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Marian had received an anonymous letter from someone wanting assistance and was willing to provide some money and went over to the Wounded Coast with Wanda, Bethany, Anders, Carver, Merrill, Isabela and Varric and there they found Thrask standing outside of the cave.
"Master Hawke." Thrask said. "Arianni tells me you sought a better path than the Circle for her son Feynriel." He hesitated a moment. "I thought perhaps you would be willing to show mages a kindness once more."
"Can I get the details before I agree?" Marian asked.
"There are a number of apostates hiding in these caverns. I was hoping you might speak to the group, convince them to surrender peacefully before my fellow templars arrive." Thrask said.
Anders, Carver and Wanda sighed as Bethany shivered. Great. More fugitive mages.
"Who are these apostates? Where did they come from?" Marian inquired.
"These are the mages of the former Circle at Starkhaven. It burned to the ground and their templars sent for us to relocate the survivors. Unfortunately, they escaped on the journey. With their phylacteries burned, it has been nearly impossible to track them." Thrask said.
"Phylactery?" Wanda asked, trying to remember what it was.
"The Circle of Magi keeps vials with blood of mages, who are members of the Circle to keep track of them. That's how the templars track down any mage, who might escape from the Circle." Anders reminded as Wanda nodded, remembering and starting to see the problem.
"Do the other templars intend to do worse than recapture the mages?" Marian asked.
Thrask sighed, then nodded. "Sir Karras is a knight-lieutenant of the templars, a great crony of Meredith. Should he find apostates hiding from pursuit, Meredith will consider him justified in murdering the lot of them."
The last thing they needed was a bloodbath between templars and mages.
"I would not like to see this become a massacre." Marian said.
"Thank you. Your compassion does you credit. These mages have shown they attack templars on sight. You have a better chance than I to convince them they are better off alive in the Circle than free and dead. Sir Karras hunts them as well. If they have not surrendered by the time he arrives, this will be a blood bath." Thrask said.
As soon as they entered the cave, they spotted an apostate mage, who spotted them too, when suddenly, the dead corpses scattered around rose up and pulled out their weapons.
Wanda tore apart some of them, while Marian, Carver and Isabela cut them down and Anders, Merrill and Bethany burned them to ashes.
"Maker's blessing! I thought I was going to die down here in this… this tomb." The young man was clearly terrified, not that they blamed him. "Are you with the templars? Please, I need to go back to the Circle. I never wanted to get involved in this." He shuddered. "Not when he started making those… those things."
"He?" Wanda questioned.
"Decimus… it was his decision. He kept saying the templars would label us blood mages if we fled—why not use it if it's our best tool?" The apostate shuddered again. "He slit his wrist, and the magic… it rose from the blood and woke the skeletons in the cave." He gestured. "I ran. Decimus is wrong—blood magic is a work of evil, not just a power the templars keep from us for spite."
'More blood magic. Great.' Wanda sighed.
"Decimus is the leader of these mages?" Marian asked.
"He's crazy. He said, with our phylacteries gone, no one could find us. We would be free… I think maybe he set the fire. There must be a demon working through him. No normal man would profane the dead like this." The man said.
"The templar Thrask is waiting outside. Surrender to him and you won't be hurt." Marian said.
"I surrender. Take me to the templars! I don't want anything to do with this… blood magic." The mage gestured at the path he had run down. "The rest of them, they're still following Decimus. He's gone mad. I think he'd kill us all just to take the templars down."
The young mage then ran down the tunnels.
Deeper in the tunnels, the mages were engaged in a work of ritual magic. A bearded man was directing the others. He let the spell die when he saw Marian and her companions enter.
"They're here! The templars have come to take us back to the Circle."
The soldiers raised their bows. The mages had assumed they were templars, when three of them were carrying staffs, obviously mages.
"Decimus, no. Stay your hand. These are no templars." A woman intervened.
"What do I care what shield they carry? If they challenge us, the dead themselves will meet the call." Decimus protested.
