Chapter 25
Madness Part One
Merrill thought after three years of following Hawke into dangerous places she'd be used to having eyes on her, watching her and waiting for her to make a move. From bandit hideouts, templars in the gallows, mages using empty sewers as a hub and the occasional thugs attacking them in the middle of the night.
Yet walking into the qunari compound she felt as if she was walking through a narrow corridor of glass, each piercing her skin as she kept close to Aveline and Varric. Every solider of the Qu, from the ones standing aside against the walls and the ones atop of the wall, spears in hand in preparation to toss and hopefully pierce their enemies.
It also didn't help that she was a mage, and she's seen how they treated their mages.
Yet Hawke, obviously was unfazed by this as he confidently led them into the compound to finally speak with the Arishok about…well actually she didn't know but if he was like anyone she's encountered with the party lately it'll follow on the lines of "Do this for me" and she had a gut feeling if Hawke refused it would be a catastrophic choice that could damage the city.
Sitting upon the bench atop the flight of stairs was the Arishok, and Merrill could feel herself getting smaller and smaller with every step she took to get closer to him. To say he was huge was saying Varric was short.
The qunari was large for his kind, taller and much more muscular than his brethren with a long broad sword strapped to his back accompanied by a battle axe, large red shoulder pads that like mini boulders in comparison to Aveline's.
She remembered the first time Hawke met these…gentlemen, but through Varric's version. After the incident with the blackpowder years ago, Varric told her that in truth Javaris wasn't even worth a single copper to them, and that it was only because of Hawke telling the Arishok Javaris promised a lot of gold on the blackpowder and after a quick subtle promise of spears going into a dwarf's face, they were paid by their "employer".
'Serah Hawke', he greeted the mage with a steel glare. 'Top' a the morning to you Arishok', Hawke greeted with his casual smile and small wave. Merrill heard Aveline groan in response accompanied by a chuckle from Varric. 'Last we met, I did not know your name. Did not care to', the giant said, ignoring the cheerful greeting of the mage.
'You have changed your fortune over the years. The qunari have not', he continued. 'Oh it was easy, just head into the deep roads, get back stabbed by greedy dwarves and find some evil rock possessed by demons and you'll change your fortunes easily', Hawke offered with a stupid smile on his face, probably lowering the qunari's tolerance to him even further than the chantry's tolerance to heretics.
'…Ave is it too late to call in sick?', Varric asked quietly. 'Afraid so Varric', the guardswoman replied with a tone that said she really wanted to wring Hawke's neck at the moment. It was at times like this Merrill was really grateful for the ability to use her magic to travel underground and away from sharp pointy spears.
'…I offer you a courtesy, Hawke. Someone has stolen what he thinks is the formula for the gaatlok', he resumed, though they could hear his patience slowly grow thinner and thinner with every word Hawke spoke. 'You will want to hunt him'.
At this, even Aveline looked at Hawke in question. The gaatlok was the whole reason Javaris even hired Hawke's company to rid the Tal-Vashooth in the Wounded Coast, and from what Isabela told the party it was not only the most dangerous power that makes the qunari ships a threat, but it was worth a city's worth in gold.
'Someone stole your powder?', Hawke asked. 'Give them some credit that takes skill'. The qunari scoffed. 'It was allowed', he replied. 'The formula was a decoy. Saar-qamek- a poison gas, not explosives'.
'Wait, allowed? You ALLOWED someone to steal a formula that the qunari made?', Hawke asked in confusion, especially given how secretive and protective they were about the blackpowder. 'We lost three of our own to this theft, but enough to impart a sense of worth. If it was the real one, every one of us would lay down our lives to protect it'.
'And this formula was, what, just a minor annoyance?', Hawke asked. 'A small amount if dangerous enough to your kind, but if made in quantity perhaps by someone intending to sell it…'. 'Javaris', Varric said, a small groan escaping his lips. 'Would he be cautious, or would he assume success and make enough to threaten a district?', the Arishok asked.
The dwarf was greedy enough to put everyone in danger just to get a puff of the formula, it wouldn't surprise Merrill if he refused to take no for an answer from these people. She remembered Varric saying his fellow dwarf was practically foaming rage when not only was he denied his unearned prize but he also had to pay Hawke out of his own pocket for the job well done.
Though it made her wonder would he really be foolish enough to make it and not see the major difference between what he wanted and a decoy?
