Once the vision had faded we continued on deeper into the fortress. The ground floor was mostly clear of problems. We didn't start fighting heavily until we reached the upper levels.

"Look at this," Alistair called over to me. I walked to his side and knelt down to examine the body he was focused on. We were outside the door of what looked to be a massive library, encompassing most of the level.

"He hasn't been dead as long as the others," I said. The body wasn't yet a complete skeleton; there were still bits of flesh clinging to the bones. Alistair made a noise of agreement. "Bear heraldry?"

"Amaranthine," he supplied. "The Arling's heraldry is a brown bear."

"Another over here," Zevran said.

Oghren walked over to us. "Two more this way."

"Perhaps this fortress has not been as forgotten as it initially seemed," Morrigan suggested. "It would appear these men attempted to retake it for the local lord… and failed."

None of us said anything more than brief comments of agreement. Her assessment seemed to be exactly what had happened. As we moved on, finding more bodies in a similar heraldry it appeared that another attempt was made at a much more recent date as well. Levi stayed well back of us, waiting until we cleared away the danger before catching up.

Cutting through what turned out to be multiple libraries, I made everyone stop. "Maggie, this fortress belongs to the Grey Wardens, we already own these," Alistair said as I pulled books from the shelves. "We don't need to loot them from ourselves."

I jerked my head sharply, he sighed and walked closer. "Maybe some of those secrets we don't know are in one of these books!"

His eyes went wide and, without a word, Alistair began pulling books down and flipping through them as fast as me. When Wynne approached and reached for them he gently held her hand back. "We don't know what's in these," he said. "It could be confidential Grey Warden information." She made a face but stepped back.

"Anything?" I asked him.

"A lot of records of the last Blight," he said. "Nothing helpful, though. Nothing we don't already know."

"Same," I said. We moved to another shelf. It was records of the blight before that. Then a shelf of the blight before that one. Two shelves of magic books, none of which contained anything I didn't already know, and several shelves of what looked to be recruitment records.

"Oh, this is grim," Alistair muttered. I looked over his shoulder. It was a list from a Joining that took place in the storm age. A dozen names were neatly written, five had the word "survived" printed to their right.

"Ouch," I muttered. "You ever wonder why…"

"Why some make it and some don't?" I nodded. "I do," he said. "Quite often. I wonder why I got lucky. If there was some way to tell in advance… but if there was, well, I'm sure over a thousand years someone would have figured it out, you know?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "I was surprised Daveth…"

"Me too," he admitted. "After our trip into the Wilds I didn't have high hopes for Jory, though. One of the others once told me that people who panic when they see the darkspawn seem to fare worse. Of course, by then there's no going back…"

"Neither did I," I agreed. Although who knows, he hadn't even gotten that far. Perhaps Jory could have proven both of us wrong.

He sighed. "Some day that could be us," Alistair said in an even softer voice. "Picking people, handing them the goblet…"

"Maybe," I said. "I don't think we need to worry about it for a long time, though. I mean, once this is over I'm sure they'll send someone older to take over. Someone experienced."

"True," Alistair agreed.

"I don't envy them," he said. "I don't know if I could do it, to be honest. Recruit people when I know it could be their death." Alistair leaned against the bookshelf, eyes downcast. "It really bothered Duncan," he whispered. "He didn't talk about it often, but when he did I could tell it was something that ate away at him even more than he let slip out. Not even that, but everything. When I screamed at him after finding out what happens to us later…" his voice cracked slightly "he looked so heartbroken. I feel horrible now, I know he had no choice, and he was as bad off as the rest- worse, since he would be leaving sooner. And really, I'm no worse than I was before. Dead or lyrium addled to the point that I don't know my own name? Not much difference as far as I see things."

"I'm sure he understood," I said. "Duncan was smart. He knew it was Alistair's anger yelling, not Alistair."

"Maybe," he said. "He felt bad for you, too. The children thing. I mean, even a bunch of warriors know that's a big deal for most women."

"I'm not most women," I reminded him.

"Oh, I know. And he figured that out soon enough. Warned me about you."

I laughed aloud at that, attracting the attention of our companions across the room who were preparing a cold lunch. "Did he?"

"I was raised in the Chantry and you, apparently, propositioned him before you even made it to Ostagar. Of course he warned me! I'm amazed he didn't call a meeting of everyone else!" Alistair shook his head. "You're a public menace!" I rolled my eyes and he laughed. "Or you were. Who would have guessed all it would take a well organized and highly expensive attempt on your life for someone to win your heart…" he sighed dramatically, smirking at me.

