walking through the woods and realized they needed to relieve themselves..."

#

Finn wrung his hands nervously. "I'm not sure I like the Deep Roads. Fewer darkspawn than expected, but it feels like we're being watched." He blinked. "Wait, why did we stop? Is this Cadash thaig?"

"Yes," Jerath said. "I told you I've been here before."

"Right. So, I've... er, been going through my old notes. Hmmm..."

"And?"

"And I came across this footnote. Apparently, the elves would magically conceal relics of great significance, thus shielding them from unworthy eyes. And given what the Tevinters did, I'd say they count as unworthy."

"You don't say," Ariana said. She rolled her eyes.

"So the Lights of Arlathan are under this enchantment?" Jerath asked.

"That's my hypothesis... but they might just be buried in the ground, too." He looked around, his eyes wide as he took in the dwarven ruins. "Actually... that's very likely. It looks like Cadash thaig was built on the ruins of Cad'halash. The Lights of Arlathan could be miles below us."

Ariane shook her head. "I liked the other theory more."

He did as well. Still, the idea of the eluvians being linked had merit. If they did not find the Lights of Arlathan, he'd head into the Fade and see what he could find using the shard. Duty was currently rather irritated at him, but he'd encountered a few others over the years.

"If the elves concealed the relics with magic, only the blood of their kin will reveal them." Finn inhaled. "Ariane... we need your blood."

"Excuse me?"

"Just a few drops, that's it."

"Is this blood magic?" Jerath asked.

"The spell doesn't get its power from the blood; it just uses the blood as a focus. It's kind of a gray area."

"Why Ariane?"

Finn turned to her. "You share the same blood as the Arlathan elves, so you're the only one this enchantment might recognize."

Ariane sighed. "Fine. Just because hearing that gets me all tingly. A few drops."

"I'll... be gentle," Finn promised, turning slightly green.

She held out her hand, and Finn took out a small dagger. He started to make the cut about four times before Jerath took the blade away from him and nicked her finger with it.

#

"My spell will reveal vortices of magic. Standing in them should allow us to see the energy being drawn to the relics, which will lead us to them."

"You want us to stand in magical vortices?" Ariane asked.

"It's perfectly safe," Finn said. "Mostly. Once we reach the influence of the Lights, Ariane's blood will unveil them. But we have to be close."

#

A bronto huffed loudly and charged out of the ruins at them. Jerath shoved Finn out of the way, and then caught hold of the bronto as it passed. He swung up onto its shoulder, and then drove his blade into the underside of its throat. He repeated the blow, and then leaped to safety as the bronto collapsed into a heap and slid several feet.

Finn stared. "Maker, did you see that?" He looked at Ariane. "Did you see that?"

Ariane nodded. "I heard that you once jumped on the back of a dragon and rode it all the way to Redcliff to save Arl Eamon."

There was only one dragon he'd actually ridden. Considering the respect and fear the Dalish had for Flemeth, explaining would get very awkward. "I killed a dragon at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. I didn't ride it."

"How many dragons have you killed?"

"Do you mean all dragons, or just high dragons?"

"Um... all dragons."

"Lost count."

Finn's eyes somehow managed to get even wider. "Just high dragons?"

He considered a moment, wondering if Flemeth and the ghost on the mountain counted. "Six."

"No wonder Hadley was scared of you." Finn's voice was awestruck.

At least he was no longer upset about being abducted.

#

There were only a few darkspawn. Easily enough to dispatch. By the third small encounter, Finn was even trying to be helpful.

"Look out," Finn said. "Another one of those big... thingies!"

The bronto charged. Ariane gave a warcry and leaped. Her sword slipped out of her hand and the bronto took off with her clinging to its back. She screamed as it fled into the Deep Roads. Jerath slid his hand down his face, and shook his head. He could practically feel the disapproving stares of Loghain and Saitada.

"You are going to go get her, right?" Finn asked worriedly.