'A courtesy Hawke, you WILL want to hunt him down', he offered. 'Right…see if I recall right you made your hate for this city very clear the last time we spoke. Why would give me a warning?', the mage asked. At this, the Arishok smirked for the very first time. 'I don't call anyone in Kirkwall an ally, or even a good rival. But you, have proven you have some competence', he said.
'The day comes when the Qun demands an accounting. Until then, I will show respect to the most promising among you'. Well at the very least Hawke was in their good books.
'Alright, but are you sure Javaris is behind this? He's greedy but cowardly', Aveline inserted. 'He is not the first to ask for the gaatlok, but is the first to delude himself beyond "no"'. 'You could await for further evidence if you wish, though the body count will likely grow'.
'And unless the pile is made out of darkspawn, we can't wait for him', Aveline said to Hawke, who was still debating what course to take about this. 'Wait, just how dangerous is this fake formula?', Hawke asked, the most pressing concern for them at the moment. 'It is no threat to the qunari, but against your kind it is lethal. It kills people who breath it, but only after it turns them against their allies in a blind rage', he explained. '…You couldn't have made a decoy that only makes those who inhale it high or put them to sleep?', Hawke asked deadpanned.
'It is no longer our problem', the Arishok said sternly and dismissively. It took all of Hawke's might not to rip into that statement, another day will come for the sheer stupidity of that statement. Now if this gas was as lethal as the ones who actually accomplished this theft, time was not on their side. 'Varric, where can we find Javaris?', he asked turning to the dwarf. 'Not in the merchant's guild, but I heard there was a sell off. Not something you'd hear unless someone was leaving but can't be sure it was him. Maybe the Coterie would have a few answers for us', the dwarf said.
'Panehedan Hawke, I do not hope you die', the Arishok said. 'Thanks', Hawke said sarcastically as he and his merry band exited the compound, a new problem dumped in their laps…
Darktown
After gathering up everyone the party had started a witch hunt of sorts in the hopes to finding the greedy dwarf before his latest product ends up mass slaughtering the population of Kirkwall.
Varric's advice about finding the Coterie was sadly their only lead on him when it was later discovered by Aveline earlier that there was several criminal events relating to the Coterie when it came to the smuggling of spices and illegal herbs, many of which confessing to being employed by a man named "Trapos", which Varric later added was one of Javaris' alias'.
Eventually Reks managed to get answers from a Coterie member who was trying to gain a few customers by blatantly shouting out Javaris' name about selling some of his business in Kirkwall. Questioning her she revealed she was selling out districts and contracts to anyone who wanted to start their own business that were surprisingly (though possibly false) clear and safe. Though she did say it was a meager lot and even skipped out his dues.
Understandingly so there was a code of privacy she said, something about not revealing their contracts locations, may have something to do with the apparent guard-captain but after Reks inquired of her own payment being skipped, she sung like a bird. She told them he left in an abrupt hurry and suggested if he was smart enough he would've taken Smuggler's Cut as an escape route to evade the guards. According to her it empties a cave just outside of the city, an ideal escape route.
She also kindly asked them to deliver a message to him, "Don't come back".
From what they understand, coming back may not even be an option for Javaris by this point.
'Smuggler's Cut is nearby, just need to cut a corner and we're there', Anders said leading the large party in the slums. 'How'd you know?', Hawke asked. 'What you think the only patients I heal are refuges? Had to patch up a few just so they'd steer clear from the hospice', he said. As they were led to the location, something seemingly bothered the mage as he relayed the information he gathered.
This whole hasty escape, the clumsy attempts to sell his districts and contracts and now skipping on payments seemed far too unorganized for him. If he had the formula and is still under the trick that it is the formulas he tried to get years ago, then he would have no problem producing it and paying his employees. Did he know it was a fake and was trying to get away from the angry costumers who angrily wanted a refund?
Just before he could get any further in his theory, a voice called out for Aveline. Turning behind her she saw a guardsman approaching her with some blood on his armour. 'Captain, we have a situation!', he said while panting. 'What happened, and whose your partner?', she asked. He gave her a quick salute and reported. 'Guardsman Donnic Captain, we were patrolling Lowtown until we spotted a disturbance. A brawl at first but it, it started to get more aggressive as if they were wild beasts!'.
At this the group's eyes widened with shock, had Javaris sold this already? 'I-Its getting worse Captain, more started to growl and get even fiercer, some even drew a knife on us!', he explained. 'Shit, head back to the barracks and grab anyone free and head there, I'll meet up with Donnic', she ordered. Nodding the guard sprinted off to the keep. 'I need to try and contain this, if this gets worse we could have Lowtown up in flames', she stressed.
