Not long after the celebration Theron visited the site of where the Dalish clans were going to establish their new home. Much of the land would need to be cleansed of the taint the darkspawn spread, but to finally hold land again would be worth the time and work. During this time Deesh had wondered off on her own, said she would return by the time Theron would. Shadow kept her head down until the two of them returned, though she did help Kallian with her new post as bann of the Alienage. Being a part of the group who slew the archdemon helped her significantly, and having a former assassin watching her back also helped.
When Deesh finally returned, she said nothing of why she had to disappear or for what, but her timing almost seemed too perfect. By the time Theron returned, he was ready to being his search for Morrigan. And Deesh happily validated her promise to search for Morrigan, however her secret pact with wild mage ensured any lead they might have would end. Shadow wasn't as confident about the hidden contract, though she played along to throw the trail off even further.
Eventually though the search would have to be put on hold as the Wardens of Weisshaupt have given new orders to the newly appointed Warden-Commander, Theron Mahariel. It seemed that the darkspawn presence in Ferelden had not completely disappeared as times before, rather it was now congregating to its northern territories. A contingent of a dozen Orlesian Wardens were dispatched to help bolster their numbers and begin conscripting new recruits.
And yet as they made their approach to Vigil's Keep, the new base for the Wardens of Ferelden, something was very wrong. Even the young warrior sent to bring them there could see it, "What is going on? Why are there no Wardens here to greet us?"
Deesh quickly drew her weapons, "Do you sense it?"
Theron grabbed his bow, "Yeah…but there shouldn't be…"
They could see a fire burning near the gate as someone was running toward them with a group of genlock chasing him. Theron notched an arrow on Falon'Din's Reach and took down the furthest genlock. Deesh took out the genlock closest to the fleeing human with her arrow, not bothering to draw a second arrow.
The man rushed past them, with Shadow, pulling the genlock's attention. She sidestepped it allowing the guide to attack it. She seemed to be a rather capable fighter, even if it was against a single darkspawn.
Deesh caught the man before he ran away, turning him around when he noticed the dead darkspawn. See them dead he started to slam his mace into one of the dead genlocks, repeatedly beating it to a bloody pulp. After a moment to catch his breath, he turned to his saviors, "It's you! The Hero of Ferelden! Oh, thank the Maker!"
Theron looked around, "Where are the other Wardens?"
The man turned back, "There was someone right behind me, a mage! He might have been a Warden, I don't know. All I heard were screams and people dying," the man was shaking, "I got out as fast as I could and ran into these… You need to help them. You need to do something!"
The young woman quickly urged the frighten man, "How many darkspawn are there?"
The man shook his head, "I don't know. Hundreds! The Wardens didn't sense them until it was too late, then they were everywhere! I'll see if I can't find some help. There has to be a patrol on the road."
As the human ran off Deesh seemed rather worried, more so than usual. "Something is wrong. The Wardens should be able to sense the darkspawn before the attack. I should be able to sense them now."
Theron knew she was right, even he couldn't sense many darkspawn inside the keep, which didn't seem right. The warrior guide rushed over, "We don't have a lot of time, Commander."
Shadow though complimented her, "Nice swordplay. So I take it you're more than just a guide then."
The woman stopped herself, "Oh! Pardon me. I'd assumed proper introductions would be taken care of at the keep. My name is Mhairi. I was a knight in the king's service until I was recruited a month ago, but I haven't taken my Joining yet. The seneschal sent me to bring you back. I was not expecting this!"
Deesh demanded, "And the seneschal?"
"Varel. He is the keep's steward, I believe, working for the Wardens."
Shadow pulled out Sol Edge, "Then let's get in there and make sure he's still alive."
Mhairi agreed, "Right! Let's teach these evil bastards a lesson."
Theron turned to Deesh, "Will you…"
"Go, right? Just try not to get flanked." Deesh jumped the fence and rushed off on her own. She spotted a lone guard trying to hold off a group of darkspawn, holding his own fairly well.
Deesh rushed in and rammed into a genlock and surprising the darkspawn. This opening helped the guard take out one of the darkspawn. Deesh crushed the genlock she tackled, swiping her tail to knock the third darkspawn for the guard to kill.
For the past few weeks now Sanguine and Sheogorath had been pestering Hermaeus Mora about what he and their champion discussed. "You know Hermy if you keep any more secrets it might draw your sister in on this."
"Mephala would not dare to intervene, not unless she cared to lose the tribute I offered her."
"Oh? You have something even more tantalizing for the Webspinner to sate her fangs into?"
"Not sharing it would give her more satisfaction when I finally give it to her." Three of Hermaeus' Seekers arrived as Hermaeus' tentacles gave each of them something. "Do be prompt in their delivery. Mephala is not known for her leniency to those late on promised arrangements." Each Seeker phased on assumedly to give Mephala her gifts.
Splitting up happened to be a good thing. They saved a few guards and found supplies to help the wounded. With the courtyard cleared they ventured into the castle to assess how damaging this surprise attack was.
With a moment of respite, Mhairi confessed her confusion, "How did the Wardens not sense the darkspawn coming? I don't understand it!"
