Bec Note: MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)
Chapter 25: Ruck
"We must move on." Sten's voice seemed so far away.
"Her wound is bad." Morrigan snapped, she seemed closer, though still only an echo. "Spider's venom is powerful. I don't know when she'll awake."
"What will those spiders do with them?"
Morrigan sighed, Farah felt the exhaled breath on her face. "They are probably unconscious, but fine, though they won't be for long if they are bitten."
"So what's the plan then?" Oghren's husky voice bellowed of the tunnel's walls.
"Farah usually comes up with the plans." Morrigan answered.
Oghren grunted, "Lotta good that does us. I thought you humans were supposed to be smart?"
"I don't see you coming up with a plan, dwarf."
"Planning ain't my job, mage-y. I just swing my battle-axe at the badies and score with the ladies."
"You are insufferable."
"And you have a nice rack." Oghren laughed heartily.
The ground rumbled beneath Farah's body, "You fleshly creatures waste too much time. I will carry it." Shale's rocky voice rang loudly in the tunnels.
Morrigan growled, "Farah cannot be moved."
"The Swamp Witch is very frustrating."
"As is the talking lump of rock."
Farah's senses were slowly coming back. Their voices were clear now. She heard every word perfectly as they argued over what to do. A throbbing pain began to ache. Farah cringed. Her neck was stinging and aching terribly. She lifted her hand to touch it. Morrigan's boney fingers grasped her wrist tightly.
"I think not." She warned.
Farah blinked her eyes open. Warm orange light flooded her vision. For a moment everything swirled, then slowly settled. The dark ceiling of the Deep Roads was above her, Morrigan at her side. "What happened?" She croaked.
"We were overrun. You were bitten. I have done all I can with my herbs. I even did some healing that Wynne taught me, though I am not her. If she were…" Morrigan shook her head. "It does not matter. Can you stand?"
Farah shook her head. Morrigan helped her to her feet. Once the brown slimy walls of the Deep Roads stopped spinning Farah looked around. Half of her party was missing, including the brother she just got back. Her heart jumped into her throat.
"They were taken." Morrigan answered before Farah could ask. "It is meant to be a trap."
Farah raised her hand dismissively and walked forward only to stumble. Sten caught her. "Slowly, Warden."
Farah rested her head against the giant's chest. She sighed, how could this have happened? She shivered remembering the ambush… I hate spiders.
"How much longer are we gonna stand around with our thumbs up our asses?" Oghren huffed.
Morrigan began to arguing with the dwarf but Farah interrupted. "He's right. We need to move."
"You're bite is bad Farah. You need Wynne." Morrigan protested.
"You worked your magic. That will have to be enough for now. Finding the others is more important. Besides, Leli will be very cross with me if Zev does not return to her."
Morrigan rolled her eyes.
"I like you, Warden. Nothing stops you." Oghren barked as he took the lead.
Sten gently pushed Farah up, "Lean on me if you must Warden."
What was left of Farah's party followed the dwarf. Farah felt extremely sore and tired. She leaned on Sten heavily, though the giant never complained. Farah would warn them when darkspawn were near then Sten would prop her up against the wall and protect her. Her strength was slowly returning. Whatever herbs Morrigan had used were working. Farah was able to lift one blade and feebly began to fight on her own.
The spiders taunted them, creeping in the shadows and hissing. Morrigan said they would not attack, for now. Great, Farah thought. The injured Cousland was still leaning on Sten lightly when they entered a huge cavern within the tunnels. Spiders crept on the walls and ground, but scurried away when Farah's party came to close. Fear began to creep into her mind… What if they were bitten? It was a miracle that Farah was the only one injured, but one that she was thankful for. She rather be the one bitten that any of her friends, and especially her hard hitters. There was a commotion in the cavern. Farah heard hissing and the clank of metal. She felt darkspawn and sure enough, a battle between the two lay in front of them.
Farah's party stayed back, watching. She didn't know which side she wanted to fall more, the darkspawn or the bloody spiders. She wanted both dead, for sure, but which ones first? Something in the shadows caught her eye. She head turned quickly to the slight movement.
"I saw it too, Warden." Sten said.
"I don't think it was a spider or a darkspawn."
Not wanting to draw attention, Farah's group carefully made their way to the movement and found another tunnel. Farah heard movement within and a voice. Before she could make out everything in the small cavern, someone screamed huskily and hid in the corner.
"You can't have it! This is mine!"
A dwarf was cowering in the shadows. Farah stepped forward cautiously. The dwarf screamed again, yelling for her to stay back. Ignoring his warnings, Farah kept forward.
"There's nothing for you here! I've claimed it!" The dwarf yelled.
Farah smiled warmly, "I have no intention of taking what is yours."