Corpses got up, reanimated but Wanda quickly ripped them apart, while Bethany, Merrill and Anders burned them into ashes. Before the mages could use another spell, Carver, Fenris and Isabela charged forward, cutting them down as Marian stabbed Decimus in the heart as he fell back.
The tattooed woman knelt next to Decimus's corpse. "You killed him. Oh, Decimus, you should have listened to me, love…" She raised her head at Merrill, Bethany, Wanda and Anders, glaring. "You… you are one of us, but you wear no mark of the Circle. How is it you side against your own?"
"Technically, I'm not a mage." Wanda said, tired of explaining herself. "But to be fair, he used blood magic and there's always a price for using it."
"I warned him. I told him, once he marked himself as a blood mage, that was all anyone would see." The woman pleded. "Please… we only want our freedom. Without your help, the templars will execute all of us for Decimus's crimes."
They looked up, and saw dozens of desperate faces looking back at them.
"If not in the Circle, how do you intend to live?" Marian questioned.
"I hear there are places, outside the Free Marches, where the templars are not so vigilant." The woman said. Wanda felt pity for her, just as Merrill, Anders and Bethany but the rest was not as sympathetic.
"You followed him. You should all face punishment." Marian said.
"If you try to turn us in, your friends are coming with us. Do not doubt the templars will let an extra apostaet share our punishment." The woman threatened, gesturing at Wanda, Merrill, Anders and Bethany.
"These are blood mages, not like Wanda or Bethany. And what do you think happened to resort killing templars?" Carver whispered.
"Will you buy us time to flee Kirkwall?" The woman pleaded as they considered. Thrask was considerably more innocent than these mages.
"Leave it to me. By the time I'm done, these templars will swear the sky is green." Marian promised, trying to think of a less violent solution.
"Your confidence almost makes me believe you…" The woman sighed. "But I spent two weeks traveling with these templars. They strike first and think after. They are far easier to kill than to fool."
They went out from the cave, when rest of the templars had arrived, certainly complicating things.
"Are you trying to tell me this boy is all that's left of the apostates?" Ser Karras demanded.
"I ran away when they began to use blood magic, ser." The mage said.
"They are not in the caverns, Ser Karras." Thrask said, trying to avoid bloodshed. "I have thoroughly explored—"
"Who is this?" Karras demanded, turning to the group that had gone out from the cavern.
"Tell him who we are." Marian asked, turning to Varric.
"I'm astonished Ser Thrask didn't mention that Ser Hawke, knight-lieutenant of the Order in Ferelden, was here at the knight-commander's personal invitation." Varric said, talking casually as Wanda chuckled. He certainly was a convincing liar.
"Uh, yes. Yes, I was just about to tell him." Thrask said awkwardly, trying to play his part.
"We've completed our investigation of the mages in those caverns. There is no one left inside." Varric said.
"The apostates resorted to blood magic and end up turning on each other." Marian said.
"Their leader fled the battlefield ahead of us." Varric said. "Bloody coward left his own people to die. I caught only a glimpse, but it looked like the back passages led out to the back passages led out to the coast. I sent your men that way."
"We can still catch up if we go around the caverns. That's the faster route." Thrask said as Karras seemed to believe them.
"The coast, you say?" Karras turned to his men. "Men, fan out, search the short. We will retrieve these corpses later." He bowed to them. "I will commend you to the knight-commander, Ser Hawke."
Thrask waited until Karras was out of earshot. "Thank you, my friend."
Marian nodded, and watched him go. Once it was safe, the woman emerged from the cave.
"I didn't think you could do it. Truly you must be able to charm a miser out of his last coin. I did not think any of us would leave those caverns alive." She said.
"If it makes you feel better, officially you were 'killed during escape.'" Marian quipped.
"I will do my best to seem cold and rotted, then." The woman said before handing them her staff. "Please, accept my staff as a reward. It has the mark of Starkhaven on it—I dare not carry it now. It should be a good price." She gestured for the other mages to follow her. "Now, we must flee as far as we can before nightfall. Thank you, friend."
