Hello everyone. Thanks again for sticking with me for this long, and for your patience in waiting for updates. I know that the opening for this chapter is kind of rough, and honestly I really don't like this first scene between Eebon and Leliana, but after days of trying to come up with something better and coming up dry, I just went with it. If anyone has any suggestions, don't hesitate to give them. Enjoy Chapter 36 - Reaver Madness!

Eebon walked with Leliana at the back of the group as they all made their way up the side of the mountain towards the temple that Genitivi assured them was near the top. Leliana still wouldn't meet his eyes. She hadn't spoken to him since the slaughter at Haven the previous day, and Eebon had no illusions as to why that might be. Leliana had been the only one to try and stop him before his charge, and Eebon had seen the way she looked at him afterwards, and how she wept for the fanatics he had slain, and Eebon didn't blame her.

"Do you hate me?" Eebon asked suddenly.

"What?" Leliana said, "Oh… sorry. I must have been lost in my own thoughts. What did you ask me if I hate?"

"Me." Eebon answered. "Do you hate me?"

Leliana slowed her pace, and looked at Eebon, although she still wouldn't look him in the eyes. "No, of course not. Why do you think that?"

Eebon shrugged. "It seemed a pretty logical explanation to me, especially after what happened yesterday, and then there's the fact that you haven't spoken to me since then… and that you still won't look me in the eye."

"I've been… thinking." Leliana answered. "About what happened back at the village. At first I… well… you probably don't want to know what I thought at first, but later. I started to realize that I was wrong. I didn't realize it until after Roaran and Kylae had brought Genitivi back, and he told us about the torture he had been forced to endure, and how the villagers had killed so many of Redcliffe's knights."

"I didn't enjoy it any more than you did." Eebon assured her. "But what I did had to be done, and I might be wrong about this, but I think that I was the only one capable of doing it. Everyone else would have hesitated for too long, or would have refused to do what was necessary."

"That's what I've been thinking about." Leliana said. "Up until then, I would never have thought you were capable of something like that. I'm not saying that what you did was the wrong thing to do, but… it was still horrible! Those people had never harmed us. We had been allowed inside their village to buy supplies on good faith, and it was only after we had intruded on their homes that they attacked us. And… the way you cut through them… with such a cold indifference."

Eebon was quiet. What Leliana had said was true, and he knew it as well as she did. He was a warrior, and he would always do what was necessary, even if it meant slaughtering half a village. He did not regret his actions in Haven, not for a single moment, although he did wish that there had been another way.

"And so I have been thinking…" Leliana continued, "About us… and if… if maybe we never had been meant to be together." Leliana saw Eebon's brow furrow, but his eyes reflected the pain at hearing her statement. Leliana quickly said, "I'm not saying that I don't care for you anymore, because I could never stop caring for you. But maybe I was wrong… maybe we were wrong, about our feelings for each other. I hadn't thought that you could do something like that, and so it makes me question how well I truly knew you."

Eebon was silent for a few more steps before he grunted and answered. "You've known all along what I am. I am a warrior, and a berserker. I hold my duty above all else, I have made no secret of any of this since the day we met. And you just said that what I did was not the wrong thing to do, and now all of a sudden you act like you don't know me anymore?"

"I am sorry Eebon, but I need time to—"

"Time to what?!" Eebon interrupted. "Time to decide whether I'm a cold-hearted killer or not? Time to decide if I'm a heathen or not?" Eebon noticed that everyone was now looking at himself and Leliana, but he didn't care. "Leliana, I have lost so much! And you have been the one who has given me hope that I am not completely lost myself. So with that in mind… what do you need to think about?"

"I need to think about you! And about me!" Leliana said, her own voice rising, but not in anger. "I… I'm sorry Eebon. Please don't-"

Eebon interrupted again, "Don't worry. I won't." He said, and he didn't sound angry anymore. His voice just sounded cold. Eebon pushed his way to the front of the group and took the lead. Endrin was the only one who was brave enough to come near him.

"I'm sorry." Endrin said.

Eebon grunted.

"Are you going to be alright? I hate to ask you this right now, but… will this be a problem for you?"

"No." Eebon's icy voice said. "Our mission is all I have left now. I guess I was wrong to think that I could have more than that." Eebon sighed before saying. "In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death, sacrifice." He looked down at Endrin. "I'll be alright. If you pity anyone, pity the poor souls who stand between me and our goal."

"Ma serannas, Eebon." Endrin said softly. "I might be the leader, but you're the one who really holds us together."

"Thank you, Endrin… ma lethallan."

Endrin smiled at hearing him speak Elvish. "And Eebon?"

"Yes?" He asked, looking down at her again.

"Don't let what Leliana said get to you. You were right, and you did the right thing in Haven. And thank you for that, you were right about sparing us from having to do it."

"I'm a warrior." Eebon grunted in a low voice. "I fight, I kill, and then I do it again. Duty must always come first. My father and Duncan taught me that."

Genitivi muttered under his breath as he twisted the medallion this way and that until its shape had completely changed and it no longer even resembled the medallion that Kylae had brought back. When he was finally finished he inserted it into the 'keyhole' and turned it. There was a soft cracking sound and the doors slowly swung open. The group stepped inside, and the two dwarves instantly felt at home once more, Endrin cringed.

"This isn't a temple…" Endrin muttered, "It's a cave!" Endrin started to move backwards without realizing it.

"Endrin," Alistair said, "What's wrong?"

Endrin swallowed, and stared through the open doorway into the temple as she continued backwards. "I can't go in there. I'm not going underground again!"

"Endrin!" Alistair said. "Wait, just wait… Just stop and look, this isn't a cave, not really. Look," He pointed, "There are windows cut into the walls, you can see sunlight coming through the roof as well."

"Windows…" Endrin said in a quiet voice, like she was talking to herself. "Sunlight… N-not a… not a c-cave. Good. N-not Deep Roads. Good." Endrin steadied herself and took Falon'Din's Reach from her back, gripping it as hard as she could in her hand. There were no enemies visible, and no danger that any of them could see, but it felt good just be holding her weapon again. Endrin swallowed hard and took a step forward.

For the first time in a long time, Endrin prayed, 'Andruil, my goddess, give me your strength, the strength to finish the hunt. Guide my arrows. Ghilan'nain, my friend, guide my steps, like your children guide the Elvhen, let me lead my clan through this. Do not let me fall, do not let me fail. I pray to you!'