"You lie! You surfacers are all alike! Always taking what isn't yours. Begone! You'll bring the dark ones back, you will! They'll crunch on your bones!"
Farah's smile faded as she studied the dwarf. His eyes were glassy and his skin pale and sickly. Something was wrong with him and his mumbling and rambling did not help. He was constantly swaying, and his posture was wrong.
"Leave me alone!" He yelled, bringing Farah from her thoughts.
Farah sighed and bent down to be eye level with him, "I'm not here to hurt you, or take what is yours… I just want to ask you some questions." Farah kept her tone soft.
The dwarf's facial expression changed as he stared into Farah's eyes. There was silence for a moment, then the strange dwarf spoke, "Pretty lady—pretty eyes, pretty hair, smells like the steam of burning water, gray as the deepest stone… So pretty lady will not hurt Ruck? Pretty lady will not take from Ruck?"
Farah smiled, thankful to be getting somewhere, "I promise I will not hurt you or take anything from you. I just want to talk."
"Oh. Ruck not mind that. Maybe."
"Ruck? Your name is Ruck, then?"
"Ruck not pretty name, not pretty like lady. Ruck is small, and ugly, and twisted."
Oghren grunted, "You're wasting your time, Warden. He's crazy. Probably been eating darkspawn to keep alive."
Farah frowned, "That doesn't mean he hasn't seen our people."
"Ruck sees a lot." The dwarf said proudly.
Farah turned back to him and smiled, "Then maybe you have seen them. We were attacked by the spiders. See? I was bitten." Farah exposed her neck, the dwarf gasped. "I am alright, but we had others with us… The spiders took them."
"Crawlers took them. Crawlers eat them…"
Farah cringed, "I don't want that… Please, did you see them?"
The dwarf backed away, throwing his hands up, "Crawlers bad. Ruck don't like them."
Morrigan sighed, "We will never get anything done this way… Tell us where they are, now. Or suffer the consequences." Farah saw purple light dancing off the walls. Ruck screamed and ran back into his corner. Angry, Farah swirled around and grabbed Morrigan's sparking hand.
"Stop it." She ordered, ignoring the flickers of lightning in her hand.
"You're wasting time. Can't you sense your Alistair?"
Farah's eyebrows lifted in surprise.
"I know you sense him… Tis obvious."
Farah furrowed her brows. She had been trying to sense him since she woke up. "No, I can't. There's too much interference. Too many darkspawn… Wait here."
Farah cautiously walked to the shadowed corner to find Ruck mumbling and shaking. Farah smiled and leaned down, gently taking his hand. Ruck flinched away at first, then slowly clasped his hand in Farah's.
"Ruck, I'm sorry. She won't hurt you. I promise."
"Pretty lady is nice."
"Ruck, please. I need your help. Those people the spiders are my friends. I care about them a lot. One was my brother… and one was my… Well, he's my…"
"Love? Pretty lady must have a love."
Farah smiled at the softness in his voice. He had stopped shaking. "Yes, Ruck. One was my love. Please. We have to find them. Will you help me?"
Ruck looked around Farah at the rest of the group, then back to her, then to their clasped hands. He smiled down at them before nodded, "Ruck will show you where the crawlers took them."
…
Farah froze. Her legs had turned to jelly. Her heart pounded in her chest. Her hands itched for her blades, but she couldn't make then move. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Ruck was screaming at her side, telling her to run but she couldn't move. The queen spider was bigger than the others. In fact, she was bigger than Morrigan in her spider form. Fear coursed through Farah's veins…
Ruck pushed her to the ground just in time for Morrigan to move over them. The giant purple spider didn't seem as big as its fangs dug into the gray queen. Farah scrambled to her feet as a fleet of smaller spiders descended on them. Ruck's found armor turned out ok, along with his blade. He fought with skill, but took risks and never let Farah out of his sight.
Across the webbed cavern Farah could see four forms webbed to the walls. Their faces shown and none of the boys looked good. Farah fought back panic. They had to win this battle to help them and to do that, she had to keep her head in the fight. Slash. Cut. Stab. Farah was getting the hang of killing the spiders, her fear was slowly washing away as more spider guts covered her blades.
She looked over her shoulder. Morrigan's body was cut up pretty bad, but she was still fighting and the queen had injuries to match. Farah went back to fighting, but spiders were coming from everywhere. Shale had killed most, simply stomping on them and ripping them apart.
"Watch out Warden!" Oghren called. Farah looked just in time to see the queen coming her way. Grabbing Ruck and pulling him along, they moved. The spider screeched as Morrigan sank her fangs into one of its legs, then viciously ripped it off. The sound made Farah shiver. The queen retaliated quickly, pushing Morrigan back and readying into an attack position. Farah saw an opening, but she was not the only one. Before she could act, Oghren leapt forward bringing his battle ax down and severing another leg. The queen reeled its backside, effectively smashing Oghren into a wall.
