THE ADVENTURES OF ANDRASTE THE DRAGON
A/n: now before you grumble about the last chapter let me make a few things clear ok?
First off I wanted to tell another part of this story…sort of another side to it a what happens side. You've already seen tidbits of it with the Archdemons and what happened to Longfang and the others so I wanted to tell what happened to Longfang.
Well anyways on with the main plot shall we?
Chapter 28: Lost Mages
When I finished changing Merrill's bandages it was around the time the young elf started to awaken.
"What happened?" was all she muttered and then when she opened her eyes towards me the scream that came from it was all I heard.
"Whoa Merrill chill Andraste is not going to hurt you," Varric said to her as he hobbled to her side.
"Andraste?" she said looking up at me.
"Yep that is my name so don't wear it out," I said
The shot of pain that went through her was all she felt until I gently laid a claw behind her. I then checked her bandages to find that she did not damage them. Satisfied I laid her back down to rest.
"Where is Hawke and Anders?" she asked Varric
"I don't know Merrill but I will find them I swear it as soon as I am healed," he said
"That won't be necessary," said a voice and I turned to see to my surprise Flemeth.
"Flemeth?" I said
"Ashadeleron what are you doing here?" Merrill asked
"I am here to see your healer; it requires her expertise," she said and I moved away from both of them to have them catch up in private.
I walked away from them careful of my tail as Flemeth led me to an unoccupied area where we could speak in peace.
"What do you want Flemeth?" I asked her
"It is Morrigan," she said
This piqued my interest, "What about her? I though you said her time is soon?"
"It may appear that her time has finally come, we need to get her to Sundermount in the Free Marches to an area known as the bone pits. She must shed her human form or she will die," Flemeth said
"How do you know?" I asked
"I have undergone the same transformation, I have lived for centuries because I am part dragon and Morrigan is the same. Her sisters never survived because they could not deal with the fact that they are not human. They are mages all of them but they did not understand the true power of dragon magic. If Morrigan does not go in three moons times she will die in agony," Flemeth said and I was horrified.
I turned my head to find that Morrigan is indeed well away from everyone and hiding from others. Because dragons can see in the dark I was able to tell that she was looking at her arm.
"We need to go then," I said to her
"Yes immediately for time is running out," Flemeth said
"What will you do?" I asked
I will run ahead to make preparations while you get Morrigan there. If you have to bring your friends for I think they maybe of use to us," she said as she departed.
"Ok," I said turning around to look at the new patients.
They both were conversing animatedly about what to do when I lifted my head up to look for my Warden friends. I spotted them not far conversing with Oghren the dwarf as he was trying not to drink in front of his wife and failing. Shaking my head I decided to intervene.
"HEY!" Oghren shouted as I took away his jug of ale.
"Hey to yourself you are still recovering and that drink will not help!" I said to him as I tossed it down into the lava tube.
Branka burst out laughing as she and the wardens held themselves up high. Pulling out his sword I managed to take that away from him as well before he does anymore harm.
"None of that mind you," I said
"Go sod yourself lizard," he said
Rolling my eyes I carefully pinched the back of his neck and watched as he fell.
"It is about time someone shut him up! I don't know who slipped that drink to him but they will hear it from me!" Branka said as she dragged Oghren away for a bit of scolding.
"What is it Andraste?" asked Aleria
"We have a problem," I said and explained to them what is happening to Morrigan.
"So Flemeth wants us to take her to the Free Marches?" Alistair asked
"Yes to a dragon's graveyard known as the Bone Pit the original place was corrupted long ago by Darkspawn during the first blight." I said
"Then we don't have much time," Aleria said
"I know but I don't know the way to the Free Marches," I replied to her
"We can show you the way since Kal-Sharok is to the Northwest of the Free Marches we can fly there with no problems. Flemeth should know the way to the Bone Pits right?" Aleria said to the older dragon woman.