Endrin flexed her fingers around Falon'Din's Reach and gripped it hard as she could. "Alright," She said, sounding like a leader once more. "Let's go. Eebon, take the lead. Leliana, use your bow and cover our backs, I'd rather not have reapers catching us with our trousers down."

Roaran smirked, "With our trousers down…" He muttered, "I'm gonna have to use that later."

"Oh, would you look at this!" Genitivi said in an awed voice as he looked around the massive room. The ceiling rose a hundred feet or more above the smooth stone floor. The room had obviously started out as a natural cave, as was evidenced by the stalagmites that pointed down from the roof. However, sunlight also fell in from the ceiling through numerous holes, as well as through the large windows that had been carved into either side of the massive room. In the middle of the cavern burned a large bonfire that currently looked abandoned, and on the far side of the fire rose a set of perfect carved stairs, a passageway leading deeper into the mountain at the top of the stairs. Genitivi continued, "What I would have given to see this temple in all its glory! But… still, the beauty and artistry is still apparent…" From there his voice dropped into a series of indistinct muttering.

"Hey." Endrin said to the chantry-man, and received no response. "Hey!" Endrin said louder, and this time Genitivi stopped in his muttering and turned to look at her. "Try not to let your mind wander, Brother Genitivi. For all we know there are an army of reapers in here, and that bonfire has been tended to pretty recently."

"Oh yes… right, right." Genitivi said. "I'm sorry it's just that I really can't believe that I'm standing here. This has been my life's work you could say."

Endrin had to fight to keep from rolling her eyes. "Yes, well, we need to be moving along, and you can barely walk without help. Not to mention I somehow get the impression that you can't fight very well."

"Right on all counts." Genitivi said, still sounding somewhat distant. "I suppose it would be best if I stay here. There's so much for me to study and catalogue even here."

Endrin opened her mouth to agree, but was interrupted by a voice coming from the top of the stairs on the other side of the room.

"Interlopers!"

Endrin and the others looked up to see a man dressed in robes and obviously a mage standing at the top of the stairs. He was flanked on either side by a man wearing armored leggings, but otherwise unarmored, their bodies covered in ritual scars and tattoos, reavers. Several more warriors came to back up the mage and reavers, they looked to more 'standard' warriors judging from their armor.

The mage glared at the group of Wardens and yelled, "We know of how you slaughtered the faithful in the village below! We will not allow that trespass to go unpunished! Andraste will guide our blades as we strike you down!"

Dharr didn't need to be told to take over. "Alistair," He yelled, "You take the mage. Sten and Roaran take the reaver on the left, Eebon with me, we'll take the reaver on the right. Mages, the three of you do your best to slow or kill the other warriors. Everyone else, keep the warriors off our backs while we deal with the reavers. MOVE!"

Endrin looked towards the group of fanatics and quickly found an archer among them. Her right hand flew up over her shoulder, taking an arrow and notching it, she didn't aim as she felt the fletching touch her ear, she was a natural when it came to archery and released the arrow. Endrin watched with a certain measure of content as the arrow sailed into the archer's chest, the power from Falon'Din's Reach easily punching through the light armor he wore. Endrin's hand flew back to her quiver, and this time she selected two arrows. She had never fired two arrows simultaneously in battle before, and only attempted it a few times in practice, and had found it to be extremely difficult, but still possible. Endrin angled the arrows on her bowstring, and held her bow horizontally as she pulled the string back and released, one of the arrows took a swordsman in the chest, the second arrow hit one of the reavers deep into the shoulder, and he flinched slightly just as Sten charged in, Asala flashing through the air.

Blue sparks flew as the reaver's sword collided with Asala, and the reaver dug in his feet and heaved forward, pushing Sten backwards with his demonically enhanced strength and threw, using the brief respite to pull the arrow out of his shoulder, the reaver could feel the wound feeding him strength and power. As the reaver looked back up, he wasn't expecting a dwarf sized person to be charging him, Roaran swung his battleaxe into the reaver's side just above the waist, the reaver ignored the would-be fatal wound and savored the fresh wave of power that came with it and brought his own sword down at the dwarf, but Roaran jerked his axe up and blocked the sword. The reaver brought his sword back for another strike, and felt a second arrow hit him, this time it penetrated his neck. The reaver turned to look at the black-haired, green-eyed elf while at the same time roughly jerking the arrow out of his neck. A flash of light caught the reaver's attention and he turned to see a greatsword forged from strange looking blue steel coming at his head. Despite himself, the reaver closed his eyes and gritted his teeth against the death he knew was coming.

Kylae ducked under an axe and spun to the side, slashing the thigh of the axe-man as she did so, and the human screamed as he fell to the ground, but even as he fell he swung out with his axe at Kylae, and Kylae jumped backwards, straight into another of the zealots, and they both fell to the ground together, Kylae on top of the human. Kylae was caught completely by surprise and dropped both her daggers as they fell, but the human also dropped his own weapon as he landed and grabbed Kylae by the throat, squeezing for all he was worth. Kylae made a strangled noise and lost herself to panic for a few moments, then regained her control of herself and grabbed both his wrists, jerking his hands up and biting down as hard as she could, Kylae tasted blood and heard the man scream, then he pushed her to the side and the two began rolling back and forth over each other, punching, clawing, kicking, and biting back and forth at each other.

A tendril of fire shot out of the mage's staff and twisted through the air towards Alistair and the templar waved his shield arm, the flaming tendril vanished. The cultist mage's eyes widened in shock as his attack dissipated into nothing. Alistair began to summon his templar power once more and began to drain the magic from the mage, but as he did so he was so focused on his task that he didn't see the remaining reaver pull himself away from Dharr and Eebon and charge towards him. The reaver lashed out with his axe and struck Alistair in the stomach, punching through armor and into his flesh. The tendril of fire lashed out again, striking him in the chest and slithering across his body Alistair threshed about helplessly as he felt his skin burning away and his body being cooked inside his own armor.

Halfway across the room, Tylis saw what was happening. Both Eebon and Dharr fought for all they were worth to reach the mage, but the reaver managed to hold them off. The reaver himself had been injured enough so that he should have been dead three or four times over, but being a reaver, he was only becoming stronger and his blows where staggering both the human and dwarf. Tylis was about to engage the mage directly, when he heard Endrin start screaming a few feet away.