"Something strange is definitely…"
Deesh pushed Theron and Mhairi back behind her with shield at the ready. With a quick whiff of the air she swung her shield right, smacking a shriek out of its stealth. Deesh's hand started sparking before unleashing her lighting in front of her shocking another. Theron shot his arrows at the shriek that was staggered by Deesh's shield as Mhairi protected Deesh's left flank, stopping a third shriek and pushing back.
After the three shrieks were killed Deesh turned to Theron who seemed to have affirmed a looming fear about this attack, he didn't even sense them despite how close they were. If it wasn't for Deesh's snout the shrieks might have struck with deadly force. Deesh looed bac to Shadow, who already looked like she was privately yelling at Shade.
There wasn't much else they could do with the main passage blocked by debris the only area not cluttered was a side door to the right. They rushed through to witness a mage roasting a darkspawn. Deesh was quick to readjust her hood before his spell finished. When it did he started shaking his hands from the heat, though he paused when he spotted the group. He looked ready to introduce himself, though the gurgling noise from the darkspawn pulled his attention away as it collapsed. He shrugged with a jeer, "Er…I didn't do it." He quickly added, "Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not broken up about them dying, to be perfectly honest. Biff there made the funniest gurgle when he went down," glancingly waving to one of the dead templars surrounded by darkspawn.
Shadow liked his cynicism, "Not too fond of them, huh?"
"Oh, I know, I know. Most people enjoy being kicked in the head to be woken up each morning. Me, I'm just so picky. I am Anders, at your service—mage and wanted apostate."
Mhairi, being a true Andrastian, she quickly questioned him, "An apostate? At Vigil's Keep?"
"You weren't here when we arrived. I'm sure I would have remembered such a lovely woman as yourself." Mhairi obviously didn't approve of the advances, though Anders didn't seem to mind as he turned back to the dead templars, "We were just stopping here on our way back to the tower. Just a short rest, they said, and now they're dead. Such a shame," without any real concern or guilt.
Deesh pushed forward, "We don't have time to talk."
"True. These darkspawn don't leave much time for chit-chat, do they? Well, tell you what. I'll help you, and we can discuss what comes later…later, once all these bastards are properly put down, yes?' Mhairi obviously had her concerns about this, but Deesh's concerns didn't seem to be about Anders being an apostate.
Regardless, a mage's magic can always be useful. And it wasn't too long before his usefulness would come in play. There was a civilian who had barricaded himself in as a pair of darkspawn tried to bash their way through.
Theron shot an arrow into the bac of a hurlock, sending him into one of the barricade's spikes. Anders used a repulsion glyph to push the spiked darkspawn further into the spike while repelling the second one away. A good chance for Shadow to quickly put it down with a single shot from her Imago Loop.
Much to Mhairi's surprise Anders called out to the civilian, "Get to safety! Quickly!"
"Maker bless you!" As much as she might not trust him as an apostate, he still had some good in him.
They pressed on to the battlement, though Shadow stopped their advance. "I'm picking up four hostiles. If they're smart, which we have to assume they are, at least two of them will have bows or crossbows."
Anders looked at her, "How do you know that?"
Shadow joked, "Call it woman's intuition."
Regardless, Shadow's 'intuition' about enemy strength is usually correct. Deesh moved around the corner, heading toward the ballista. She saw two hurlocks rushing along with a pair of genlocks getting their arrows ready.
Deesh was ready, her shield hiding underneath her cloak. The shield easily blocked the arrows, though the magic spell from an emissary was unexpected. She braced her shield, taking the full blast of the spell before the hurlocks attacked.
Theron fired an arrow at one of the hurlocks as Anders blasted the second with fire. As the genlock archers readied their next arrows, Deesh pulled out her crossbow and killed one of the genlocks. Mhairi moved up with her shield up. Plenty of time for Theron and Anders to counter the two genlocks.
Pressing onward they were back in the main hall again with the lever that controlled the gate. They had to open it if they wanted to press onward. As soon as they did a group of darkspawn rushed out. A dwarf waiting on the other balcony taunted the wretched monsters, "Oh, we're scared now. Don't come over here. Ha!" As the monsters crossed a suspicious pair of barrels on the ground the who floor erupted in fire as the dwarf gazed enamored at the glowing embers. "It'll take more than that to kill us, beasties. Come again if you dare!" running off probably readying more traps.
A trio of hurlock archers and an emissary soon rush in, attacking them. Deesh and Mhairi blocked their attacks so Theron, Anders and Shadow could counter.
Mephala entertained the two Seekers sent with their gifts. "So in return for these gifts, what are his requests?"
"Our Master has found a new champion in his hunt for knowledge."
"He has already sent her on a quest to fulfill his limitless desire."
"He requests from one of his brood to not interfere in his champion's quest of knowledge."
"But the Master would not make such a request without compensation."
"These gifts are a small sample to what can be given to you. Secrets that the Master will only disclose to you."
Mephala was playing with a few strands of webbing, in the middle of manipulating a few lives in Hammerfell to regain some strength lost to time, "And he will have my word. His precious 'champion' will see no harm befall her by my hands. Will that satisfy Hermaeus?"