"Of course I know the way! I had to fly over the Free Marches just to get to you! There is a deep roads exit just outside of Kirkwall we can exit from there. The Darkspawn are over Tevinter and the outer reaches but if we can exit from there then maybe we have a chance to get to the Bone Pits before it is time," Flemeth said
"How do we get there from the Deep Roads?" I asked Flemeth
"It will not be easy for that area is full of corrupted Lyrium," she said
"No," said a voice
We both turned to find both Merrill and Varric there looking worse for wear.
"What do you mean no?" asked Flemeth
"You can't go there Ashadeleron it is too dangerous! We have already lost too much getting here from that wretched place! It is crawling with angry spirits and the dark Lyrium there is enough to destroy all of us," Merrill said.
"Now what is corrupted Lyrium?" I asked curious
"It is Lyrium that has been corrupted by the Tevinter mages when the main crystal was blackened by their magic. It is veins that feed from the dark crystal towards the rest of Thedas," Flemeth explained
"You are not going there it is far too dangerous! I have lost my brother there and I will not lose anymore friends," said Varric.
"What happened to your brother?" I asked now my curiosity is spiked even more.
"We went there on an expedition with our lost friends Hawke and Anders to find any treasures in the lost Thaigs, instead we found an idol of corrupted Lyrium and it drove my brother to madness. I was forced to kill him because of the voices trapped in the Lyrium driving him insane to the point of cannibalism." He said looking sad.
"You mentioned this Hawke and Anders again are you that worried for them?" I asked
"Hawke? As in Roslyn Hawke the Champion of Kirkwall?" said Leliana as she ran up to us with loose bandages in her arms.
"The fresh ones are there," I pointed to the crate of fresh bandages.
She ran off to get more and handed them off to another chantry sister. The sister grateful for the gift ran to help others.
"Yes the same," said Varric
"Who is she?" I asked they keep talking as if I am nothing more then a child.
"Roslyn became champion by defeating an Arishok in Kirkwall single handedly," said Leliana
"I have heard of this Hawke she is an honorable warrior; for a mage, and shows respect for those who follow the Qun," Sten said from where he was helping a fellow Qunnari.
"I see," I said
"So is she anywhere near where we are going?" I asked
"That is the last place we saw her. We had gotten separated at Sundermount a mountain not far from the Bone Pits. The Darkspawn are near Kirkwall but from what I heard they have not breached its walls yet," Merrill said to Flemeth.
"Then we shall leave at once! Gather you party we leave when the sun is up," she said before walking away towards Morrigan.
I watched as mother and daughter comforted each other with Flemeth hissing to her in dragon's tongue. Weariness started to get to me as I too laid down on the ground near my patients.
"What are you doing?" Merrill asked
"Sleeping I have not slept in days so get used to it," I said to her.
I laid my head down to rest my mind going blank for the first time in days.
MERRILL'S POINT OF VIEW
As I watched the dragon fall asleep I could not help but wonder what was going through her head right now. Here I am speaking to a dragon that obviously is skilled at healing and yet tired from all the work that must go into healing.
I looked down at my broken arm far too broken for magic to heal and the wounds that cover me. If I were to use healing magic then the taint of the Darkspawn would have killed me.
And yet this dragon has done something that no other mage or healer could do.
She cured me of the taint without making me a Grey Warden!
"How do you know this dragon can help us?" I asked Varric my only other companion.
"This dragon has helped us when we obviously were going to die so why not?" Varric asked
"Surely you know there is a catch," I replied
"As long as we find Hawke and Anders that is fine with me. Isabella, and Fenris are well out to sea with the treasure and Carver and Avaline are waiting for us back in Kirkwall. We have to find Hawke and Anders it is the only way and if I am wrong about this whole thing then we are in some deep shit," Varric said
"I know that but look at us; barely surviving down here in this city while the Darkspawn and those blasted Templars of Meredith's are out to kill us!" I said
"Meredith is dead! It is the Imperium we are hiding from not Meredith; Merrill," Varric corrected me.
I looked down ashamed as I gazed towards the dragon Andraste sleeping soundly near us probably to shield us from those zealots out to kill me for my blood magic. Or the nearby elves who want to kill me because I killed pretty much my whole clan. Sighing to myself I crossed my good arm over my breast and sobbed myself back to sleep.