"ALISTAIR!" Endrin shrieked, "Alistair!" Endrin started running towards the fallen Warden, she still rapidly fired arrows as she ran, all of the missiles directed at the mage, and the mage easily changed the flame tendril into a flame wall, burning the arrows to ash before they reached him. As Endrin reached Alistair she reached out and touched his shoulder, then quickly pulled her hand away as she felt just how hot the metal was. "Alistair, no!" Endrin said as she looked down at him, she could see his hazel eyes looking back at her from charred eyelids, he tried to say something, but it only came out a raspy choking sound.

The cultist mage pushed his hands forward and the flame wall began to rapidly advance towards Endrin and Alistair. In response, Tylis swept his hands inwards and the snow and ice that had piled up around the cavern over the course of the winter formed a wall of their own between the flames and the two Grey Wardens. As the two elemental walls met, the fire melted the ice and snow and the newly formed water extinguished the fire. "My turn!" Tylis yelled and pushed his own hands forward, the water-wall shot forward and wrapped around the mage, Tylis made one of his hands into a fist and wrapped the other hand around the closed fist. The wall responded by turning into a ball of water around the mage, then Tylis opened his hands lifted them up, and the ball of water, with the now drowning mage rose into the air. But Tylis still wasn't done yet, this mage had hurt Alistair, maybe even killed him, and Alistair was a friend. Tylis pulled a hand back like he was going to throw a punch, but kept his hand open. He felt the primal magic rising inside him, and Tylis fed more and more magic into the spell he was conjuring. Tylis threw his hand forward and a lightning bolt shot out of his outstretched arm towards the trapped mage. The cavern lit up in a spectacular show of lights as the electricity flew through the ball of water and through the mage inside of it. Tylis shouted a final spell and ball of water froze into a solid block of ice, then he ceased maintaining the spell that held the mage in the air, and ice fell, shattering into thousands of pieces, and the mage along with it.

The reaver stared down at Yusaris, which had been thrust through his chest, he had the feeling that if he looked behind him he'd see the tip protruding from his back. The reaver chose to ignore the pain and the end that he knew was coming with it. He was determined that he would take one of these interlopers with him. The reaver gripped his axe in both hands and raised it above his head, then he felt the axe of that damned dwarf he'd been fighting bite into his unprotected back and his spine shattered. He looked up, and saw the face of Andraste smiling down at him, and then the face twisted into the hideously grinning face of demon. 'No!' The reaver thought as he died, 'This isn't right! I was supposed to see the Maker and Andraste! This isn't-' and then he was gone.

On the ground, Kylae still rolled and fought with the shem. He was noticeably larger and stronger than she was, but Kylae was far from some helpless, and her year long quest all over Ferelden had only toughened her beyond what the alienage already had. Both she and the shem were tiring however, and both their bodies were covered in fresh bruises and several minor cuts and scrapes from their seemingly never-ending battle, and being smashed against the stone floor with the other on top. At that moment Kylae was on top and was pummeling his face with her fists, then all of a sudden her head was swimming and she was seeing stars, and she realized that the cultist had bashed her across the head with a rock. For a few moments, Kylae lost her senses completely and blacked out, when she came-to again, the man was on top of her with his hands locked around her throat, and due to his longer reach, she couldn't get to his own face or throat, and this time he'd gripped her lower around her throat so she couldn't bite him again.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kylae saw Leliana notch an arrow, aim her bow at the cultist. Kylae waited for her to fire, but instead, Leliana suddenly slacked her bow. Kylae's eyes widened and she looked at Leliana, not understanding, the bard likewise looked back at her with… 'Curiosity? Interest? Satisfaction? Yes, that was a look of satisfaction on that damn shem's face!'

Leliana didn't even realize she'd slacked her bow until after it was done. She looked at Kylae and saw that her face was beginning to turn blue. She and Kylae had never gotten along very well, and their working relationship had worsened even more over the last few days. 'And then there's that blasted elf and Eebon!' Leliana thought. 'I remember what happened before, how she unceremoniously left him, nearly shattering his heart in the process! Not to mention that I've seen how she's trying to weasel her way back into Eebon's heart again. And why? So she can crush his heart for good this time?' Leliana sighed, and looked around, the others will still tied up with the remaining zealots. 'I could just let Kylae die… In the long run that might be the better option.' And then Leliana pushed that notion out of her head, drew her bow back once more and fired. Her arrow took the zealot in the temple, and pierced his entire head, killing him instantly. "No!" Leliana said aloud, "I am not that person anymore, and I will not go back!"

Kylae pushed the dead body off of her, and wiped his blood off of her face. Then she rose to her knees and began gently massaging her throat. Kylae fully stood up and retrieved her daggers, then she glared hatefully at Leliana, she gripped the hilts of her daggers so tightly that her knuckles cracked, and she bared her teeth in a snarl, and for moment, Leliana though that Kylae was going to attack her, but then Kylae's snarl vanished and she turned to look for another enemy, although by that time there were none left.

"Alistair!" Endrin said, and she had never felt so helpless in all her life. The only person she had ever come to love in her life was only barely clinging to life, and she couldn't even touch him out of fear she would only hurt him worse, even his armor was still too hot to touch. "Alistair!" Endrin said again, "Hang on! Just hang on!... Ma sa'lath…" Tears formed in Endrin's eyes and fell to land sizzling on Alistair's breastplate.

Alistair tried to talk again, but it was too painful, and Alistair closed his charred eyelids as tightly as he could.

Wynne approached and took charge immediately. "Endrin, stand back, give us some room to work. Tylis, cool his armor, it's still cooking him!"

Tylis muttered a spell and an icy mist fell over Alistair's prone form, bringing a loud hissing noise with it, but soon that faded away too.

"Can you heal his exterior injuries?" Wynne asked as she finished her analysis of her newest patient.

"I think so." Tylis nodded.

"Good." Wynne said, "He breathed in the flames, and healing all his injuries on the inside will be difficult enough, not to mention the axe wound in his abdomen."

Both the mages held their hands out over Alistair, and the blue-white healing light covered his fatally injured body. The healing seemed to take forever, but almost every inch of Alistair's body had been burned or injured in some way, but eventually it was all accomplished. Wynne sighed deeply and put a hand to her forehead as she staggered backwards a few paces. Tylis groaned and fell backwards, landing hard on his backside, the battle had taken a lot out of him, and straining his mediocre healing skills certainly didn't help.

