The Venatori camp was nestled in a bend of the river. A sheer cliff at their backs, and along one side offered protection, but could be used against them. With their escape cut off the cliffs behind would ensure no one got away. Cara almost wished Varric hadn't joined them. She could have called for her kin to aid them. Instead, it was just the three of them and she needed to pretend she was just a normal mage.
Solas gave her a pointed look, her cheeks flushed under his scrutiny. "Be cautious, vhenan." His tone and stern expression left her no doubt that he sensed what she was thinking.
"We need a distraction." Varric rubbed his chin. "I can angle around and aim an explosive bolt at that outcropping, causing a rock slide, block off all but one point of escape. Maybe even take a few with it. One of you will need to cast a barrier around Fenris."
The caged wagon containing Fenris sat near the cliff wall, the overhang dangerously close.
"I need Prycis alive. Solas, can you cast a crushing prison around him? I'm afraid in my anger I might actually kill him." Cara let her rage simmer just below the surface. Usually, she would have dispelled the pent-up energy, too much of it was unpredictable. Tonight she wanted every bit of it directed at the slavers and the Red Templars. "I will take on the Behemoth, Varric will back me up."
"If you can get Elf his sword, he'll fight his way out."
"I know, but they've taken his armor."
"It won't stop him," Varric said.
"That's what I'm afraid of."
Cara checked her knives. She carried two sets of throwing knives, her daggers, and her bow and arrows. She adjusted the hilt of her spirit blade, and tested the rune. Solas no longer insisted she carry a staff. The others accepted that her weapons were equipped with focusing stones.
She felt the weight of his gaze and found a soft smile on his lips. "What?"
He shook his head. "I enjoy watching you prepare for battle."
"We can't all be humble apostates who hide in the shadows, ready at the drop of a hat." She kissed his cheek, and he chased her mouth with his. Catching her about the waist.
"I will do all I can to save him," he whispered in her ear. "I know what he means to you."
She cupped his cheek. "You are just as dear to me. I hope you know that?" She spoke elvhen.
Solas answered in kind. "Shhhh, be at peace. We will discuss it later."
"Are we ready to do this?" Varric asked.
At their nods, he slipped into the darkness. Cara squeezed Solas' hand before she cloaked herself in shadow and followed. She trusted the others to assess and react to any changes to the plan. They were both seasoned soldiers. Remus would follow their lead.
"Stay with Solas," Cara commanded Remus. He gave her a soft woof.
Cara Fade Stepped through the guard at the edge of camp, paralyzing him. She traveled to the front of the cage, and let herself materialize. She still held a partial cloak over her form, and took the appearance of something more spirit than elf.
"You have taken something of mine." Her voice, amplified and deepened by the connection to the Fade, echoed off the stone.
Mages and archers scrambled for their weapons. The behemoth at the edge of camp, threw its chest out and roared.
"Stay your weapons, a single foe? She cannot hope to win against 30." A man who looked like a much younger Danarius stepped forward. "Fenris is mine. He became mine the moment he murdered his master."
"You're not in Tevinter, Prycis. You are an invader, and I am within my rights to strike you where you stand."
The echo of a wolf's howl broke the quiet. Templars and mages scanned the dark, seeking the threat. A second one answered, followed by a third, and fourth. In the distance, more wolves answered the call.
"I'm not alone," she kept her voice low, resisted the urge to look toward the positions she expected Varric and Solas to take.
An eerie laugh rang out against the cliff. Cara smiled at the fear in the eyes of their foes.
"You think your little parlor trick scares anyone?" Prysis sneered at her.
An archer in her peripheral vision moved his hand slowly toward an arrow. Cara pretended not to see him. Effortlessly she reinforced the barrier around her and Fenris.
"You cannot hope to win on your own." Fenris voice cracked.
Cara allowed the spell to waver.
"Your parlor tricks have drained your mana. You cannot fight us. Join us. I will make you an apprentice. You can oversee his training. Once I erase both of your memories, of course."
"You promised that to me, Master."
"Ah, Varania. I did, didn't I? You can oversee them both. Perhaps if your brother has a pet, he will be more agreeable."