"Stay here. Sacha, guard." He shook his head and went after the Dalish woman.

#

He saw tears in Ariane's eyes when they were forced to slay the guardians. "I wish we could talk to these guardians instead of having to slay them."

"They've been here too long," Jerath told her. "Or they wouldn't be attacking you at all."

"I know, it's just... imagine what they could tell us."

They were spirits, bound to the form of warriors long dead. An elven version of golems. Even if it had spoken, it was unlikely it would be in a language they shared.

#

"We have the shard of the Eluvian, and the Lights of Arlathan. Now all we have to do is scry for an unbroken mirror." Finn considered a moment. "I saw a suitable place for the ritual not too far from here."

He led them back to a dais. "This should work. Now, there is going to be a lot of magical energy here. It's going to attract... things."

"What kind of things?" Ariane asked.

"Scary things."

"Demons," Jerath said. He drew his weapons.

"Yes." Finn sighed. "Demons." He set his staff, gripping it with both hands. "Ready?"

"Ready," Ariane said.

When the demons came, he drew from the energies of the Fade. Around him, the world seemed to slow down slightly. The dragonbone blade hummed in his hand, resonating with the power of the spirit realm. One of the shades attempted to cast at him, and the spell just slid around him harmlessly. He brought the blade down, returning the demon to the Veil.

Behind him, Ariane was trying to hold her own. She was doing well until a second shade appeared near her. It passed her, managing to reach Finn before Jerath cut it down. The mage continued to work the spell, seemingly unaware of the battle raging around him.

#

"Phew!" Finn looked down at himself. His eyes widened. "Am I bleeding? Oh look, a rip in my robe." His eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell over backwards.

Ariane raised an eyebrow at Jerath. "Are all shem mages like this?"

"No." He glanced back at her. "Most are strange." He bent, and helped Finn back to his feet.

She shook her head, and laughed. "What happened to, 'Ariane, give us your blood. Who cares if it hurts?'"

"It's... my blood." Finn swallowed. "That's different."

"Did the ritual work?"

"I've pinpointed another Eluvian. It's in the Dragonbone Wastes." He gestured. "The Tevinters probably moved it there to see if the ancient dragon bones could enhance the Eluvian's power.

"I've been to the Dragonbone Wastes. I saw no mirror."

"It might be hidden..." Finn rubbed his chin. "Or only appear to those who know its location."

"What happens when we find it?"

"We examine the mirror. It might give clues to what Morrigan's doing. If she's looking for the Eluvians as well, she might even be there."

Amaranthine. After all this, he was going back to Amaranthine.

#

"You know they are probably looking for me by now," Finn said. "I hope they don't think I escaped."

"You're with the Commander of the Grey," Ariane said.

Finn gave Jerath a nervous look. "But this isn't an official mission."

"You'll be fine," Ariane said. "It's not like they have any idea where you went. We're in a lost dwarven thaig. Important word in that sentence? Lost."

He shook his head. "They have my phylactery. They can track me anywhere." Jerath held up a small glass vial. Finn looked at it, a dumbfounded expression on his face. "That's my phylactery. How did you get my phylactery?"

"They did allow me to visit their repository unescorted." Lenore had told him about how she'd come to be conscripted. With all the damage and rebuilding going on in Denerim, most of the phylacteries had been sent back to the tower. Finding Finn's hadn't taken long. Finding the phylacteries of Lenore and Wynne had been slightly more difficult, but he'd taken care of that potential problem as well.

"Yes, but the phylactery room is warded. Only templars can enter."

"I am a templar." Jerath shrugged. "Or close enough, anyway."

Ariane narrowed her eyes. "What is going to happen after we find Morrigan?"

"You are going to return to your people. With three books and the Lights of Arlathan."

"And me?" Finn asked.

"I have another task for you, when this is done. One I think shall suit you." Jerath met his eyes. "But you will not be returning to the Circle."

Finn gulped.