Ch 28 Choices That Matter

Haven's Chantry

We walked in to the middle of a worship, and after the Revered Father (Leliana said there is no such thing, only woman can be ordain as priest. Why? Because it's tradition) said something about protecting their families and their way of life, he and his followers attacked us. After we killed them, we found brother Genitivi in the back room. According to him, the people here are crazy cultists. No shit.

Genitivi: "They call themselves the Disciples of Andraste, and they are very, very devoted. One could say fanatically so. They must be here to protect the Urn… but they speak of Andraste as though… as though she were still alive."

Even though he is injured and probably going to lose a foot, he still wants to come with us to the temple.

Genitivi: "Haven lies in the shadow of the mountain that hold the urn. There is an old temple there, built to protect it. The door is always locked, but I know how to open it."

Ruined Temple

After Morrigan healed him, Alistair, Sten and I take turns to carry him up the mountain so he can open the door to the ruined temple with the Revered Father's medallion. Afterwards, he wanted to stay at the entrance and study the temple. Frankly, I didn't like the idea of leaving him alone in the village of those mad zealots, that's why I agreed to carry him up the mountain, but I'm not sure how much better it is leaving him at the entrance of the temple, but he insisted. I just hope this is worth a foot to him and possibly his life.

At the end of the path, we met father Kolgrim, leader of the Disciples of Andraste. He claims that the prophetess Andraste has returned as a dragon, and they also seek that power. So there are people here who also want to become dragons.

Kolgrim: "Atop this mountain lie the remains of the mortal Andraste. The urn is watched by an immortal guardian. He is trapped in the past and refuse to accept the risen Andraste."

He is willing to overlook the killing of his followers, which we killed out of self defense, if we do one thing for him.

"An immortal? Is that common in this land?"

Morrigan: "No. My mother is said to be immortal, but her immortality is something else."

"What? That's the first I've heard of this."

Morrigan: "You've never heard the story? Tis' quite a well known tale."

An immortal witch…

"What kind of immortality does she-"

"Excuse me! We're talking here." Said Kolgrim, looking right at me, annoyed.

If this were Lordran, I would have killed him by now. But this is Thedas, so I have to do things their way.

"Ah, sorry."

Kolgrim: "So rude. Where was I? Ah yes, the Beloved needs to reclaim the Ashes, to make them Her own again. All it would need is a drop of her blood."

Darrian: "Wait… you are asking us to…"

Alistair: "But we need the ashes to heal someone!"

Kolgrim: "Then take some!"

"What is this talk of blood and Power? And he thinks Andraste is reborn? It is preposterous! Oh, I do not like this." Said Leliana, worried.

"Whatever magic that was held in the Ashes will be undone… And our great Lady will be freed from the shackles of Her past life!" Said Kolgrim out loud with his hand opened wide.

Did you really need to shout?

Sten: "And what? Encourage the worship of a large lizard? Consider your actions carefully."

Kolgrim: "The rewards for performing such a service would be great indeed! You will gain the right to the power of the dragon! The power of risen Andraste Herself!"

"Does this dragon's power turn you into a half dragon and half man thing?

Kolgrim: "What?! No! It will give you the power of the Reaver!"

"And that is?."

"Reaver is… a warrior who uses blood magic in battle," Leliana answered.

Morrigan: "No incantations needed too, it's more like Alistair's abilities."

Kolgrim: "All it takes is a vial of dragon's blood. Complete the task, and it's yours."

"And do they need to take blood forever? Like the Templar with lyrium?"

Kolgrim: "No! Andraste will bless you with power forever!"

Now that sounded too good to be true. Just drink some blood and gain power? From what I know, even Grey Wardans pay a huge price for their power.

Alistair: "Bad, bad idea. Remember the last time you had to drink blood? Only worse."

Sten: "Do it."

"What? Why? You were so against it a moment ago."

Sten: "We require dragon's blood for two."

"It's a deal." Said Kolgrim happily.

Alistair: "I'm just going to assume you have something witty and amazing up your sleeves."