"You spend too much time listening to Leliana's love stories."

"Oh, riiight," he said. "That must be it, I'm sure. No wonder I started scratching my leg with my teeth after she told the story of Dane and the Werewolves."

"Well, they do say your line is descended from them," I laughed. "Come on, wolf-boy. We're not going to find anything helpful here. I guess they don't keep the good secrets in writing."

Alistair howled as he followed me back to our group. I was amused to see only Wynne looked confused by his behavior.

After a quick meal we continued further into the massive library. It seemed to occupy most of the floor. In the final room we were greeted by another vision. A young woman in mage robes was pacing nervously as an old man similarly attired was writing something down. "The truth must be told!" he was saying to her as she wrung her hands, looking nervously at the door. "Our grand rebellion… to die a stillbirth."

There was a crashing noise and a group of spectral warriors rushed past us into the room. As they drew blades on the two mages the scene vanished. "Rebellion?" I said. "The king didn't attack the Wardens- they rebelled?"

"The records are burnt," Alistair said. "Whatever he was trying to write… it's gone now."

I sat on my heels near him, looking for myself. I could make out a few words here and there, but it was mostly charred. "Rebellion is against everything Wardens should stand for," I said, climbing back to my feet. "We don't get involved in politics!"

"How is that different than your argument with Teyrn Loghain?" Levi asked me pointedly.

I narrowed my eyes. "Teyrn Loghain is actively fighting to prevent the Grey Wardens from defeating a blight. That's how it's different. We fight darkspawn. We end blights. We kill whoever gets in our way."

"You make it sound like he wants the darkspawn to win!"

"Only a Grey Warden can end a blight," I said. "We can kill the archdemon. He can't."

"But… why?"

Alistair and I exchanged a glance. We knew only a Warden could end a blight, Duncan had been quite clear on that with Alistair. We just didn't know why or how. "Warden secrets," Alistair said quickly. I nodded.

"I don't envy you," Levi said with a shake of his head, looking like he pitied us. As we continued on I looked over at Alistair.

"Well, it is a secret," he said quietly. "Shame no one let us in on it, though." Morrigan glanced back at both of us. I briefly wondered if she had been listening, given her expression of concern. I think she was just annoyed to see me spending so much time speaking privately with Alistair, though. She still didn't trust him, or understand why I did.

We slowly reached the upper levels of the main building. "Ugh," I mumbled, pushing my hair back. "This is bad. Bad things ahead."

"Bad things?"

"Demon," Morrigan and Wynne said almost in unison. The two women briefly glared at each other.

"Come on," I said, not wanting to listen to anyone bickering. Everyone followed me up the stairs. After several large groups of skeletons attacked us I paused to regain my mana. "Look at this," I said, pointing to one of them. "Armor look familiar to you?"

Alistair made a face. "Loghain's armor looks the same."

"True," I said. "But Loghain wears the armor of the captain of the chevalier he defeated at the Battle of River Dane. It's chevalier armor."

"Chevalier?" Alistair looked closer. "Maybe they tried to retake the building, too. Back during the occupation."

"That's what I was thinking," I said.

Alistair looked at the body and laughed. I raised my eyebrow. "We're better than the chevalier," he said with a smirk. "They died. We didn't."

"And then we killed them again!"

"My father would be so proud," he said in an overly dramatic voice, hand on his heart. I snickered, shaking my head, and guided everyone towards a door across the room.

We were confronted with yet another vision before we could reach the door. The same woman from downstairs, the Commander, stood with a young mage. "Now, Avernus!" she screamed. "Now!" I watched in horror as he began to move his hands, chanting in Tevinter. Wynne sucked in a breath as a spectral demon formed. "More, Avernus," she shrieked as the demon took off the head of one of the soldiers. He followed her orders, summoning more demons. Unsurprisingly, it didn't end well. As one began to turn on the Wardens the mage called for a retreat.

The vision vanished.

"Demons!" Levi gasped before any of us could speak. "They… they summoned demons. And my grandmother, she knew! She gave the order!"

"We don't forbid blood magic," I said. It was a lousy response, but he looked like his entire world was crushed, I couldn't think of anything else to reassure him beyond saying she was acting within the bounds of Warden rules.

Not the best plan. Levi looked disgusted. "I always thought my family was better than that," he said quietly.

"There may be more answers ahead?" I said, not sure what could justify that to him.