Alistair's eyes opened and he gasped a breath of fresh air into his freshly healed lungs. "I'm- I'm alive!" He gasped, Alistair sucked in more air, "And breathing never felt so good!"

Endrin practically tackled Alistair, throwing both her arms around his neck. The others weren't completely sure if she was speaking Elvish again, or if it was the common speech too badly interrupted by her sobs to be understood. Most of the others either backed up or turned away out of respect.

Wynne backed away from the group. She had seen this coming, she had watched their relationship grow from a casual friendship to a close one, and then their romance had begun, although she suspected they still had not consummated it yet. Wynne had asked Endrin before what would happen if Alistair was hurt or in danger, and if she was forced to make a choice between saving him, and leading the others to safety. While the others had not exactly been in need of being led to safety, they had needed direction, they had needed a leader, and they had needed to see their leader fighting alongside them. Endrin hadn't seen it, but Wynne had seen how Kardol and Morrigan had been forced to cover her as cultists had rushed in. And judging from the looks on the faces of Eebon, and Dharr, and Kardol, and Sten, they all saw it too.

"Things just got more complicated… didn't they?" Eebon asked as he came to a stop next to Wynne, his back towards Endrin and Alistair.

"Indeed they have." Wynne answered.

"Roaran…" Kylae muttered, "Why is it that we always get saddled with the sodding-shitty jobs?"

Roaran chuckled a few steps behind her as he looked ahead into the darkness that filled the tunnel. "Maybe one of our ever-caring friends secretly have it out for us?"

"Could be." Kylae said, and sighed deeply, then hissed, her voice growing louder, "Oh, sod-it-all! This is pointless! I can't see squat in this tunnel! Why couldn't Tylis have come? He's the one with that handy-dandy, weapon glowing spell thing."

"Yeah, well… I'm the one with the stone-sense."

"How does that actually work anyway?"

Roaran shrugged and he walked past the elf to take the lead. He could hear Kylae's soft footsteps fall in behind him. "Have I mentioned before that the first Dwarva were born from stone?"

Kylae shrugged as well. "It does ring a bell."

"Dwarves have no god." Roaran said, "No Maker, no Andraste, no nothing. There is only us, and the Stone. All dwarves, even us casteless feel the bond. It's very similar to the bond of parent to child, and just like a parent, it speaks to us, and it listens too… to our souls."

"Soooo… what?" Kylae asked. "You jus' tell the Stone where you wanna go, an' it tells you?"

"Yeah, kinda." Roaran answered, "It's more of a feeling than anything else."

Kylae grunted. "Well that's more than I ever got from Andraste or the Maker."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm far from a devout Andrastian… but there's no way that I can-" Kylae tilted her head to one side and cupped a hand behind a pointed ear.

"What is-"

"Shhhhhh!" Kylae hissed, then whispered so quietly that she very nearly mouthed the words. "We are not alone. There's something in the tunnel ahead of us." There was a soft scraping sound as Kylae drew her twin dar'misu. She slowly started moving back the way they'd came. Kylae had no idea what was in front of them, she'd only vaguely heard the sounds of something brushing against the rock. Whatever it was, it was big, she could tell that much from the sound of the footfalls, and the time between the steps, which were growing steadily closer.

Roaran squinted as he looked ahead. His lifetime spent living underground paid off, and he could see further than Kylae down the natural passage. "Oh sod!" Roaran swore as quietly as he could. "Elf-Lady, we need to get back to the others, now! This suicide mission just got more suicidal."

"What is it?" Kylae asked, and before Roaran had the time to answer a deafening roar reverberated down the tunnel, and the gentle scraping sounds turned into pounding footsteps. A shape emerged out of the darkness, something that Kylae had only heard stories about while she was back in Denerim.

The drake roared again as it's black eyes glared at the intruders, and both Kylae and Roaran heard it inhale deeply as it pulled its head back. "Get down!" Roaran yelled, and flung himself to the floor, Kylae only a fraction of a second behind him, and no sooner had they hit the ground than a burst of red flame shot over their backs, so close and so hot that they could both smell the scent of burning hair. With the flaming attack over, the two Wardens rose to their feet, only to find cultists coming around the drake, and towards them. Strangely, the reptile ignored the cultists, and kept its attention focused on the elf and dwarf.

Roaran bellowed his deep, fierce warcry as he rose and swung his axe in wide arc, not necessarily trying to kill the cultists as much as he was just trying to keep them back. "Elf-Lady, go!" Roaran yelled, "Get back to the others! I'll stay here and hold these nug-humpers off!"

"Like hell!" Kylae growled and she dodged a mace, then slit the throat of the man who swung it. "I'm not going to leave you.

"YAAAAAHHHH!" Roaran yelled as he jumped forward, swinging wildly and forcing the cultists back again, Roaran kept at least one of the humans between himself and the drake at all times. As he continued to fight, he yelled, "Kylae! We can't win this fight without the others, but if we both try to get back, then the drake is going to run us down and have of for lunch! Now go!"

"No!" Kylae screamed, "I'm not leaving you!"

The fact that Roaran was using Kylae's name rather than his nickname for her showed how seriously he took the situation. "Kylae don't be sodding stupid! You're gonna get yourself killed if you stay here!"

"Then so be it!" Kylae yelled back as she danced around a cultist, who also used twin daggers. "I'm not gonna leave you here to die alone!"

On the other side of the cultists, the drake inhaled again. The cultist that Kylae battled glanced back over his shoulder at the oversized lizard, and his eyes widened as he realized that he was in its path himself. Kylae used the distraction to plunge a dagger into his stomach, his entrails fell out as she jerked the dar'misu to the side, then she grabbed the dying man by the front of his chainmail shirt and pulled his body against her own as she fell backwards onto the ground again, just as another burst of red flame shot from the drake's maw.

Tylis and Morrigan both stood with their arms crossed over their chests, impatiently waiting for their leader to come to a decision. They'd all traveled through a number of rooms and passageways inside the temple, fighting cultists the entire way, and also encountering a number of traps, everything from simple claw traps, to explosive shrapnel traps, to hidden arrow launching devices inside the walls. And if it hadn't been for Endrin's sharp eyes, and her lifetime's worth of experience in dealing with such matters, then they would have all been in much worse condition.