'So he did sell it, then when he figured out he was duped he turns tail and runs', Anders said. 'And now Kirkwall is paying for it'. 'Alright, split into groups. My group will catch Javaris and get some answers, Aveline take whoever you need and see what you can do about the fight', Hawke instructed. With the groups set, Hawke's gang headed into the passage ways to catch the idiot dwarf and Aveline's to Lowtown.
Lowtown
Just as the guard said, the fighting had seeming sprawled into further madness as Aveline's group climbed the flight of stairs out of Darktown and could hear the wilds screams of violence and anger from a mile away. They reached where the fighting was coming from by following the sounds and stumbled upon Donnic, wrestling a single elf to the wall and disarming him.
'Sir you're testing my patience! Any further resistance and I swear to the Maker I will knee cap you!', he warned as he kicked the knife aside while struggling to hold the elf as he roared and yelled profanities. The elf managed to elbow him in the face, forcing him to stumble backwards as he clutched his nose with the blood seeping through his armoured hands. The elf snarled at him as he went for the knife.
Only to turn and see a metaled fist in his face, sending him crashing into the wall and collapse on the ground. Donnic saw Aveline look at the now broken nosed elf and with her fist bloody, she turned to him with a concerned look. 'Captain', he greeted with a groan as he rubbed his possibly broken nose. 'Donnic, what's going?', she asked as Fenris and Isabela begun to bound the offend up by an empty merchants stall.
'I don't rightly know Captain, it's as if everyone had just gone berserk and started attacking each other', he explained as the others joined. 'How bad are you?', she asked. 'A few bruises and a broken nose Captain, but nothing I can't handle', he assured. She shook her head. 'Better safe than sorry, Anders see if you can patch him up, we'll go do what we can to contain the fighting', she said. 'Right, we'll join up soon', the mage said as he begun to chant the spell.
'Mind yourselves Captain', he warned as Anders begun to heal up his broken nose.
They descended down the steps that led to the infighting, several elves and humans were brawling mostly, elves pounding the humans with their hands and some with rocks while the humans, especially the larger built ones, were pummelling the elves within the inch of their lives, some of which were either severely wounded or worse.
'Yeesh the Hanged Man brawls were pretty tamed in comparison to this!', Isabela commented as she watched one human toss an elf over them after they ducked. 'Is this the formula doing this or some VERY strong booze?', Reks asked. 'I don't know but at this point I don't care! We need to stop this before it spreads!', Aveline ordered.
Quickly Reks and Fenris had begun to pull the humans away from the elves, with the occasional punch and kick to the faces and groins while Isabela and Aveline attempted to pull the elves aside. Despite the four's efforts, several of both sides refused to be contained and attacked them, one managed to pounce on Reks and attempted to scratch his eyes out. Reks fought back as he swatted the wild woman's hands away from his face, grabbing her wrists. Upon staring at her, he saw her eyes were coated with blind rage, blood shot eyes while foam was slowly escaping her lips, several like crack lines around her face as if she was crumbling.
Fenris managed to toss her off his fellow elf, delivering a punch to the mad woman and rendering her unconscious. 'As if I don't have enough scars on my face', he groaned as he rubbed his scratched cheek. Fenris rolled his eyes as he grabbed a human's fist and elbowed him in the jaw. 'This is starting to test my patience', he seethed. 'Do we have to keep them alive?'.
'YES! They're not doing this out of their will!', Aveline shouted as she punched another human out cold. 'You clearly haven't been to the Hanged Man in the past week!', Isabela teased she kneed one in the his groin and kicked him aside.
As Aveline tossed one more over her shoulder and onto his back, she started to cough. Suddenly the air became harsh, as if she was inhaling dust that was scratching her throat. She coughed heavily, clutching her throat as she hacked. Stumbling backwards, she tripped over herself as her breathing became difficult, the air tearing in her throat like swallowing rocks.
'Aveline!', called a voice, but all she could hear was her own heartbeat growing louder and louder, free hand clenching as her anger, her rage build. Teeth grinding, eyes burning and temper rising. Her vision of the grey sky was blocked by Isabela, now in full view. Amber eyes touched with concern as Aveline saw her lips mouth yet no sound could be heard, all she could hear was rage.