The Gauntlet

Darrian POV

We stand before the immortal Guardian, a disciple of Andraste, and I mean not like the cultists in the Disciples of Andraste, I mean like he followed Andraste personally centuries ago. At least that what he claims anyway. The Guardian told us to reach the urn, we need to past a series of trials to test our faith. Good thing Leliana is with us.

Guardian: "Before you go, there is something I must ask. I see that the path that led you here was not easy. There is suffering in your past, your suffering, and the suffering of others."

Where is he going with this?

Guardian: "By the time you reach Shianni, she was broken, brutalized. You were too late. Tell me, pilgrim, did you fail Shianni?"

I can literally feel a cold sweat running down my head. I nervously looked around, and saw they were all staring at me… how dare he?! How can he just spill Shianni's secret like that! Shianni specifically told me not to tell anyone!

"Is this part of the Gauntlet?" I asked, looking him straight in the eyes.

Guardian: "No."

And I say nothing. And everyone else didn't asked.

Morrigan: "Is there any religion that does not thrive upon guilt like a glutton at his lunch? No? I thought not."

Guardian: "Alistair, knight and Warden… you wonder if things would have been different if you were with Duncan on the battlefield. You could have shielded him from the killing blow. You wonder, don't you? If you should have died, and not him?"

Guilt… all over Alistair's face.

Baldwin: "Alistair, you don't have to entertain this."

"I…" And Alistair looks down. "Yes. If Duncan had been saved, and not-"

Whack! Baldwin smacks the back of Alistair's head.

Alistair: "Ouch! What-"

Baldwin: "Here's some simple advices: You can't see the future, but you can learn from the past and as long as you are alive, you can find a way."

The Guardian moves on. "You came to this land as an observer, but you killed a family in blind rage. Have you failed your people, by allowing a Qunari to be seen in that light?"

Sten: "I have never denied that I failed."

"That's your failure? Being seen as a crazy, unhinged animal? Is that why you refused to tell us the truth? To protect the reputation of the Qunaris?" Said Baldwin, surprised.

And then… for the first time, I saw it, rage. I can even hear it, for a moment, his fist making a cracking sound. I'm almost afraid that Sten might attack Baldwin.

"You know nothing of me. Nothing of the Qun." Said Sten in a cold voice.

Baldwin: "The more I know the less I care to know."

Sten: "So you choose to stay ignorant."

And Baldwin ignored him.

After that little episode, the Guardian turned to Leliana.

The Guardian "And you… Why do you say the Maker speaks to you, when we all know that the Maker has left? He spoke only to Andraste. Do you believe yourself Her equal?"

"I never said that!" replied Leliana angrily.

The only reason I didn't just walk out was because I was trying to be respectful to Andraste's last disciple, who helped free the elves from the Tevinter Imperium, now I'm regretting ever wasting any of my finite time with this bastard.

Guardian: "And you, Morrigan, Flemeth's daughter… what-"

Morrigan: "Begone, spirit. I will not play your games."

Guardian: "I will respect your wishes."

Morrigan: "Respect? You? A pervert who gets off by peeping into other people's memories? Ha!"

Alistair, Baldwin and I snicker, while Leliana looks at us disapprovingly.

The Guardian ignored us and moved on to Baldwin. "And you, do you regret betraying your…" Then he suddenly pauses for moment, and starts again. "How do you know your grand quest is not just a delusion, a fantasy? Do you really believe you saved the world?"

What in the Maker is he talking about?

"So reading other people's private memories and then asking condescending questions is what passes for wise around here." Baldwin said to Morrigan.

"I think he's possessed by some kind of spirit. Perhaps a spirit of "wisdom" or "faith"." Morrigan said, mockingly.

Leliana: "Don't be rude. He lived for a long time, he is wise."

It is rude to ignore the Guardian and just start chatting among yourselves. But then again, I don't really like this "Guardian" either.

Baldwin: "Wisdom come from experience, yes, but even if he lived for hundreds of years, how much experience could he possibly have if he never leaves this temple? And faith has many meanings, what kind of faith are we talking about here?"

Morrigan: "Probably the worse one."