"Hopefully," he agreed.

I glanced around and sucked in a breath, jogging across the room. "Ooooh," I said, picking a staff up. It must have been dropped by one of the Warden mages all those years ago. I could sense power radiating from it. Power and cold. I sent an experimental bolt flying at one of the walls. A picture fell not far away as ice coated a large radius around my target. "Nice," I muttered.

"I take it you have found a new staff," Morrigan said, watching me.

"It's beautiful," I said, holding it up. It was in the Tevinter style, inlaid with a core of blue lyrium.

"Too… shiny," she said. "But it does look powerful." She glanced away briefly. "What will you do with your old staff?"

I took it off my back, glancing at the now-familiar leather wrapping and dangling teeth and feathers. "It's too nice to just get rid of it," I said. "Do you want it? I'd rather it still get some use than sit around, and don't like the thought of selling it."

She smiled, reaching out. I passed the staff to her. "I admit, I have always found this staff rather striking," she said. "And it does seem to be more powerful than my own."

"It's yours," I said, grinning. I'd rather she get use from it than some stranger, and making sure we all had the best possible equipment was wise.

Zevran laughed. I glanced over at him and he shook his head. "It is the Antivan in me… even with women in the Crows it is difficult to become accustomed to seeing two as stunning as yourselves gushing over new weapons."

I made a face at him. "You're just jealous because our stuff is nicer."

"I am!" he said with a laugh. "I wish I could wear fancy boots from the Imperium inlaid with sliver threads, instead of these horrid Ferelden monstrosities."

We all laughed as we headed over to a closed door. I paused in front of it. "Problem?" Zevran asked me.

"Demon," I said. "It's close."

He nodded, hand on my back. "So we kill one more demon, then. We're becoming quite the experts!"

I smiled at him and opened the door. I knew deep down there was nothing to worry about. Even if, for some crazed reason, I did try and bargain with it, the others would stop me in my tracks. It still made me nervous, though.

I walked into the room and glanced around. Gasping, I saw an armored woman standing behind a massive desk. "Stop…" she said in an eerie voice. "This one would speak with you." I shuddered as she turned around. This was no woman. Not anymore.

"I won't speak with your kind," I said quickly, grabbing my staff. The others were moving as fast as me.

"Then you are a fool!" she screamed. More than a dozen skeleton warriors rushed in. I focused on the demon, knowing she was the source of their power. Wynne, Alistair and Morrigan did the same, all knowing as much about demons as I did. While we froze, cut, and shocked her the others handled the defenders she had summoned. Finally, the body fell.

"I suspect we have killed more demons than any other non-mages in Thedas," Zevran mused, looking at her body.

"Probably," Alistair agreed. "The Chantry should give us an award."

"And money," Zevran added.

"Well… I'd hope money would be the award," Alistair admitted. "A heartfelt thanks from the Grand Cleric won't buy lunch." He was as worried about our financial situation as I was, apparently.

"That is the woman from the vision," Sten spoke up, glancing over our shoulders. "It seems she managed to get herself possessed."

"So it seems," I said. "That's some armor she's got, though." It was gleaming silverite, with blue enameled accents and two rearing griffons on the breastpiece.

"Tiny," Alistair said. "It wouldn't fit any of us."

"It's been altered," Zevran said, looking closer. "Used to be shorter, and broader in the chest and shoulders." He laughed. "She's wearing an elf's armor!"

"There have been elves in the Grey Wardens," I said. "Probably more elves than women, really."

"Ohh, you know, I wonder if it belonged to Garahel," Alistair mused.

"Now that would be something!" I said. "Wow… Garahel!"

"Who was Garahel?" Zevran asked.

"Oh, I know that!" Leliana announced. "He was the hero of the fourth blight. He led the Grey Wardens to victory and freed Antiva from the darkspawn horde. He died in the battle of Ayesleigh after killing the archdemon. There is a very famous ballad of the battle, I've sung it several times. I am surprised you have not heard of him, Zevran!"

"As am I!" he agreed. "Had I known an elf personally saved Antiva from the blight I would have made a point of bringing it up as often as I could to the human crow recruits as a boy." He paused, grinning. "Although perhaps that is why they never told me."

I chuckled at that. "Not as though we'd ever know," I said. "It could just belong to some other elf who was Warden Commander."

"How many elves have there been who were Commander, though?" Zevran said. "Surely it can't be that common."

"If they were the right person I don't see why they wouldn't be picked," I said.