Suddenly, Aveline lunged forward with a roar and grabbed Isabela's neck, catching her off guard as she pinned her to the ground, metal hands clenched around her dark skinned neck. She saw her eyes widened with shock and terror as her own hands grabbed Aveline's in an attempt to break free but her size and weaker hands compared to the Guard-Captain's as she started kicking her legs in protest.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" she screamed in her mind as the pirate's mouth slowed as her eyes slowly looked upwards in her head…
Outside Kirkwall
Hawke and the company had navigated through the underground escape route following the map Varric had based around this. They met with several members of Javaris' guards, hired swords mostly given the record of the dwarf and based on their lacking in any fighting skill, cheap ones too.
Some things never change…
Eventually they managed to find the exit and like the Coterie lass had said, it was outside the city and just a mile away from the Wounded Coast, a perfect way to head east to the other cities. Stumbling out the cave, they caught the dwarf's camping site, several more of his hired sword were either prepping for the venture or resting up, with the leader speaking to the dwarf. Judging by the anger in his tone and the frustration on Javaris' face, Hawke had a feeling the deal was going south very quickly.
Upon exiting, several of the hired swords turned upon the group expecting their men. They called out and grabbed their weapons. 'We're under attack!', one cried out just before Hawke and co could even get a word in. Javaris' eyes widened in shock and horror at the sight of them, stumbling back and even agreeing with them as the leader gave the order to do what else?
Murder these innocent strangers!
'Oh for…Merrill?', Hawke said. Within seconds Merrill summon a vast horde of vines and roots to spring out from the ground and easily tied up and contained the sell-swords in the nature's whips. She even pinned them all to the ground, dead trees and rocks as Hawke and Varric approached the now shaken dwarf, arms raised in a weak attempt to defend himself from them.
'Calm down we're not going to hurt you…yet', Hawke warned. At this, the dwarf slowly raised his arms down as Merrill and Sebastian joined the interrogation. He suddenly went from cowardly to frustrated at the tone of Hawke. 'Granny's garter belt, you of all people…why am I not surprised she hired you?', he asked himself.
'You know what? Go ahead. Take my head to that sodding elf and get it over it', he offered. The group blinked before the men turned to Merrill. 'Merrill did you want a dwarvern head?', Hawke asked. She quickly shook her head while madly waving her hands profusely. Hawke returned to Javaris. 'What elf?', Hawke asked.
Javaris' anger subsided and was then replaced with confusion mixed with bewilderment. 'Wait…you're not tracking for her…then you're working for the qunari?', he asked. 'Yes…and we're sort've hoping you WON'T make more of the fake formula that is surprisingly worse than the one you tried to get!', Hawke stressed.
'Wait a minute, I don't have any formula from those ox heads! I've been minding my own business same as usual and then some elf out of the blue tries to kill me!', he defended. 'What elf? Was she a dalish or', Hawke inquired. 'City elf judging by your girl over there, said she stole from those ox heads and I was her cover. So I slipped her, hired a few guards and left…then you show up', he explained.
At the girl part, a faint hue of spread across the elf's cheeks while Hawke glared at the dwarf. 'Then why didn't you contact me and explain instead making yourself a prime target of the qunari?', the mage asked. 'Well…actually yes you had a point', he relented.
'If he's not the one who took the formula, then where is the elf?', Varric asked the obvious question. 'She's in Lowtown, according to her the chaos starts where its at its lowest but will soon rise up to destroy the rest of the city', Javaris explained, handing them a paper with the name and location of the section of Lowtown.
'Maybe we can put an end to this', the mage said. 'Wait, what about me?', Javaris asked as everyone headed for the cave. 'Get out of Kirkwall and stay away from qunari in the future', Hawke yelled as they entered the cave. 'And my men?'.
'Merrill drop them', he ordered. Merrill undid her spell and several of them that were above ground tied to the trees reunited with the yellowy sand with a heavy thud. '…Thanks…', Javaris said as several of the men watched in fear as the four, namely the dalish girl, left.
'…Anyone else feel less of a man now that we just had our arses handed to us by a little elf?', one asked. He gained several weak replies of "yes".
A/N: Part One!
I know this is a little shorter, but I wanna expand a bit more on this quest later on and add a bit to it, namely the consequences and outcome of the events, also wanted to put Hawke more on the spot on where he stands.
The whole gas thing always made me feel as if this was a missed chance for the party, since they had no proper way to protect themselves from the toxic and it annoyed me that they were fine. So sorry to the Isabela fans.
See you kind folks next week!