They had also found numerous statues of various people from Andraste's time in the mortal world, and judging from the condition said statues were in, the cultists valued them very highly. Every time they had happened upon a new one, either Alistair or Leliana would give some sort of information on the person whose form it showed. Surprisingly, two of the statues were of the Alamarri general Maferath, Andraste's husband who would eventually betray her, and the Tevinter Archon Hessarian, who had acted as Andraste's judge after her betrayal, and ordered her burned. Tylis thought it odd that a cult who seemed to revere Andraste as much as they did would have statues of those two men.

Shortly after find the statue of Hessarian however, the 'temple' part of the temple ended and gave way to natural tunnels that could not be described as anything other than what they were… caves. Tylis had paled somewhat, remember the weeks they'd spent in the Deep Roads. Endrin however seemed to be having flashbacks of the Deep Roads, and again descended into near madness. Alistair was currently trying to coax into pressing onward, reminding her that they were not in the Deep Roads, and that caves likely didn't stretch onward very far, and he wasn't having much success. Kylae and Roaran had quickly grown impatient with their reluctant leader, and had volunteered to scout ahead into the tunnels. Tylis was starting to wish that he had joined them.

Tylis looked away from the spot on the ceiling that he'd vacantly been staring at looked across the room at Eebon. The big man was standing with his fists clenched at his sides, and was glaring angrily at Endrin and Alistair, his eyes following them as they moved back and forth, and Tylis could tell that Eebon's jaw was locked and clenched. The berserker was getting angry, and for the first time that Tylis could remember, he was getting angry at Endrin.

Tylis knew it was coming, but he still jumped as he heard Eebon shout, "Enough!" And Eebon stomped towards Endrin and Alistair. "This. Is. Bullshit!"

Alistair looked up at Eebon, several inches taller than himself, and started, "Eebon, I think-"

"Be silent!" Eebon growled. "It's pretty obvious that you're not helping here!" Eebon roughly pushed Alistair out of the way and stepped closer to Endrin. "Look at me." He bass voice growled again, but Endrin did not meet his gaze. "Look. At. Me!"

Endrin slowly lifted her eyes from her boots to Eebon's steel-blue eyes. "I… I'm afraid." She said quietly, so quietly that she almost whispered. "I've never been afraid like this before."

"You're afraid?" Eebon said, his voice softening only marginally. "So am I. You, me, and every other mother's child who has ever lived. We all fear something, and you have found what it is that terrifies you. There is no shame in that." Eebon paused and gripped Endrin's shoulders, she could feel the strength in his fingers even though her leather armor. "But what makes a difference now, is how you handle that fear… You have two choices, Endrin. You can either face that fear, and become stronger for it, or you can stay here and cower, allowing the fear to control you."

Endrin looked again at the mouth of the tunnels, it seemed to grow larger and darker as she looked. "I c-can't." She said, her voice still almost in a whisper. "I'm sorry."

"No." Eebon said, his voice was the quiet before the storm. "You're not. You are afraid, and you're a coward who has chosen to let her fear overrule everything else." Eebon took two steps backwards, his fists opened and his fingers flexed and rotated, and the others could hear his knuckles popping from having been clenched so tightly, then his hands tightened into fists again. "I am the one who is sorry." He said, and now he didn't sound angry, he sounded sad. "It feels like so long ago that I swore my sword, my skill, my rage to your command. But I also remember telling you that if you refused to lead, then I would have no choice but to assume command… and now, I fear that that time has come."

Sten stepped forward, flexing his powerful shoulder muscles, but he made no move to attack or even to draw his weapon.

Eebon eyed Sten, but also made no move towards his weapon. "Endrin…" Eebon said, "You're the leader, and you're my friend. There is no one else in this whole insane world that I would rather follow. But if you continue to allow your fear to rule you, and continue to cower here like a child afraid of the dark, then you will leave me with no choice." Eebon paused for a moment, then nearly yelled, "Now choose!"

"I…" Endrin said. "I… I can't-"

"You can!" Eebon yelled, and Tylis cringed again at the sudden increase in volume, and the fury behind the words. "You have to!"

Dharr stepped forward. "He's right Endrin." Dharr said as he stood with blank targe on his arm, and his right hand resting casually on the head of his axe, tucked into his belt. "You've led us this far. To abandon us now would be the worst thing you could possibly do! For yourself, and for us!"

"Please Kadan…" Sten said, "I swore to follow you, but I cannot do that if you refuse to lead."

Endrin opened her mouth to give her answer, but exactly what she intended to say was something that the others would never know. From down the darkened tunnel, there was a muffled roar, followed by a faint flash of light, something that could have only been fire. A few seconds later and a distant battlecry reverberated down the tunnel, a battlecry they all recognized as Roaran's.

"By the Creators…" Endrin said, "What was that?!"

"Dragon." Dharr said, and pulled his axe from his belt, instinctively raising his targe into an offensive position. "That's the only thing that could have a roar like that and produce flame."

"Move!" Endrin commanded, and Falon'Din's Reach was no longer on her back, but was in her hand with an arrow already notched. "Roaran and Kylae are down there! Kardol, Dharr, take the lead. Wynne, be ready to defend us against the creatures fire. Eebon, Sten, if what I've heard about dragons is true, then we'll need your strength and your greatswords power to take it down!"

'Thank the Maker for that!' Tylis thought silently as he entered the tunnel. In front of him, Endrin only hesitated for half a second before she ran inside. Tylis liked Endrin, he liked Eebon too, but after everything they'd been through, he would much rather Endrin stay the leader. As Tylis entered the tunnel as well, he activated the arcane warrior spell that would enhance his power, he was never able to 'remember' the name of the spell, but he thought of it simply as 'combat magic'.

For some reason, Kylae wondered if the shem cultist she'd pulled down on top of her was still alive as she pushed his charred body off of her. 'Of course it really doesn't matter, but he did manage to save my life… Now that's ironic!' Kylae jumped to her feet, she could feel where the drake's fire had scorched her face, and burned off some of her hair, but none of it was too bad, and she wasn't in any great amount of pain. Her heart did skip a beat however as she saw the drake now charging directly at her.