"An admirable attitude," Sten interjected. "It is wise to pick the most skilled, not simply the most skilled among a single race." Well, I suppose the qunari did the same, no wonder he was impressed.

"Then why don't the Qun do the same?" I asked, half teasing. "You only pick from the most skilled among a single gender, after all."

"Parshaara," he said with snort of annoyance. "This conversation again, Warden? I thought we had more important things to do than rehash old debates."

"Probably," I shrugged. "I was only teasing, anyways. I know not everyone can be as unquestionably awesome as the Grey Wardens."

Sten only rolled his eyes in response. From him that might as well have been a shout of annoyance, though. I figured it was best to shut up. Dropping to my knees I began to work the buckles of the armor free.

"Wait, we're taking it?" Alistair said. "I thought we just agreed it wouldn't fit any of us."

"I'm not leaving Grey Warden armor on some demon!" I said. "Look at it, it's gorgeous. You want to leave this here?"

Morrigan chuckled. "You know," she said slowly, a grin spreading across her face, "there is one Grey Warden it would fit."

"Look at her," Alistair said. "No way would that armor fit me. I couldn't get one arm into it if I used both sleeves at once."

She sighed. "You are not the only Grey Warden present, Alistair," Morrigan said in an exasperated tone. "I was implying that the late Commander Dryden seems to be close to the same size as Maggie."

"Oh, she is," Leliana spoke up. "Even close to the same height, I think."

"I don't think my backside's that big," I said more to myself than anyone else. "Or my legs, for that matter. Right?" Everyone was quiet. "Thanks," I muttered.

"Well, you do a lot of walking," was all Leliana said after an uncomfortable silence.

I just sighed and continued removing the armor. That done, I set it in a neat pile outside the door. "Let's grab this on our way out," I said. "Maybe my enormous ass will be less horrifying if I can encase it in silverite."

"Stop complaining," Zevran said. "Some of us happen to be rather fond of that part of your body." He punctuated this with a smack to the area in question. Wynne, to no one's surprise, made a sound of annoyance as I giggled.

We passed through what looked to be a small chapel, but the only worshipers were more skeletons. They seemed far more interested in killing us than reciting the Chant, sadly. "Huh," I said, grabbing a jar and sniffing it.

"What are you doing!" Alistair shouted, pulling it from my hand after a stuck a finger in and licked it clean.

"What?" I said. "It's jam. Raspberry."

"How do you know that?" he said, staring at me like I'd gone mad.

"Because it is. Smell it. Seriously, raspberry jam. Pretty good, too. We should keep it, maybe we can get some bread in the next town we pass through."

"We're not keeping jam that's been sitting in a demon infested building surrounded by corpses for centuries!" he said. "Maker's breath, there are some things even I won't eat. Are you insane?"

I shrugged. "Perfectly normal jam to me," I said.

He just gave me another horrified glance and shook his head. We continued on.

"Now this," I said as we slowly crossed a narrow bridge, "is just poor design."

Alistair yelped as a gust of wind caught him and dropped to his knees. "Agreed!" he said. "Would a railing be too much to ask for?"

"Just don't look over the edge," Zevran said. "We killed the guards, keep looking forward."

Of course, I did the first thing anyone would when they were told not to look over the edge. "Oh Maker…" I muttered, stumbling back. Zevran grabbed me by the waist. "Go too far back to avoid that side and you'll tumble from the other," he said. "Walk. The faster we move the faster we're back indoors."

Oghren grumbled, literally crawling. "Up in the air..." he muttered. "This just isn't natural!"

I nodded with a shudder and we continued on. There were several traps Zevran and Leliana had to disarm, the rest of us kneeling on the stone so we wouldn't be blown over the edge, but eventually we made it to the far side. Where more skeletons were waiting for us.

"I'm starting to see the real reason we cremate the dead," I muttered, blowing one up with a spell. "Seems like it's the only way they stay down!"

"Disturbing thought," Alistair said.

We glanced around the room. A few books were lying about. I glanced at one, kneeling on the floor. Alistair read over my shoulder.

"Horrifying," he muttered.

Unfortunately at the same time I had said "fascinating."

"What?" Alistair glared at me.

"It's fascinating," I said. "I mean, the methods are horrifying, but his actual goal… the utilization of the taint as a weapon? Making Grey Wardens even more powerful? Really interesting."

He gave me a disgusted look. "Some things just aren't done," Alistair said. "He experimented on other Wardens!"