BACK TO FIRST POINT OF VIEW
I awoke to find the two strangers sleeping soundly next to each other on separate cots. Yawning I went to check on Merrill's bandages before moving on to Varric's. Once done I went down to get something to eat from the thaig that I passed on the way here. Once my stomach and my thirst satisfied I relieved myself in the main lava pit before helping myself to the first patients of the day.
It turns out that my patient is none other then Morrigan as she rolled up her sleeves to show me her newly scaly skin.
Then last nights conversation with Flemeth came to mind.
"Morrigan?" I said to her
"I know what you are going to say and as much as I hate to admit it mother is right," she said with a sigh
"So you are agreeing to this?" I asked
"Yes as much as it pains me and as long as I get this scaly skin to go away," Morrigan replied
"Well did she tell you what it inquires?" I asked
"That I be a dragon for a few weeks you mean?" she asked
"Yeah," was my reply.
"Well I am a bit nervous, after all admitting to you of all creatures is kind of a pain. Bad enough mother caught me talking to that dog of Aleria's," Morrigan began to laugh
"You should see the things I get from Loki I think he wants me to marry him or something," she joked
I started laughing for Loki would do that to me sometimes too.
I rose up on my feet careful not to wake Varric and Merrill as I walked towards Leliana. She was eating breakfast with some dwarves and sharing some things form the Chant of Light. When she saw me she ran to me and Morrigan she looked exhausted.
"There are many more people out there that are grievously injured and I don't know if we can help them all. From what I heard from these dwarves more are pouring in from the gates," Leliana said
"All of them from the blight?" I said
"Yes, and from what I overheard from Flemeth things are not looking so well. We are running out of staff and supplies something needs to be done soon.
"We need to get these people to Kirkwall in the Free Marches they are one of the last cities still standing from what I know," said Leliana
"That would be difficult considering what I have to do for Morrigan's mother," I said
"I know we have to deal with Morrigan first," Leliana replied
"Hey! Morrigan is standing right here you know," Morrigan shot back.
"Where do we have to go anyways?" Leliana asked
"A place called 'The Bone Pit,'" I replied
"We know where that is," said a voice and I turned to find Merrill and Varric finally awake.
"You do?" I asked
"Yes, it is in the Free Marches not far from Kirkwall. If we go there then we might find Hawke and Anders." Varric said
"How will we get supplies out then eh?" Morrigan asked
"Well all I know is that we leave with two dragons we come back with three fair deal?" I said to Morrigan.
She gave me a glare.
"Alright then we should get moving rally up the Wardens and load me up," I said
A FEW HOURS LATER
I have no idea what time it is and frankly I don't care as I was loaded up like a pack horse and everyone got onto me and Flemeth. The other woman assumed her dragon form as we both waited for the dwarves to open the doors fully to let us out. As soon as the doors to Kal-Sharok opened we were off. Pumping our wings we took flight out into the open sky at last. I was so glad to get out of that stuffy underground city that it drove me insane. Varric and Merrill were on my back along with the wardens while the others rode on Flemeth. The reason for me having less is because I have all the supplies along with some of the things Flemeth asked for to perform the ritual.
We headed southwards away from Tevinter where we heard most of the Darkspawn activity is taking place. The skies felt right but the dark clouds to the north was not a welcoming sight. The winds were at our faces as we traveled over more mountainous terrain into what they call the 'Silent Plain.' We traveled just south of it over the mountains near the Nevarra/Orlaris boarder and ever east. Because dragons can fly we are well out of range of any arrows the Darkspawn can throw at us. I think the others enjoy riding on dragons as they can travel farther with less time. The jetstream here is vastly different as we flew onwards.
Below us already we could see where the blight has destroyed many lives and making the land nothing but barren wastes. Everywhere we looked there was nothing but devastation not even the clouds in the sky can provide comfort as the others looked below.
As we looked towards the south the Waking sea started to come into view.
"Head East now the Bone Pits are near for we are close to the Wounded Coast," shouted Varric.