"Traitorous bitch." Fenris spat.
"Now, now, is that any way to talk to your dear sister? She's missed you. I promised her I would reunite the two of you together."
"She is no sister of mine."
"You will feel differently soon enough. She longs to have her family with her." Prycis turned to her "Shall we let them have a child? You would like that, wouldn't you? The doting Aunt, a happy family." Prycis clapped his hands together.
"Surrender in the name of the Inquisition." Cara's voice rang out one last time. "Surrender or die."
Prycis' laughter rang out. "Take her alive. I will enjoy taming the arrogant bitch."
Fenris snarled, his hands gripping the cage. "No! I will kill you myself, you will be at your father's side before dawn."
"I don't think so. When I'm finished with you both, you will beg me to take her as you watch."
The sound of snarling wolves surrounded the camp. Shadows of angry beasts circled them. The largest of them paced, its mouth open, showing unnaturally long fangs. At once the shadow leapt at Prycis. He and Varania shrieked as it surrounded them.
The rocks above exploded. The resounding boom echoed off the cliff, deafening the screams of those caught in the falling stone. Cara strengthened the barrier around her and Fenris. A large boulder struck the wagon, breaking loose one corner. Fenris rammed his shoulder against the gap, widening it and climbed free.
"Where is your sword?"
He pointed at a wagon on the other side.
"Go, the barrier will hold until you get there." She tossed him her largest dagger. It was a knife compared to his preferred weapon, but he gave her a feral grin and dashed off. Two mages fell as he twisted between them.
A chunk of red lyrium crashed beside her, shaking the ground under her feet. Cara turned and faced the Behemoth. With it were two rogues, and a warrior. Cara drew a set of her knives, and flung them at the rogues. They dropped like stones. The warrior stumbled a few steps and landed face first in the dirt. Varric's arrows protruded from the back of his neck.
Cara drew her spirit blade, and Fade Stepped toward the Behemoth. She passed through it, casting a fire spell within it. She let go of the spell, and the creature stumbled at the damage of her strike from within. She didn't hesitate, striking out with her magical blade, stealing power from the creature to strengthen her own barrier. Each hit, broke through the barrier around it. Varric showered it with fire bolts. She knew the others were busy with mages and Templars. It was up to her and Varric to take down the largest creature.
Fenis slid to the wagon, narrowly ducking an arrow that sailed by his head. His hand found the hilt of his sword. A silverite streak launched over his head, and the Templar rogue's scream died as Remus tore their throat out.
"You have my thanks." Fenris nodded at the wolf and followed him back into the center of camp.
Solas cast fire at Tempars, and rained stones of fire onto Venatori Mages. Fenris felt him rejuvenate his barrier, and rushed toward the center of camp. His sword cut mages down as they tried to defend against the spells Solas cast. Remus circled behind and tore at their legs.
There were 20 foes still standing. Could the three of them hope to defeat that many? Cara and Varric battled the Behemoth, and those who went to its aid. Fenris wished to join them, defend her from the giant claw that threatened to crush her as she drew close.
"She and Varric can handle the creature, we must work together." Solas spun his staff, sending lightning through the rogues that advanced. "Take out the archers. I will draw the warriors' attention." He stepped into the firelight, and cast a stone fist toward a warrior.
Fenris clenched his jaw tight and found the two archers tucked behind a toppled table and a stack of crates. He called to Remus and pointed at the one closest to the wolf. Remus slipped into the shadow. Fenris called on the lyrium, and leapt toward the stack of crates. They shattered as his sword came down through them. The archer yelped in surprise. A look of terror crossed his face as Fenris swung his sword once more.
He scanned the camp for more archers, but the only one still standing was Varric. He cast Cara a concerned look before returning to Solas. The mage put himself at risk by stepping into the light. A dozen foes moved toward him. Just as the first rogue leapt at his back; Solas Fade stepped away from danger. He reappeared at the edge of camp, far from where Carina and Varric still battled a now stumbling Behemoth.