Kylae didn't know if Roaran was still in the fight, or even if he was even still alive, but what she did know was that there was a spikey, fire-breathing lizard the size of a large wagon coming straight at her. Kylae gripped her daggers and curled her own lips back in a snarl, she'd had a feeling since the drake first appeared that this was going to be her last fight, but one thing was for sure, 'This Maker-damned, sodding piece of oversized luggage isn't going to take me easily!'

The drake lashed out with its long neck, jaws wide open as it snapped at Kylae. Kylae nimbly moved to the side and stabbed downward with one of her daggers at the top of the drake's head, but the thick green scales proved to be too much for the dagger, and the blade simply bounced off. As the drake curved its head around at Kylae, and this time its slavering jaws clamped down on her arm, but the drake wasn't the only one with armor, and ironbark made for exceptional armor. Against the pain, Kylae angled her other dar'misu and stuck, this time at the underside of its neck, and driving her dagger up and under the scales, she felt the weapon pierce soft flesh, and suddenly drake-blood was gushing out of the wound and down over her hand… and the blood felt just as hot as the fire the drake had breathed. The drake and Kylae both screamed in pain, the drake let go of Kylae's arm and reared back on its hind legs, roaring in fury and pawing at its throat with its front legs. Kylae dropped both her weapons and began scraping her hand against the floor, trying to get the flaming hot blood off of her.

The pained roaring from the drake stopped and Kylae looked up just in time to see its tail, thick as a small tree coming straight at her. 'Oh sod…' The thick green tail lash her across the face with such force that felt her own neck very nearly snap, the drake's rough scales shredding and destroying her face in the process, and then all she fell into darkness.

The drake triumphantly strode towards Kylae's unmoving body, fully intending to rend her to pieces in return for injury she had inflicted on itself.

"For Kylae!" Roaran yelled and he came in from the side, diving forward over the spiked fringe that ran the length of the beasts side and landing on its back, hacking down with his battleaxe between its shoulders with the serrated edge. The huge axe punched through the scales and embedded itself in the creature's back. Roaran held on for dear life as the drake thrashed back and forth, lurching its body to one side, then other, trying to toss him off, but Roaran held on. The drake arched its head backwards, and although it was quite a stretch, it managed to bite down on Roaran's shoulder, and attempted to pull the bothersome dwarf off its back.

"That's silverite scale, you bastard!" Roaran yelled, "You're not biting through that!" Roaran bellowed defiantly as he tried to wedge the axe deeper.

The drake might have heard him, and might have even understood him, but if it did it was determined to prove him wrong, and released Roaran to raise its head and bite down again, harder this time. Before it could do that however, Roaran jumped to his feet, now standing upright on the drake's back, he jerked his weapon free and heaved it down again into the same wound. Roaran felt the axe penetrate… something, and the drake's entire body shuddered in response. Roaran screamed his battlecry again and wriggled the haft of the battleaxe back and forth, driving it deeper. "Die!" He yelled, and drake collapsed to the ground, but not in death, it collapsed to throw Roaran off his feet, and it worked. Roaran lost his balance and his grip on his axe as he tumbled to the stone floor, the drake didn't waste a moment, and stomped a foreleg down on Roaran's chest, slavering jaws only inches from Roaran's face. Roaran balled a hand into a fist and punched the drake in the eye and the drake reared its head back in surprise at the dwarf's defiance. "Come-on, do it!" Roaran yelled as he squirmed helplessly under the drakes foot. "You scared of me, you overgrown cave-salamander? You sodding should be!"

Blue lyrium flared almost as bright a daylight down the shaft of Revas and Tylis pointed the tip of the blade at the drake and shouted an entropy spell. The drake immediately responded by leaping backwards and looking around in terror. Tylis didn't know what exactly the drake was seeing, but he'd dumped about all the mana he could manage into the fear spell, and it had worked, the drake was off of Roaran and now he could attack it with a proper attack. "You can breathe fire…" Tylis growled as Revas' runes came to life again, "Let's see if you can breathe poison!" Tylis yelled the words of the spell, it was one of the most difficult known spells in the school of entropy, and conjured a cloud of poison gas around the drake's head, and no matter how the drake moved its head around trying to get out of it, the poison cloud followed.

Kardol was the first one to reach the drake, and swung his axe as hard he could manage into one of the drake's front knees. Still choking on the cloud of poison, the drake lurched towards Kardol, trying to impale him on a three-foot long spike above its shoulder. Kardol spun to the right so the spike only harmlessly impacted his Legion of the Dead targe, Kardol swung again with his axe, this time taking off the last six inches of the boney spike. On the other side of the drake, Dharr acted similarly, alternatingly attacking and then guarding against the spikes. The two heavily armored dwarves weren't trying to kill the beast however, their job was only to distract it.

"Nehraa Qun! Nehraa Grey Wardens!"

"YUSARIS!"

Asala flashed through the darkness, cutting deeper into the neck wound already created by Kylae's dar'misu, then Sten moved out of the way to allow Eebon to move in and struck with Yusaris, again in the same spot.

"Legion of the Dead!" Kardol yelled, "Forever!" He put the full weight of his body behind the swing of his axe, twisting his entire body around as he did so, and this time as he hacked into its knee he felt bones and cartilage breaking and giving way, the leg collapsed, and the drake fell to the side, Kardol jumped backwards to avoid being crushed underneath its massive body.

The drake was dying, and would very likely be completely dead in a few more moments. Roaran saw that, and against all the injuries he'd sustained from both the drake and the human cultists, he pushed himself up off the ground. He needed to give the death blow. "Everyone get back!" Roaran yelled as loudly as he could manage, "This one belongs to me! And to Kylae!" Roaran dashed towards the drake, once more pulling his axe out of its back again. He stepped on the drake's neck, who was only weakly struggling. He looked down hatefully at the creature and raised his axe high, then brought it down on the drake's head, the edge slice through scale, punched through bone, and buried itself in the brain.

Kylae opened her eyes as she heard Roaran shout her name, or rather, she opened her eye. She was in more pain than she could ever remember, this was even worse than the Joining, and she was in too much pain to scream! Still laying on her back, Kylae had to fight not to grab at her face, and instead only reached up and gently began exploring her wounds with her fingertips. It seemed like half the skin on her face had been torn off or hung in disgusting ragged pieces. Kylae's fingertips moved up, and as they reached her cheekbone, Kylae realized that she was touching bare bone. Kylae tried to swear but it came out only a soft, pained moan. Fearing what she would find, Kylae moved her hand up towards her right eye, the one that wouldn't open. 'Oh Maker! Andraste! Creators! Stone! Whoever the Fade is really out there… No! Not my eye! I need that eye!' Kylae's voice came back, and it came back with a vengeance, she screamed until there wasn't any air left in her lungs.