"And that's horrible," I agreed. "I'm just saying, that aside, his research is solid. I can't find a single false conclusion anywhere in here. He's onto something." I shook my head. "Shame it'll never be duplicated. I mean, researching on people… ugh. If there was a way to do it without hurting anyone…" I picked up the book and slipped it into my pack.

"You're keeping it? Why?"

"Because some was complete. I might be able to recreate the potion he finished. It could help us."

"I won't touch anything that was created through torturing people," Alistair said. "I can't believe you would!"

"Yeah, the Joining was a bloody walk in the park," I snorted. "And it has such glowing results every time."

"Not the same thing!"

"No, because we make sure the deaths aren't in vain! Using this could mean the people died for a reason!" He just shook his head, clearly disagreeing.

"I would not touch that," I heard Morrigan say. Glancing over I saw Zevran looking at a small bottle. "I suspect this is the result of whatever research they are discussing, and it has a distinctly darkspawn smell about it."

"Give me that," Alistair said, rushing forward. "I'm getting rid of the filth."

I glanced from him to Zevran. "No!" I shouted, bolting forward and shoving Alistair aside. I grabbed the bottle and he tried to wrestle it from me. "Stay back!" I ordered Dane. The last thing I wanted was to trip over my own dog and break the very potion I was trying to save.

"Maggie, will you give it to me? We're not using anything made by that maniac. He was mad! He was a killer!"

"And we're not?" I said, holding tighter. "You saw the notes. Stronger! Faster! We could use that!"

"And if it's wrong!" He was still trying to get the bottle. I had doubled over, shielding the fragile glass with my body.

"It's not!" I said. "It's good research! His methods were wrong, but his conclusions were right. You read it yourself!"

We continued grappling, the others watching nervously from the sidelines. "She is right," Morrigan called from the corner. "He appeared to be careful, accounted for all variables, and recorded everything in extensive detail. I doubt I could do better myself."

"That is made from the blood of dead Wardens!"

"It is not!" I snapped.

"I wasn't—ugh," he grunted as I elbowed him, darting across the room. I wasn't being fair, I knew that. Alistair was too worried about actually hurting me, since he was so much stronger. "I wasn't being literal!" he snapped. "We can't use that. It would be wrong!"

"We need to study it!" I countered.

"I'm getting rid of it the second you fall asleep," he countered. "Might as well let me now." He started walking slowly towards me, hand out. Before he could reach me I uncorked the bottle. "Maggie…" Alistair said. "What are you doing?" He started moving faster. I clenched my eyes closed and lifted the bottle, tipping the contents into my mouth. "No!" Alistair screamed.

I gasped, doubling over. It was a pain unlike anything I'd felt since the joining. Maybe he was right, I thought to myself as the glass shattered near my feet.

"No!" Alistair said again as he reached me. He had his hands on my shoulders, Zevran close by. I blinked a few times as the pain faded.

"Wow," I muttered.

He stepped back as I straightened up. "You… you're all right?" Alistair asked.

"Never better," I said with a grin. "Wow. I feel fantastic."

"What was in that?" Zevran asked.

"You don't want to know," I told him. "Trust me on that."

"Charming," he sighed. "Normally I do not object to your tendency to put things in your mouth, but this day has been a bit much for me. Perhaps you could, I don't know, stop that?" he glanced at me, eyebrow arched. "At least until we go to bed, that is."

"Ugh," was all Alistair said before turning his back on Zevran. "I can't believe you did that. Are you completely mad? It could have killed you!"

I shook my head. "I'm smart enough to understand his research," I said.

"Oh, and I'm not?"

"Not what I mean. I mean I'm smart enough to understand it, but I never would have been able to do it. Whoever that mage was, he was brilliant. A genius. Way beyond my level. Probably beyond the level of most of my teachers. I knew it was right."

He sighed, covering his eyes. "How do you feel?" Alistair asked after a moment.

"Like I could fly! Like I could rip an ogre apart with nothing but my teeth and nails. Like nothing can stop me. It's fantastic; I've never felt so good in my life. You should have listened, we could have split it!"

Alistair sighed. "Something tells me this isn't necessarily a good thing."

So I made it AOA cannon that Maggie drank the potion. But even she isn't crazy enough to be all 'oh, dusty old vial of blood. bottoms up!' So I spent ages trying to figure out why she would have done it.

I know I went wildly off cannon with the architecture of the Peak but the building is immense on the outside. I'm thinking that it's being only two stories internally is gameplay mechanics, nothing more.

Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing!