Chant 56: Test of Faith (part 2)
"I hate this place," Wren groused.
The next chamber was clear of mists, but it was far from empty.
They were there, all of them.
Blocking the way forward were mirror images of each of them, or rather darker images of them. Justin was in his pirate clothes, Bethany wore the robes of a Tevinter Magister, Serene was in a set of bard armor, her eyes flashing with murderous pleasure, Merrill wore bloody Dalish leathers, Bradley was still in Templar armor, but the sneer on his face was more like Meredith's, gleefully lost in madness, the Leonie's eyes flicked with red instability, and Wren…well the other Wren looked pretty much the same.
"They can't hurt us can they?" the real Merrill asked, "I…I mean they are just reflections of us."
The false Bradley pointed at the Dalish, his smite struck her knocking her to the ground.
Guess that answers that question Justin thought angrily, he leapt forward eager to get some killing done.
"Take them down," the real Justin growled, "hard."
Each of the party members engaged their own counter parts, magic crackled, steel met steel. Unfortunately, the doppelgangers had the exact same skills as the real thing.
Not to mention it was a little disturbing trying to kill a darker version of yourself.
The two Wrens faced each other; the real one glared at his counter-part, its manic grin was quite unsettling.
"Are you trying to frighten me?" Wren asked the shade, "If you are, you're doing a poor job of it!"
It responded by taking on its drake form, fire belched from its fang filled mouth.
Wren glared at his double, if that was how it wanted to play…fine.
He transformed as well, leaping viciously at the creature.
The two drakes snapped and clawed at each other, neither having the advantage.
This battle would likely not end well.
IOI
"Switch opponents," Leonie called out as she was knocked back by her doppelganger. The golem reached down and crushed the head of the false Bradley, the double faded with a shriek. Ser Bradley now freed from combat, smited the false Bethany and Merrill. The real Bethany turned and called Fist of the Maker down on the False Leonie, the mad golem staggered and fell over. The Templar brought his sword down on the neck joint of the false golem.
It vanished with a puff of smoke.
Justin seeing the success the others were having broken off his battle with his double. He attacked the false Serene. The bard's double was as good as the original, losing her scythe; she switched to a short sword and dagger.
Merrill, now recovered from the smite, faced the false Bethany, lightning and flame clashed as the two women battled. Merrill's double tried to unleash her blood magic on the party, but Bradley cleansed her of her mana, he charged, catching the false Dalish by the throat.
"Damn you shemlen," the double hissed, "Dread Wolf take you!"
"You first," he growled, snapping the false Merrill's neck.
It vanished.
Merrill shuddered, a sharp twinge resounded in her neck, this was most disturbing.
Serene tangled the false Bethany's legs in her chain, the maddened doppelganger struggled, it even tried to cut its face with one of its nails, trying to call on blood magic. The real Bethany walked up and cracked it in the face with her staff, it fell awkwardly breaking its neck, and it joined its fellows in oblivion.
Only three doubles remained.
""Do you really want to kill me handsome?" the false Serene asked as it tried to escape both Bradley and Justin.
"I would never harm Serene," the Templar said, "but you aren't her."
"Besides," Justin smirked, "we don't need to kill you."
Before the false bard could flip away, Leonie seized her in her powerful arms.
She squeezed, the Serene doppelganger vanished with a pained wail.
The golem smirked at her allies.
Justin turned; the two Wren drakes were still locked in combat.
"Help him," Justin ordered the golem.
She nodded, rushing over with Ser Bradley.
Bethany faced the false Justin. It looked at her with pained eyes.
"He is not worthy of you love," it pleaded, "He lies about who he truly is. I am the real him, and we will never be worthy of you."
The mage's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"He is not you anymore," she hissed, "You will not get me to turn against him."
The doppelganger roared, "THEN DIE WITH HI….URK!"
The fake Justin collapsed, he vanished as the real Justin drew Vigilance from his back.
"I forgot how bad I looked with long hair," Justin quipped.
Bethany laughed.
A draconic howl drew their attention.
Wren!
IOI
The healer collapsed, he reverted back to his human form. He was badly injured; his doppelganger had ripped his stomach open. It was all he could do to try and crawl away in his weakened state, trying to hold his insides inside.
His double placed a fore claw on his injured stomach, Wren hissed in agony.
The others could not come to his rescue, not without risking the creature ripping him in half.
Wren felt a wave of weakness wash over him. Was this what dying felt like? Was his grand dreams to end before they had even begun?
His double returned to human form, it looked shocked, it had not wanted to turn back.
Bradley charged it, it tried to fire an arcane bolt, but it was blocked by the Templars badly melted shield. He bashed the doppelganger in the face. Before it could recover Bradley plunged his sword into it. It gasped and vanished.
Silence filled the chamber.
Wren looked up at his rescuer; the Templar had saved him, SAVED HIM!
It was insulting; Wren didn't want to owe anyone anything… much less a righteous little prig like Bradley.
"Are you alright Ser Mage?" the Templar asked.
"Give me a moment," the healer hissed, blue light suffused him, the wound would likely leave a scar, but at least the battle was over.
Bethany came over to him, she had a curious look in her eyes.
"That was an interesting power," Bethany said, something about her comment put Wren on edge.
"I don't like using it," Wren admitted, "A lot of bad memories attached to it."
Bethany nodded; the look she gave him was unsettling.
Does she know, he wondered, she had met his mother before, did she suspect what he was now?
He would have to deal with that when the time came.
He rejected Bradley's offer of a hand up. He staggered to his feet, but at least he was able to stand period.
The door to the next chamber opened.
Though winded they all knew they had to continue, the ashes were so close now.
They made their way to the next challenge.
IOI
The next chamber was a slaughterhouse.
When they had arrived, Sister Leliana had told them that a small number of priests served in the ashes chamber itself. They were there to guard the ashes and tend to any injuries one of the faithful may have sustained passing through the gauntlet.
They had now found those priests.
What was left of them anyway?
Their bodies had been piled on a series of switches that were used to open the door to the next chamber. They had been here for a while it seemed, despite the cold the smell of decay and darkspawn corruption was strong in the air here.
Bethany fought the urge to gag.
A lone figure sat on the steps before the next chamber, a figure dressed in dark drab colored robes, the figure shivered from the cold.
The robed person turned to face the Wardens and their allies.
"Please don't kill me," she said in a flat monotone voice.
Bethany gasped she recognized that voice.
"Helena," she asked, "Helena is that you?"
The woman nodded.
Bethany removed the woman's hood revealing a beautiful human face with short bright platinum blonde hair, but the woman's beauty had been marred. Her eyes were glassy and vacant, no emotion showed in her features, and an ugly red sunburst brand decorated her forehead.
"A tranquil," Wren spat in disgust.
Bethany winced, when she had first come to the Gallows, Helena LA Croix had been the first apprentice to welcome her. She and her lover Jacob had been her best friends. Helena had been so full of life then, a member of the libertarian fraternity she had always been up for an argument. When she had been made tranquil Jacob had been devastated. He had managed to find his way to the roof of the highest tower of the Gallows.
He had leapt into the waters far below, the Templars had never found his body.
"Everyone this is Helena LA Croix, she was a mage in Kirkwall before…" Bethany pointed at the sunburst brand on the young woman's head, "Do you remember me Helena?"
"Yes Enchanter Hawke," the tranquil replied, "I must advise you to submit yourself to the Templars, you have been annulled, and should accept your fate."
"That is not happening counter top," Wren hissed drawing his dagger, he hated the tranquil, they were the symbol of everything that was wrong with the chantry.
"I mean no harm," Helena said, not even flinching away from Wren, "I was merely reminding Enchanter Hawke of her duties to the chantry.
"Either to die or be made like you," Justin asked, "some choice."
The tranquil shrugged, "I am content in my role, and I am no longer dangerous. Many would find comfort in that."
Justin did his best to suppress a whimper, the thought of Bethany as a tranquil filled the Warden Commander with dread, if someone did that to Bethany, Wren, or Merrill he would likely have to kill them for mercy's sake alone.
No one deserved to live as an empty shell.
"What are you doing here Helena," Bethany asked?
"I am here serving as Brother Gibbons' assistant," Helena said flatly, "I am a competent rune smith, in addition, my knowledge of chantry history has been invaluable to his work here. I have also aided him in circumventing the traps of this temple."
"You always did like puzzles," Bethany gave the woman a sad smile, "Did they hurt you," she asked?
"Brother Gibbons is not Ser Alrik," Helena answered, "My services to him is strictly academic, he does not require the same…services as Ser Alrik."
Bradley flinched, in other words the poor woman was not required to perform any sexual acts with her new employer, Ser Alrik had a bad reputation for manipulating the knight commander into making young mage girls tranquil so that he could take them as his personal pets. Three or four apprentices a year had fallen to his appetites before he was murdered in the tunnel beneath the Gallows.
Bradley certainly had not miss the man.
He, Thrask, and Cullen had done their best to protect women like Mistress Bethany; sadly they were not always successful.
This poor woman was proof of that.
"Where is the Brother?" Justin ordered.
"In the ashes chamber," Helena said, "He and the Broken, no longer required my services, they told me to end my own life, but I have chosen not to. My skills are still useful to the chantry."
"You disobeyed an order?" Wren was surprised.
"She is not an automaton Wren," Bethany sounded insulted, "tranquil can make decisions on their own. They are simply driven by logic and not emotion; I have always wondered what would happen if the Templars orders did not fit the logic of the tranquil?"
"It is as Bethany says," the tranquil nodded, she turned to face her old friend, "May I please come with you," the tranquil asked, "I can be of use to you. I no longer wish to remain here."