Roaran and the others looked up from the freshly killed drake at hearing Kylae screaming. In the excitement of the battle they hadn't even noticed that Kylae was absent.

Roaran was the first one to reach Kylae, and as he knelt by her side as she propped herself up into a sitting position, he said, "Elf-Lady what-"

"My eye!" Kylae yelled, one hand covering where her right eye had been once, the other hand held out in front of her, trying to feel where she could see anymore. "My sodding eye is gone! IT'S GONE!"

Wynne immediately pushed her way past the others, conjuring an ethereal light so she could see the extent of the injuries better, she grimaced as she did so, Kylae's face was a mask of gore. "Kylae," Wynne said, as gently as she could manage, but even she wasn't able to keep the disgust out of her voice. "I know it hurts, but I can help. You need to calm-"

"Do not sodding say, calm down! My eye is gone!

"Tylis, some help here?" Wynne asked without looking away from Kylae.

The younger mage moved forward and gently laid a hand on Kylae's shoulder. "Sleep." He whispered, casting a slight entropic spell as he did so. Kylae's body rapidly relaxed and her one remaining eye closed as she fell into slumber.

With the panicked elf dealt with, Wynne stood up and rotated her head and shoulders, as if stretching.

Roaran stood up and glared at Wynne, his fists clenched at his sides. "You can heal her… right?" He said, and his voice had an unmistakable edge to it.

"I can heal the flesh wounds easily, yes." Wynne said, "And I can deal with her missing eye easily enough, but I'm concerned that even then she won't be able to see from it again, and that she might remain half blind for the rest of her life… It's very difficult to regenerate something that has been entirely removed, such as that." Wynne started pacing, opening and closing her hands, and rotating her shoulders again. "Just… give me a moment to prepare, and I shall do my best."

Endrin was able to breath much easier as she left the cave tunnel and stepped into another massive cavern, this one also had windows carved into both the walls and ceiling to allow for sunlight and fresh air, her feelings of claustrophobia and hopelessness lessened. As she looked back at her friends and followers, it was obvious that they were also feeling the weariness of their trek was starting to get to them. All three mages were moving slower, and their backs were starting to sag. They declined lyrium potions however as the precious potions were hard to make, and just as hard to find. The fighters as well were beginning to look worn down, even Eebon and Sten were starting to look fatigued. Alistair looked like a real mess, his armor badly burned, and Endrin had to wonder how much good it would actually do against a sword or other such weapon. Kylae kept touching her face, the new skin was lighter than the rest, giving her face an almost striped look. Kylae had also said that while she could see out of her right eye now, her vision was blurry. Endrin could only hope that Kylae's impaired vision would not hinder her in a fight.

"Kadan." Sten said.

"Endrin." Dharr said at the same time, and Endrin pulled herself from her thoughts and looked back at her two followers. They were both pointing across the large cavern at the group of men glaring at them.

Endrin grimaced. There were ten shemlen, maybe more, and it looked like they had been waiting for them. Two of the shemlen were mages, made painfully obvious from their robes and staves. At least five of them were reavers, if their lack of armor was any indication. And then there were a couple archers and a couple 'standard' looking soldiers. The shemlen who looked to be in charge was hard to place from his outward appearance alone. He wore blood-red armor so heavy and fortress-like that it looked to rival Dharr's as far as protection, he loosely held a battleaxe in his hands that was a dull bone-white color… dragonbone. Even from across the cavern, Endrin could feel the sense of wrongness that seemed to pour off the heavily armored man.

"Be ready." Endrin muttered just loud enough to be heard by her entire group. "They're not attacking us yet, but that will probably change. Eebon, you've managed to carry us all against the reavers so far, can you handle a fight like this?"

"I'm tired." Eebon admitted. "But yes, I can handle this." He looked to Kardol. "If it comes to a fight… which it probably will, stick with me. We'll take the guy with the beard and the big axe."

Kardol nodded. "I wouldn't want it any other way, salroka."

At the back of the group, Wynne produced one of their last lyrium potions, and it was one of the larger ones. She pulled the stopper off and took a swallow, then handed it vial to Tylis who did the same, then passed the potion to Morrigan who finished it. "We're ready." Tylis said.

"Thank you." Endrin said, then she looked back at both Kylae and Alistair. "I think… maybe the two of you should hold back on this one."

Kylae scoffed. "You're joshin' me right? This is going to be one sodding good fight, and it's all shems too… You expectin' me stay out of it?"

"You said you can hardly see!" Endrin said, surprised at Kylae's willingness to throw herself back into the fray.

"No I didn't!" Kylae said, she couldn't help grinning. "I said that it was blurry. That ain't gonna stop me!"

Endrin sighed in defeat and looked to Alistair, who said, "I'm sorry Endrin. But I don't think that I could just stand back and leave you all to battle them alone without me… Besides, they don't look that tough."

"But your armor…"

"Relax, boss." Alistair smiled disarmingly, "They aren't going to hit me."

"I don't want you to die!" Endrin said with a note of desperation in her voice. As she did so, Eebon and Wynne shared another look. Dharr noticed as well, and the three of them all frowned.

Alistair's smile disappeared, and he tried to keep the lighthearted, happy-go-lucky tone in his voice as he said, "After all that we've been through together, you really think I'm going to go down like this? Besides… there are two mages over there, you need me."

Endrin didn't answer, she was defeated again. "Alright." She said, "Let's do this."

"Stop!" The bearded man with the big axe said when they came close enough. "No more! You will go no further! You will answer why you have done this. Why have you come here? Why have you killed the faithful? Why have you murdered one of the blessed children?"

Endrin arched an eyebrow. "Which of those should I answer first?" The mischievous smile returned.

"You think this is funny?" The man fumed, and Endrin very nearly shrank back from him, he was about the same size as Eebon, and seemed to have a temper to match as well. "Tell me why you have come here!"

"Creators… you don't have to get all angry about it. You could have just asked."

Behind Endrin, Roaran and Kylae both laughed quietly. Their leader could have an interesting sense of humor at times, but she was choosing an odd time to show it. The two friends looked at each other and both shrugged.