"It will, lady of Whispers."
As the two Seekers disappeared from her realm, Mephala snapped three strings by the clutch of her fist. "You are so demanding dear Hermaeus." One of her spider limbs reached out to pluck another thread. This thread was different from many others, glowing and unbreakable. The vibration started to grow stronger as a portal opened next to Mephala.
A great horned beast stood at the event horizon, "Enough of your games Spider, speak your reason for summoning me before another one of your guests arrive."
"Remember Hircine, spiders are hunters as well." Mephala's careful movements were purposeful and delicate, "But as you wish. I have a proposal that will interest you. A hunter has been drawn into a new world. We cannot interfere with her hunt, but that does not mean we cannot find a hunter of our own…and prey."
"And why must I participate in one of your games of deception and politics?"
"That's the beauty of this game, Hircine. You will not have to worry about anything related to my…play. I will simply provide the pieces for you to use as you see fit and as a way of getting back at Sheogorath. Or have you forgotten about the humiliation that the Mad God shammed upon you in Skyrim?"
Hircine had never forgotten the game Sheogorath played, "Very well… Show this hunter you speak of."
"In time. First we must allow Hermaeus' little mortal time to prepare as well. Everything must move accordingly if we wish for our fun at their expense."
Continuing through the castle they found more survivors hiding or trapped by the darkspawn. What they didn't expect was to find Oghren fighting half a dozen on his own with his giant battle axe. He happily waved at them while cutting down the monstrosities that tried to attack while greeting them.
It only took only a few more swings of his axe to bring the rest of them down, turning back to the group, "There you are! When these darkspawn showed up, I thought, 'Just you wait until the new commander gets here and you'll all be splitting teeth out of your arses!' Followed the screaming, and sure enough, here you are. Good on ya!"
"Oghren? What are you doing here?"
Oghren chuckled at Shadow's comment, "Doubting your eyes, huh? I get like that, after the fifth bottle or so. Came here thinking I might try my hand at becoming a bona fide Grey Warden."
Mhairi was obviously disgusted by the drunken warrior, "He was here when I left. I can't believe the Wardens didn't kick him out."
Oghren finally recognized her, "Hey! If it isn't the recruit with the great rack!"
"Yes. A prize for the Wardens to be sure."
Oghren laughed, "I know, I know, too good to be true, right? Hey…who's the mage? Boyfriend? Should I leave you two alone?" winking at Mhairi.
Anders pointed, "Wow. A dwarf that smells like a brewery. You never see that anywhere." That almost had Mhairi chuckle.
"Huh. A mage comedian. Thought those normally died young."
Deesh had a different opinion, "It's good to see you again."
Anders wasn't convinced, "I find that hard to believe."
"As do I."
Oghren pumped himself up, "Now let's go introduce some darkspawn arses to my foot. Only polite thing to do."
Mhairi and Anders concerns over the drunkard were obviously not at ease, so Deesh turned to them, "Despite the smell, he played a key role in garnering the support of the dwarves and at the battle of Denerim when the Archdemon fell." She looked to him, "How many darkspawn did you slay alone that day? I know it was over fifty."
Oghren knew what she was doing, "If it weren't for those traps Loghain used I could have easily pushed that number well over a hundred."
Deesh started to sniff the air, looking to a door behind Oghren, "Let's move before it's too late."
Theron knew to trust Deesh's instincts whenever she said something like that. They quickly rushed through the door to find a dying soldier propped against the wall. Mhairi rushed to the bleeding soldier's side as he grabbed her hand, "Mhairi?"
"Rowland!"
Anders saw the wounds, and knew how dire it was, "He looks beyond healing magic. Maybe a shot of whiskey for the pain?"
Oghren turned to him, "I like the way you think."
Mhairi yelled at the two of them, "Stop joking! This isn't funny!"
"Commander," Mhairi looked him over, "Rowland was a knight recruited from Denerim like me. We must do something for him!"
Rowland was spitting blood, his vision fuzzy as he tried to see where Mhairi looked, "The…the commander?"
Deesh didn't bother, looking away as Theron knelt down to his side, "I'm here Rowland. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."
"We only had a moment's warning before they were on us, Commander. The seneschal ordered a counter-attack, but they came out of nowhere! There's one with them, a darkspawn who talks; his magic is powerful."
Oghren was obviously skeptical, "A talking darkspawn? The lad must be delirious."
Shadow hadn't turned away, "Maybe he misheard one of the soldiers, or somehow misconstrued their growls and grunts for words."
Rowland was screaming in pain, "There's something in my blood! It hurts!"
Theron grabbed his hand, "Hold yourself together, Rowland."
"It was an honor to meet you, Commander. I wish I could have fought at your side just once…" What little life there was faded from Rowland's hands, as he collapsed.
Mhairi closed Rowland's eyes, crossing his arms, "I will avenge you, Rowland. I swear it."
Deesh moved to Theron, whispering, "You know that wasn't just the taint that coursed through him."
He nodded, "Whatever this darkspawn is, we have to stop it before it escapes."