"We can't take her into battle," Justin shook his head. The woman had no means of defending herself.
"Stay here Helena," she ordered, "Once we have dealt with this Brother and the darkspawn, we will come back for you."
The tranquil nodded.
"Thank you Bethany," Helena said in that cold even voice of her's, "I look forward to serving at your side again. Good bye."
They left the woman where she was. The door leading to the ashes was wide open. Justin was still not sure about taking the tranquil with them.
They would see how things went.
First they had to save the ashes.
IOI
"Be removing the flames Brother!" the voice was cruel and phlegmy.
The voice of a darkspawn, Justin's hands tightened on his weapons. A darkspawn emissary was dangerous enough, one that could think for itself was another matter entirely.
"I…I am trying my lord, just…just give me a moment," that voice was human sounding, panicked. The brother the tranquil had told them about.
Justin found himself debating if he should kill the exaltednist, he may have information, but for the horrors that this man aided the darkspawn in perpetrating on this place. Did such a man deserve mercy?
They entered the chamber; it was filled with angry orange light.
The light was from a wall of flame, the darkspawn and a portly man who must be Brother Gibbons stood before the flames. The Darkspawn continued to berate the man. Fortunately, it did not seem that the brother knew how to remove the flames.
The Maker it seems was still on their side.
Gibbons squealed in fear as the wardens approached, he hid behind the darkspawn emissary.
The Broken turned hissing angrily.
"The Grey Wardens will not be stopping us," the Broken hissed.
Justin glared at the creature, another awakened darkspawn, how lovely.
"You shall never harm the ashes monster," Ser Bradley growled fiercely, through the flames he could just make out the pedestal in the far corner of the room, and the urn which sat atop it.
They were here, Andraste's final resting place.
"Both the Prophet and the Exalted expected you may find your way here grey ones," the Broken sneered, "If this occurred, it gave me a message to be giving to you."
The darkspawn pulled a chain from around its neck, Bradley recognized the Tevinter symbols built into the strange medallion.
The Broken began to chant.
Brother Gibbons eyes widened with fear, "No! Stop! You can't…"
The darkspawn struck the man knocking him away.
The air rippled around the emissary…rippled and finally torn.
"It sundered the veil!" Merrill shrieked.
Demons poured from the tear in the veil, Rage Demons, Shades, and even a desire demon found their way into the mortal plain.
They attacked the wardens and their allies.
The Broken backed up grinning evilly; even if it died here the demons would block anyone from gaining access to the ashes ever again. The Prophet and the Exalted would win by default.
It could accept that.
The wardens and their allies attacked the advancing demons. Claws and fangs met steel and magic, Bethany, Merrill, and Wren cast spells against the tear in the veil the darkspawn had caused, but as long as the creature held the Tevinter Amulet, there was nothing that could be done.
The door to the fade would remain open.
Justin tried to protect the mages, if any of the demons managed to possess one of his allies they would all be in trouble.
He knew he would not be able to harm any of them.
The young warden gave himself to his rage; he attacked the creatures without thought of personal injury they had to reach the darkspawn.
IOI
Ser Bradley smited the Broken, it fell with an angry hiss. The Templar decapitated the desire demon before it could bewitch any of his companions. HE was a man possessed.
Justin's rage, allowed him to get past the last of the demons. He may not be Grey Warden, but he knew how to stop a mage… Darkspawn or not.
The Broken shattered his damaged shield with its staff. Bradley met the monster blade upon staff. He began to drive the creature back closer and closer to the flames. If he could not kill the creature, then perhaps he could force it into the flames and destroy it that way.
He never saw the shade sneaking up behind him.
The Templar cried out as its claws raked his back, tearing through his armor like paper. One of Serene's throwing knifes struck the shade in the eye, sending it crumbling into a pile of ash. Unfortunately, two rage demons blocked the bard from reaching the wounded Templar.
The Broken stood over the wounded Bradley, its lips pulled back into a feral grin.
"The Andraste has failed you," the darkspawn chortled, "The Prophet is all, and the Exalted is all, HAILING DELANCE!"
Bradley's eyes fell on the ashes, the symbol of all that their prophet had given up to try to redeem mankind. What did one life matter in the face of that sacrifice?
He knew what he had to do.
I hold your love in my heart oh Maker, he prayed silently; if you find me worthy protect me from this evil. If not then I ask you accept me at your side, so let it be.
The Broken approached him, a dagger in hand.
Bradley leapt to his feet.
He slammed into the Broken with all his remaining strength.
"BRADLEY NON!"
Serene's cry was sweet music to his ears.
If this does not work, the Templar sighed goodbye my love he thought sadly.
He drove the darkspawn back.
Both man and monster entered the flames together; the fire rose, it blazed hotter consuming the two warriors.
Both Templar and darkspawn screamed as one.
The fire cleansed them both.