Endrin continued. "We've come for the ashes of Andraste."

"You've come for the last remnant of a mortal woman burned a thousand years ago?" He said incredulously. "Why would you do this… when we serve the risen Andraste?!"

"What?!" Endrin said, and she heard Alistair, Leliana, and Wynne all say the same thing as well.

Leliana stepped forward, unable to keep quiet anymore. "What do you mean, 'the risen Andraste'? Are you trying to suggest that she has returned?"

"I suggest nothing!" He yelled, "Andraste has returned, and in a form far more powerful and more radiant than her former human shell! No force on earth could hope to stop her now! Not even the Tevinter Imperium! We are the faithful, we are the Disciples of Andraste, and I am Father Kolgrim, who will act as her herald in this, her glorious return!"

What this man, Kolgrim, was getting at finally dawned on Leliana, and the idea was so blasphemous that she felt her own rage starting to build inside of her. "You… you think that Andraste is a dragon now! And that the drake we killed was her child?!

"I do not think!" Kolgrim yelled, taking a step towards Leliana. "I know! I have seen her with my own eyes!"

Endrin had to fight the urge to say 'good for you', and instead only said, "Soooo… are the ashes still there?"

"They are." Kolgrim said, and he wasn't yelling anymore, and only sounded frustrated. "But again I ask, why would you seek them when you as well could serve the true Andraste?"

"Because I need them to cure a sick man." Endrin stated.

"Truly?" Kolgrim asked and took a step back again. "That is all you seek?" He started rubbing his thick, black beard. "If that is the case," He said as if talking to himself, "Then perhaps you could… yes… that would work. Perhaps you could redeem yourselves of your pervious transgressions, and become a champion for Andraste!"

Leliana stepped forward again, drawing her blades as she did so, "Do you actually think that we would-"

Endrin pushed Leliana back, "Put those away!" She ordered, "As in, now!" Leliana reluctantly complied and Endrin looked back to Kolgrim. "Two questions… first, why are you suddenly in such a charitable mood? And second, what would this involve?"

"In answer to your first question, it is because I, like Andraste, believe in forgiveness. And second, you must destroy the ashes. As the last remnant of Andraste's former being, they are keeping her from her true ascendance. Once that has been dealt with, she will be strong enough to spread her truth and her love throughout the world."

Behind her, Endrin could sense some of her companions fidgeting uncomfortably, mostly Leliana and Wynne. Now Endrin knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that this Kolgrim was clearly insane. However, Endrin didn't want to go up against more reavers and mages, especially considering the exhausted condition they were all in, while Kolgrim and his forces were well rested and healthy. "So what… we just throw them out a window or something? And if it's so simple, then why haven't you done it yet?"

"Enough with your bad jokes!" Kolgrim demanded, "You must destroy the ashes, not merely relocate them! And we have not done so yet because the way is blocked by a series of damnable traps! Too many of the faithful have already died trying to get through."

Behind Endrin, Roaran nudged Dharr with an elbow. "Remind you a previous adventure, Lordship?"

Dharr swallowed uncomfortably.

Endrin arched an eyebrow. "And what makes you think we'll be so lucky?"

"Because so far nothing has been able to stop you!" Kolgrim said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Despite your many blasphemes and crimes against Holy Andraste, she must sense the innocence of your quest. So, elf, will you help us in this? And in so doing help yourself, and help the world?"

Endrin held out her hand. "Yes. We have an accord."

"Excellent!" Kolgrim exclaimed happily, and he firmly shook Endrin's hand. "We will go and inform the great Andraste of your decision. Wait here."

Kolgrim and his cultists must have put a lot of faith into their new supposed allies, because the entire group of cultists left the cavern, leaving the Wardens alone. As soon as the door was closed, Leliana grabbed Endrin by her shoulders. "Are you insane! What have you done? What have sworn us to do?"

Endrin glared angrily at her friend, as Leliana had been pushing the limits of friendship since they had first arrived at Haven. "Take your hands off me, shemlen." Endrin ordered, she spoke slowly, putting special emphasis on the words 'take', and 'shemlen'. She didn't raise her voice as she said so, but there was nothing friendly in her voice. Leliana reluctantly complied, and Endrin took a few steps back, perhaps to resist the urge to hit Leliana. "You must really think I'm stupid!" Endrin suddenly growled. "Did you… any of you, really think for one minute that I was going to go along with that madman? In case you haven't noticed, we're not exactly in the best condition to get into a fight with that many… About half of those shemlen were reavers… Reavers! Last time we had to fight the damn reavers there was only two of them, and we barely made it out of that fight with everyone still breathing!"

Realization of Endrin's plan dawned on Leliana's face. "Oh… I'm sorry. I suppose I should have expected that." Leliana sighed unhappily, "I… probably would have done much the same thing if it were my call… Some bard I am."

A few feet away, Roaran nudged Kylae with an elbow. "Hey Elf-Lady?"

"Yes Duster?"

"Did you ever figure that Tattoo could be this devious?"

Kylae laughed and shook her head. "Naw… this is the kinda thing that you or me shoulda come up with."

Roaran laughed as well. "You're tellin' me!"

If y'all don't mind, it's time for me ramble again. This time about Roaran. You've probably picked up on how I'm not real big on the dwarves in the DA universe, I think that's because they've just never struck me as being very original. Aside from. the caste system, their pretty much the same as Lord of the Rings dwarves, and for being such an old and proud race, there's surprisingly little detail on them, most of it just kind of hinted at here and there. And seriously, I could only find maybe a dozen words in the dwarven language.

Despite all that however, I do like Roaran, and his character has changed very little from when I first started brain-storming. Although he has a similar personality to Kylae, he's not quite as dark as she is, and while he might be hostile, he tends to react to everything with humor and sarcasm rather than outright hostility. Roaran is really the only one of the Wardens who just doesn't give a damn about anything. His only reason for joining the Wardens in the first place was because he had sworn to follow Dharr, but his reason for staying with them is really just because he has nothing better to do.

I think one of Roaran's more interesting traits is his honor. He's repeatedly denied having any such honor and only gets irritated if someone implies that he is honorable, but his sense of loyalty and friendship contrast that statement. But anyway, all that is just my take on the Roaran and the dwarves. And judging from how many people have told me that they really like Roaran, I'd say I did a good job on him.