"Glad that's over." Carver said, relieved.
"I hope we have enough gold to join Bartrand on his expedition." Bethany said as Marian started to count the money in her coinpurse.
"I think we do." Marian said.
They soon returned to Bartrand, who was his cheerful self.
"Varric!" Bartrand glared at him. "Where did you get off to? And what are you planning."
"Bartrand. So suspicious. I have, in fact, brought us our future partner." He gestured at Marian.
Bartrand's reaction was exactly as Varric had expected. "What? Partner! You stupid, nug-humping dirt-farmer. Why did you go promising something like that?"
"Because if we don't get this expedition moving, Brother, then we won't have any profits to argue about, will we?" Varric said.
Bartrand glared, but relented. "Hmph. Maybe you have a point."
"So we're partners?" Marian asked.
"That depends. You got the coin we need?" Bartrand inquired.
"I do have your coin, in fact." Marian said as Carver handed Bartrand the pouch of gold they had collected for the expedition.
"You're joking." Bartrand stared.
"What did I tell you, Bartrand? Not bad for a human." Varric chuckled.
"All right, partner. Full share of the profit between you, me, and Varric." Bartrand held out his hand, and Marian shook. "Now we just need a decent entrance into the Deep Roads."
Marian handed over the maps. "These might be just what we need."
Bartrand spread the maps out as they enjoyed the look on his face. "What's this? Three… four entrances into the Deep Roads, all in the Free Marches? Where did you get these?"
"A wizard did it." Anders cracked as they chuckled.
"Well, color me astounded. We just pick the most promising one and go." Bartrand said, eying the group. "Time to wrap up any business you have in the city, my friend. We'll be gone for several weeks at least." He turned to his brother. "Let me know as soon as you're ready, and we'll head out."
Marian wandered around as he waited for the others to arrive as he passed a couple of dwarven merchants one of them walked up and shook his hand.
"Ah! So you are the new partner? A pleasure to meet you!" The dwarf said. "Bodahn Feddic, purveyor of goods both common and rare, at your service!" He then turned to the dwarven boy next to him. "And this is my son, Sandal, who is as brilliant an enchanter as you'll ever find! Say hello to the nice human, Sandal."
"Hello." Sandal said, making it obvious he was… not exactly the smartest lad, to say the least.
"We shall be accompanying your expedition and providing the needed supplies. It's all quite exciting, isn't it?" Bohdan asked.
"You aren't worried about venturing into such a dangerous place?" Marian asked.
"Not with such fine protection!" Bodahn smiled. "But I digress. Do you wish to peruse my wares? Or perhaps make use of Sandal's unique talents?"
"Enchantment?" Sandal said happily.
"Just so." Bodahn said.
"No offense but I'm not sure someone like you fits to go into such expedition." Wanda said, eying the dwarves.
"My son and I have never played it safe, never kept to the tried and true roads. In fact, we have just returned from adventures while accompanying the Hero of Ferelden—legendary Grey Warden and vanquisher of the Blight along with the other wardens!" Bohdan said.
Marian was slightly surprised, Bodahn knew her cousin. "So you helped defeat the Blight?"
"In our small way, perhaps. We do not find at the Grey Wardens' side, of course!" Bodahn confurmed. "The Hero of Ferelden is a fine man along with the other Wardens. He and the warden mage adventured off to find ways to combat the Blight. As well you know one of them became the King of Ferelden and another one a chancellor of the crown and another became the first Elven Bann, imagine it the first Elven nobles since the Dales. And as for the two Paragons, they are still fighting darkspawn as new commanders. After all their accomplishments may they find even greater success."
Aveline's new duties as guard-captain prevented her from leaving with them and Isabela was having too much fun in Kirkwall, though her type of fun was deeply disturbing and frightening, not wanting to tell the details. They decided to both bring Merrill and Anders along since a few weeks of the city was probably not a bad idea.