Nodding that I got the message I angled myself to follow the coast along with Flemeth. The other dragon kept up with me because I have the greater wing spread. I could tell however that she lacks the endurance that I had endured in the deep roads.
"You know we can stop to rest if you like?" I said to her after all we have been traveling for hours and covered more ground then what we could do on foot.
"I am not as young as I used to be I can give you that," Flemeth said as she stooped her wings to land
I followed suit and circled around a good spot for us to make camp along the Wounded Coast. As we neared land we saw a ship anchored just outside a hidden cave.
"I know that ship!" said Varric and both myself and Flemeth landed just outside the cove.
I could tell the older dragon was tired she was huffing and puffing while Morrigan offered her some comfort. At least there was a spring of fresh water to quench our thirst. I let Flemeth take her fill while I watched the boat. No one on our backs was willing to get off in case we need to make a clean get away.
Varric had a telescope on him as he took noticed of the ship.
"Well," I said
"Yep, that's Isabella's ship alright and I bet Fenris is still with her," Varric said.
"Something's wrong though," said Merrill and Varric also looked towards the shore.
It was there that I also looked and having keen eyesight I was able to zoom in and saw my heart sank.
"Pirates!" I hissed
"Isabella's the pirate those assholes are bandits," said Varric
Sure enough we spotted several people caged along with a lot of stuff on the ship. They were surrounded by several mages and a few mercenaries. I described them to the others what I can see and from their reactions it is not good.
"Tevinter slavers!" said Leliana
"Slavers? As in guys who catch slaves?" I said to her
"Yes, only in Tevinter do they allow slaves because the Imperium still cling to their old traditions. Elves and non human races are all considered slaves," Leliana said
"The only ones who ever had elevation there are mages and those mages are corrupted beyond measure. After nearly a thousand years or so they are still set in their ways," Wynne said with some disgust.
"I can see now why the mages here prefer their circles," I replied lightly.
"We need to get them out," said Merrill
"Allow me," Flemeth said as she resumed her human form.
"These friends of yours mean that much to you dwarf?" she asked
"Yes, they helped us out when we escaped form Kirkwall," Varric replied.
Nodding Flemeth began to chant a spell waving her hands in a pattern that no one has ever seen before. Already I saw the sea began to respond to her call as the waves grew rough and began to pound the shore where the two are caged.
It was as if mother nature decided to take Flemeth's side as the sea turned into a tsunami. It began to recede out the way it came and then came crashing into the shore taking everyone with it along with their friends.
While the slavers were distracted I flew over the area and plucked the cages along with their drowning cargo towards the shore. When I landed again a very soaked and pale woman was in my claws along with her elven friend. Checking them over while I freed them from the cage I was surprised to see that the elf reacted poorly to the mages.
That is until he saw Merrill.
"Merrill? Varric? What in Maker's name are you two doing back here? I though you escaped with Hawke and Anders away from here?" he said hugging both the elf and the dwarf.
If he were still slightly sane he would not do that I could tell. But I think after spending time in a cage for so long freedom and the sight of your friends brings overwhelming relief.
Speaking of friends…I miss mine.
But I will not dwell on that for I have things to do and a mission to complete.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Morrigan asked baffled that Flemeth could do that.
The response she gotten was Flemeth collapsing right there onto the sand.
"MOTHER!" she shouted and rushed to her side.
I immediately gathered her up into my claws and gently checked her over. Sighing with relief I made a comfortable bed of sand before placing her down in it. She also resumed her dragon form at this time as well.
"What is wrong with her?" Morrigan asked worried
"She is fine; just exhausted," I replied to them.
Morrigan gave an obvious sign of relief as she knelt by the dragon's side.
"Why did you do it mother," she said as I gently used a barrel I found floating in the water to give her some fresh water.
The two we pulled out of the cage now that they gotten their bearings are now startled at the sight of a talking dragon and crew. Flemeth looked worse for wear as she slept.
"We should make camp here until Flemeth is fully recovered in the mean time Zevran and I will go scout the area to make sure all the slavers are dead," he said getting up.