Sten charged forward, his blade came down hard on the queen's backside, freeing the dwarf. Shale's steps shook the ground, stomping spiders as it moved. The living stone jumped in the air and smashed the ground with its fists. The force from the hit disoriented the queen and Morrigan did not waste any time. The giant purple spider sank its fangs deep in the queen's neck, while Oghren and Sten hacked away.
Guts soon splattered the floor, and the queen slowly died. Farah watched as the smaller spiders crawled away in fear. She bolted to the other side and began to cut Alistair free. Sten followed her lead and worked on Fergus while Oghren saw to the other two. Farah looked over her shoulder to check on Morrigan. She was hunched over on the ground surrounded by a blue healing light. She looked up and waved a dismissive hand to her. Farah turned back and pulled Alistair free. Sten was laying Fergus down and working on Nolan. Oghren was finishing up with Zevran.
Alistair looked terrible. His tanned skin was pale and warm with sweat. Farah took his face in her hands, then checked his pulse. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, praying with every inch of her being he would be ok. She stood up quickly, hovering over Fergus and checking his pulse, he was alive. Zevran was next, then Nolan. Farah kissed Nolan's snout and Fergus's forehead. None of them were responsive but they were breathing. She could see the venom working through their bodies.
"They need Wynne." Morrigan said as she stopped at Farah's side. "As do I."
Farah studied the mage. She looked bad. "Sten? I need you to take Morrigan and the rest of them back. Can you handle it?"
"Consider it done."
Farah turned her attention back to Morrigan, "Can you fight?"
Morrigan nodded but said nothing. Everyone moved swiftly, working together perfectly. Morrigan set up protection spells on the four boys and herself. Sten watched the shadows for threats, while Shale and Oghren made sure all the spiders were actually dead. Farah hovered over everyone, worry written on her face and singing in her heart. She couldn't bear to lose any of them… She refused. While Morrigan was casting more extensive healing spells on the boys, Farah leaned over Alistair, studying his face. She stroked his face tenderly.
"Is that your love?" Ruck asked softly.
Farah nodded, fighting back tears. She couldn't stand the thought of losing him, losing any of them. Ruck put a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"He'll make it, pretty lady. I know—WATCH OUT!"
Ruck pushed Farah to the ground. She heard the dwarf yelp in pain. Rising up quickly she saw Sten kicking the spider off the dwarf. Shale stomped it to mush, but it was too late. The damage was done. Farah crawled to Ruck, mushing her gloved hands into his blood. His neck wound was deep, and he was bleeding out fast.
"Morrigan!" Farah called. A blue glow sparked at neck, but faded just as fast.
Farah reeled her head in the mage's direction, anger and panic bubbling up inside her. "Why did you stop?"
Morrigan sighed, "There is nothing I can do. His injury is too severe."
"You're a mage! Use your magic!"
Morrigan walked to Farah, her strange yellows eyes studying her intently, "Dwarves have a natural resistance to magic, Farah, and with this injury, and my weakened state… I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do."
Farah stared at the mage. She was stunned. Magic could do anything! Certainly it could heal this dwarf. "Try again."
Morrigan began to protest. "I'm not asking you." Farah cut her off. "I'm telling you. Try again."
Morrigan sighed but did what she was told. She tried again. And again. Ruck did not move. His breathing had stopped.
The witch rose to her feet, "You cannot heal the dead." She said as she turned her magic back to the boys.
Farah did not move. She sat at Ruck's side, surrounded by his blood. He had saved her. She would be dead if it wasn't for him. Alistair, Fergus, Zevran, and Nolan might have been dead if he hadn't lead her to them. Why did this always happen? Why did everyone she met have to die for her? Was she worth it? No, she answered mentally. Farah pulled herself up, anger and determination sparking in her gut. She was tired of this. Tired of people dying for her and tried of failing.
Farah inspected her companions, gave orders gruffly and saw Sten and Morrigan off. Morrigan had levitated the injured boys. When she walked forward they followed as if they were tethered by some invisible chain. She watched them leave, her eyes shifting between the four. They would be fine. They had to be. Sten would see them out of the Deep Roads and Wynne would see them healed. All of them.
"Ready Warden?" Oghren grunted.
Farah narrowed her eyes at the path before her. She sensed more darkspawn, and guessed more spiders would be waiting. With one final look at Ruck, Farah pushed forward, ready to be done with the blighted Deep Roads.
Not one more person is dying for me. She vowed mentally. No matter what.