Fenris was coming, that was a given. That would give Carver another sword to back him up. Two swords, three staffs, and Varric's crossbow… that should be able to take care of most trouble.
"We've chosen one of the hidden entrances. The Deep Roads there will be nice and virginal, ready for a good deflowering." Bartrand said as Varric, Marian and Wanda shook their heads at the innuendo.
"Now there's an interesting image." Varric muttered.
"It'll take a week for us to get to the depth we need, and there are bound to be leftover darkspawn from the Blight." Bartrand continued. "Big risks, big rewards."
"Risks, rewards—what could be better?" Marian said.
"Exactly." Bartrand said. "Now, before we… wait. Who invited the old woman?"
They turned their heads as Leandra neared them. "I'm sorry to interrupt, sir dwarf, but I need to speak with my children."
Marian, Bethany and Carver went aside, alongside Wanda as they saw the look on Leandra's face.
"Mother, no. We talked about how important this is." Marian said, realizing what was it about.
Leandra sighed. "I just want to know one thing: are you planning on taking Carver and Bethany with you?"
"I can't leave them behind. I need them." Marian said as they saw Leandra's eyes get wet, not that they blamed her.
"We're going. I'll be fine." Carver assured their mother.
"It's not fine. You can't all go. What if something were to happen to you?" Leandra poked Marian in the chest. "You I understand wanting to do this. But leave your siblings here, I beg you."
Wanda decided to step up. "I understand you want your children to be safe. But this means a lot to them. If it assures you, I think Bethany could stay behind with you. Assuming you won't get into trouble with the templars." She turned to Bethany. "We can look after Carver." Wanda suggested, turning to Marian and Carver, who nodded.
"I think that's a reasonable solution." Marian said.
"Don't worry about me so. I can take care of myself, you'll see." Carver tried to reassure Leandra.
Leandra gave in, realizing this was the best she could settle with. "Alright. But be careful, all of you, please."
"Marian and I will look after Carver, Leandra, I promise." Wanda said, holding Leandra's shoulder, as Leandra nodded.
"Thank you, Wanda. Thank you." Leandra sighed in relief, hugging her. "I don't know how can I…"
"You gave me home, that's the least I can do for you." Wanda said.
"Be careful and look after mother, Bethany." Marian turned to Bethany.
"I will, Sister." Bethany nodded.
"Personal drama over with?" Bartrand intervened as they turned to him. "Then let's get underway."
"Been a long time coming, eh, Brother?" Varric said.
"But it has. The Deep Roads await!" Bartrand said.
They then began to move out, but no one ever expected what would happen the moment they would step foot in the Deep Roads. They could never imagine of the horrors that await and what fate awaited them.
Present
"No, this can't be right." Cassandra shook her head. "The Champion and her apostate sister and the Scarlet Witch came to Kirkwall to spread subversion against the Chantry." She glared at Varric. "But you claim this wasn't the case. The Champion and the Scarlet Witch just happened to have dealings with the Qunari, joined forces with a known raider, a blood mage, a rebel Warden… and for what? Coin?"
"Maybe it's not as simple as you imagine, Seeker." Varric said. "Wanda just wanted to get home to her world. But, well…"
"Simple?" Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "Do I need to remind you what your friends and these… Avengers did?" She stepped forward. "Do I need to tell you how many lives have been lost, how many more will be lost?" She clenched her fists. "You cannot sit there and tell me they are innocent."
"I don't know if innocent is the right word, exactly…"
"She must have known. Somehow, the Champion knew what was down there. That's why she wanted to join your expedition."
"No. None of us knew. If we had…" Varric said, his face full of sadness now. "She wouldn't have let either of her siblings step foot into that blighted hole."
"Is that so? Then tell me your version of what happened on this expedition." Cassandra crossed her arms.
"Well, we entered the Deep Roads as planned, but we didn't get very far…"
So, what do you guys think about it?
Please review and let me know if you are enjoying this so far and want for me to continue.