"I will go with you," said Varric as he undid his own weapon.
I was now baffled at the strangely built crossbow. It reminded me more of an automatic rifle so I kept it at that. He cocked it and both Alistair and he disappeared in one direction while Aleria and Shale went in another. The others spread out while I remained behind with Flemeth and the two recently rescued occupants.
"Those tattoos?" I asked the elf Fenris
"They were forced on me by my former master," he said looking at me strangely as I examined them.
"Pure stupidity might I add," I said and handed him a cup of coffee mixed with lime and iodine to help with the obviously radiation burning.
"What is in this stuff? It stopped the pain from spreading?" Fenris asked
"Coffee mixed with lime and iodine to help with the pain and the iodine stops the Lyrium from damaging your body further," I added.
Startled he could only stare wonder that a dragon of all creatures could come up with some medicine. The other named Isabella was nursing her broken leg that I managed to splint for her. It was kind of awkward for a dragon to do so but practice with werewolves helped. I managed to get them to a point where they are able to help out but rest was what they need the most and food and lucky for me I managed to bring some.
The seaweed I brought up I recognized from the coast of Ferelden by the edge of the Brecilian Forest on the southern side. I used it as a means to build calcium and gave both some of it dried.
It took a few more hours till the others returned and when they did Alistair and Zevran returned with a nice size boar to feast on. I've already eaten and Flemeth still has not woken. Her steady breathing was all I use to tell that she is merely sleeping and not in a coma. Morrigan seemed to get worse though her skin took on a more scaly appearance each day and claws began to form on her hands making it harder for her to cast spells. I sympathize with her about her transformation and she seemed reluctant to have anyone for company.
"How did you come into the company of dragons in the first place Varric?" said Isabella as she ate her meal of fish stew from the smell of it.
"They found us actually and in a way I'm glad. Andraste there is a fine healer and if it wasn't for her Merrill would have died from blight sickness," he said
"You've a cure for blight sickness? The Tevinters have never found a cure except to become a grey warden and even that is deadly," Fenris said
"Well it was not easy and it took months of painstaking work to do it too. I also had help from a blood mage in a tower near Highever where my friend Aleria is from." I replied as she ate.
"Well if I was back at the Hanged Man drinking a bit a ale and telling everyone how a met a dragon that could speak they would have said I drank too much," Isabella replied.
"Well when we are done here where would you go?" I asked them
"We were searching for any signs of Hawke and Anders hoping to find them before the rebel slavers do." Was the reply
"Slavers?" said Aleria as she and Alistair sat down near us.
"Yes, we just past by the town of Demon's Claw when we heard about the recent go about of Hawke and Anders. From what we gathered they were sticking to the coast for a time, but something disturbs me," she said
"What?" asked Alistair
"Well from what I gathered Hawke has been looking rather sick. In fact she was throwing up quite a bit and so she and Anders stopped there. He managed to steal some supplies from some traders before disappearing again into the hills." Isabella stopped talking to eat some more of the stew.
Now my mind started to piece together the clues from what both Varric and now Isabella told me.
"Tell me Isabella is it? Do you know what else the villagers said?" I asked
"Well so far as I know Anders won't let anyone near Hawke and they ran at the sign of the slavers." She said
The sounds of something stirring had picked my attention away from the group and I quickly made my way over to Flemeth. She slowly rose from where she was sleeping feeling rather weak. I laid a kill of fish stuffed with some herbs at her feet.
"Eat that and gain back your strength," I said to the older dragon.
Not saying a word she began to eat rather ravenously of the few kills I managed to bring to her. When she was done she drank from the nearby river mouth. Weary and tired I could clearly tell her age as she was slow to recover.
It was not till a few hours later that we were able to move again; Flemeth had to digest her meal and clean herself before we were able to fly again. The two we rescued by luck did not have trouble rescuing their ship and said our goodbyes. They decided to leave us in order to find their lost friends along the coast better. Taking wing again we flew further east towards the Bone pits. Who would have thought that the bone pits would be the place where we would find our lost mages.
TBC