Remus joined Fenris, and the two of them rushed the group at the center of camp. Solas cast lightning, and created a spell that pulled them into a tighter circle. Fenris used the diversion to strike at those on the outer edge, and Remus launched over them toward the center.
"Fenehdis!" Fenris slashed furiously. The wolf placed himself in danger. Two more foes fell to Fenris sword, three to Solas' spells, and Remus drug another down between jagged teeth.
When the last one fell, Remus sat on his haunches, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, and his head tilted comically. His silverite armor was dented in two places, and splattered with blood. Fenris didn't know how much of it was the wolf's.
The Behemoth lay burning and only Prycis and Varania still lived.
The five of them gathered in front of the two trapped mages. Solas released them with a snap of his fingers.
"You have saved no one. Fenris will always be a slave."
"After tonight, no one may lay claim to him ever again."
"Even if I die, he will still be a slave. My cousin will inherit."
Fenris felt his blood run cold. Nothing would stop them from coming for him.
Cara pulled a scroll from her coat. "Do be a good chap and sign this."
"And if I don't? You'll what; kill me?"
Cara's mouth turned into a feral snarl. "No, I will take you to the Inquisitor. Perhaps she will sever your head from your body, or perhaps she will make you tranquil? Shall we use your own skull to seek out those coveted shards you hunt?"
"Wait! I'll sign." Prycis trembled as he took the paper and the quill Cara held out.
"Do get a hold of yourself. I want no doubt of the authenticity of your signature."
Prycis took an audible breath and held it a moment while he tried to stop his hand from shaking. The quill scratched over the parchment, the only sound heard in the silence.
"There, though how a bill of sale frees him is beyond me? Now release me. I've done as you demanded."
"Oh, did you think you would leave here alive?"
Cara ended the spell the magic faded. Cara tucked the parchment in her pocket and waved at Prycis. "He is yours to do as you wish. Consider it another gift."
"He is as evil as his father and more dangerous. I promised to send you to your father's side. I never break my word." Fenris' markings glowed blue and he thrust his hand through the man's chest. With a flicker of the lyrium, blood spurted up his arm and then Prycis collapsed at their feet.
Fenris stood over the body shaking. His breath came in ragged pants as he regained his composure.
"Leto?" Varania's voice pleaded. "Please, I had no choice."
"You are already dead to me."
She stood and screamed. "You have no idea the hell I've lived these last five years. All because of you!"
Varania called a spell, blood swirled around her as she drew strength from the fading life force of her mentor.
Cara cast a barrier but before she could do more, Fenris raised his sword and severed his sister's her head from her body.
"Blood magic," he spat. The next moment he slumped to his knees. His body shook with silent sobs.
"I'm so sorry, Fenris," Cara said. She wanted to reach out to him but was afraid he would see her no differently.
"She is free now." He found a blanket and wrapped his sister, then carried her toward the fire and placed her over the blaze. "She was always afraid. Even as a child she was weak. Our mother fussed over her; they are reunited once more."
He walked toward the wagon they stashed his armor in. Cara started to follow. Solas caught her wrist and shook his head.
Varric sighed and followed his friend.
Cara turned into Solas' embrace and placed her head against his chest. "Thank you."
Solas kissed her temple. "Are you injured?"
"Nothing a hot bath won't take care of. A few scrapes and bruises. You?"
"I am fine."
"What about you, Remus? Anything hurt?" Cara knelt and checked him for injuries. "I don't think he's cut, will sport a few bruises himself, if the dents in his armor are any indication of how hard he was hit. Remus licked her cheek. She loosened his armor, and he sighed with relief.
Silently Varric and Fenris walked through the dead. Varric found more clues as to where the Red Templars were hiding. They all gathered any elven artifacts, runes, and weapons. They burned the bodies and the red Lyrium.
"Our camp is less than an hour away," Varric offered. "Unless you want to sleep here?"
Cara shuddered. She didn't want to stay too close to the battle, even if all bodies had been burned.
"Your camp is preferable. The more distance between me and this night the better I will feel." Fenris adjusted the sheath of his sword. He glanced one last time toward the bonfire, now little more than a pile of ash and bone. With a heavy sigh, he followed Varric out of camp.