Saarebas - "The Dangerous Thing"
Chapter 25:
I'd been the first to recover. "Was that a demon?"
"It had to be. I've seen one or two mages become possessed when in the circle, but none like this. Part of your initiation into becoming a true mage is to fight off a demon during their Harrowing. It's awful to watch."
"What happens?"
"Templars come for an apprentice and takes them to a room. You're forced to either pass through the fade to face a demon, or become Tranquil and lose your powers and free will."
Sounds like how the Qunari use qamek to free those that will not be cured.
"You stand in the circle of Templars and go across the veil where a demon's been lured specifically for that reason. If you can throw them off and not give into temptation, you cross back over and get a silver lyrium ring. If you fail and the demon is inside you, or you take too long, one of the Templars cut you down, and you remain in the fade, forever."
I shuddered. "That's barbaric."
"Yes, it is."
"Why do they allow it?"
"What choice to they have? They're under the Templars control. What are they going to do, refuse? That'll get you blade every time. I guess an argument could be made that they're looking to avoid situations like the one we just encountered from happening, but it's still not right. It's why I escaped."
"What do we do now?"
Duncan leaned down to pick up the bag of gold. It contained many coins and drooped with their weight. His shoulders slumped in the attitude of a defeated man. "We're stuck. We have to do this or die, though we'll likely die in the process. Templars are touchy bastards under the best of circumstances. Use magic on them and they go berserk."
"Can we reason with them?"
His laugh was the kind men let out after a chairs been pulled out from someone else. "Nope. Doubt we'll be able to break the girl out without bloodshed either. This time, it's kill or be killed, and we can't be seen by anyone else, or we'll have men after us before you know it. Maker take us, its impossible!"
"But I don't want to kill, not unless we absolutely have to."
"Trust me, Rebas, we will. There's no reasoning with Templars over magic. They're fanatics against it. You don't just walk up to them and try to reason with them. This isn't the Qun!"
Mores the pity.
Agreed.
I looked over at the Taarbas, asking with my eyes if this was one of them. The Dwarf held out is hand and inspected the blade from all angles.
"Fine piece of work, isn't she?"
"Yes, it's excellent craftsmanship." said the Taarbas, Pint. "I can see the hands of a real master in it, where's it from?"
The man smiled, his big brawny arms covered in old healed burns. "Made it myself. I may not look it, but I have some skills in me."
Pint looked over at me, "Yes, just as a woman holds a needle, this man holds a hammer. Right Poker?"
Pint was using my spy name, a totally unoriginal one and assigned to me for my horns. I was playing the role of body-guard to a wealthy dwarf merchant. More importantly, he was using the code to indicate that this was the weapon of a fallen Qunari soldier. The soul of a warrior was in this blade, and the man claimed to take credit for it. It made me sick.
"Too right you are, sir."
We were alone, and the man's two apprentices were working the bellows in the back. Now or never. My blade was out and in his neck before he could even widen his eyes. He drew in breath and tried for a cry, but I knew what I was doing and had cut him in such a way that let him die in silence. Pint laid the blade back o the counter with caution and reverence.
I hooked my thumb over my shoulder. "What about them back there, do we take them to a Vidathiss for re-education?"
He thought about that, his eyes remaining on the blade. "Let's give them a choice. The encampment isn't too far from here. We could do it, but only if they want it."
I nodded. "Good, then we can search the place more thoroughly. Where there's one, there might be more."
"Too right you are, Nimble."
He parroted my last words to the blacksmith, his meaning clear. We both knew the man was not fit to be Qunari. Anyone who profited from knowingly selling the souls of our people could never truly be part of the Qun.
"Athloks, let's make better use of the Viddath-bas. They're here to work."
Some students seemed unsure of themselves, wary of the newcomers. She could kind of see their point. They'd been captured mages, too dangerous to be chained and called Saarebas. She would have to talk to a Tamassran about doing a re-education of the group, herself included. She could not let her feelings affect her role.
"Athlok Mayflower, Ma'am?"
One of the new recruits called her over.
"Yes, what can I do to assist?"
"How do we give the Viddath-bas orders?"
"You need to show them where to work."
The girl stopped. "Does... does that require me to touch them?"
A bad sign.
"What is your name, Athlok?"
"Well, my number is 228311. I really don't have a nickname other than the one I gave myself."
"And that is?"
"Mouse, Ma'am."
"Well, Athlok Mouse, follow me. I feel you require immediate re-education. This is nothing to be ashamed of, but we cannot treat members of the Qun differently based upon our own prejudices. Come with me."
The poor girl looked down, her eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed. "Y-yes Ma'am."
"The rest of you, continue what you are doing. I will speak to the Tamassran about doing a re-education for all of us. If we are to be successful in our roles, we must learn to accept the Viddath-bas without fear. They will not hurt us and deserve our respect."
The class made agreeing sounds back to her in chorus. She led the girl, Mouse, to Tamassran Red/Green.
Again, here was the elf, Athlok Mayflower. This time it appeared she was not here to talk about magic, but for an actual reason. She'd brought a small child with her. "Yes, what can I do for you."
"Tamassran Red/Green, this is Athlok Mouse. She is showing difficulty adjusting around the Viddath-bas. I feel immediate re-education would be beneficial. I would also like to talk to you afterward."
She nodded, shuffling papers to the side. "Of course. I will speak to one of my fellow Tamassrans about Mouse, so we can talk. I've been meaning to anyway."
She sent for someone and the small girl was led away, tears of shame streaming down her face. It would be fine. She would learn in due time, just like everyone else. Speaking of learning...
"Athlok Mayflower, please have a seat."
The woman did so.
"Now, what did you want to see me about?"
She'd expected more of the same, but was surprised. "I'm asking for re-education of myself and the other Athloks in my class. They are not working well with the Viddath-bas. I brought Mouse here now because it was clear she could not continue in her role until immediate action was taken."
"I'm glad to hear you say that, Mayflower, as I feel you do require it about mages as a whole. We will begin this as soon as arrangements can be made for your students."
The other woman nodded, she had to have seen this coming. Ever since her Saarebas student never returned, she'd been showing signs of empathy towards mages; and while it was true that they were sick with an illness that cannot be cured, they cannot be allowed to move about unchecked. Worse, the woman was hinting that magic might not be bad. It went against all of their teachings and couldn't be permitted.
"I understand, Tamassran. Will you conduct it yourself?"
"No, it will be handled by someone else."
And the other woman too was led away, leaving Red/Green all to herself. Mayflower's Saarebas student had been her student as well, a fact she could never seem to escape, like she had. Her face darkened. She'd probably gone back to calling herself "he" now that she had no role in the Qun.
Red/Green looked down at her own ill-fitting robes and sighed. She too would need re-education as it seemed she was feeling discomfort in her given role.