Baldwin: "What's the point of all these questions? He just asks them. He could at least say something witty at the end."

Morrigan: "Maybe "it" just enjoys watching us getting annoyed and distressed, so "it" can feel superior."

Guardian: "… Well? Do you?"

Baldwin sighs. "How do I know it's real and not just a dream? You can ask that question to anyone. That question may sound wise in you head, but it sounds stupid to me."

Guardian: "You did not answer me. Do you really believe that you are greater than Andraste? That you burned for the world?"

"If only all of that was just a dream. Then I wouldn't have to be some backup plan." Said Baldwin, looking away, at a torch on the wall.

After we left the room…

"Hi, what was that? What is this about burning?" I asked Sir Baldwin.

"Just a dream I had." Said Baldwin.

First Trial Room

Ghost of Hessarian: "She wields the broken sword, and separates true kings from tyrants. Of what do I speak?"

"It's mercy." I answered the ghost.

Hessarian: "Yes. I could not bear the sight of Andraste's suffering, and mercy bade me to end her life. I am the penitent sinner, who shows compassion as he hopes compassion will be shown to him."

In the first trial, we need to answer eight riddles. I think it's just trying test our riddle solving skills because the questions and answers have nothing to do with Andraste, the ghosts just forcefully tie it to her at the end.

Leliana: "So it's true… Hessarian really did see the light…"

And Morrigan laughed out loud.

"What?" asked Baldwin.

Morrigan: "You actually believe that thing is really the ghost of that Hessarian?"

"You don't?" I asked her.

Morrigan: "Everything here is fake. All these "ghosts" are just confused Fade spirits."

Leliana: "It's so sad that you don't have faith in anything."

Morrigan: "I do have faith, just not in your sanity or your "maker"."

"Alright, knock it off. We need to move on." Said Alistair.

Just after we left the room… "she" appeared before me.

Shianni?: "Hey."

I can't believe my eyes…

"It can't be…"

Morrigan: "Tis' just an illusion. Calm yourself."

"NO! Why? Is this fun to you?!" I screamed at the walls around me.

Shianni?: "Nice to see you too. When the Guardian asked, you wouldn't answer, why?"

Stop talking! Shianni didn't want anyone to know what happened to her!

"Shut up! You are not Shianni!" I yelled in her face.

Shianni?: "Some things can only be learned if you find them out for yourself. Still, you have come far."

"Are you even listing to me?"

"Seeing you now gives me hope… for all of us." Said the fake elf as it disappears.

For all of who?! Your are not an elf! You are not even real!

"You are getting too worked up over this. Twas' fake, just like all the other "ghosts."

"And how do you know that?" Said Leliana, angrily.

Morrigan turns to me. "Is your friend still alive?"

"Last time I check, yes…"

Leliana: "Last time?"

"Before I became a Gray Warden."

Leliana: "Then it's at least four months ago, a lot could change!"

I look Leliana in the eyes, and she looks away. Great, now I'm worried something could have happened to Shianni.

Leliana: "Don't worry, Darrian, I think the Maker just wants you to confront your past so you can heal."

I know I have an anger problem, but how is haunting me with a fake Shianni ghost healing me?

Second Trial

The moment we enter the room, shadowy figures rush in to attack us, I immediately pull out my sword and block the attack. My opponent also fights with a sword and dagger like me, and he matches me strike for strike, and when I take a closer look at him, I realize I was fighting myself!

What is this, some kind of "overcome yourself" trial? Good, I needed something to vent my anger on. I force my "shadow" off me and quickly glance at everyone else, they are also fighting their own copies.

The shadows possess our skills, weapons and even magic, the only way we can break this stalemate is for one of us to ignore our copy and help kill one of the other copies first. But like everyone else, we all know if we take our eyes off the copies for even a wink, our copies will strike us down, because that is exactly what we would do. Add to the fact that unlike us, these shadows might not even get tired, time is our enemy.

While I agonize over what to do, Baldwin suddenly appears beside me and thrusts his spear right into my copy.

"What-"

"You help Leliana, I'll help Morrigan!" Said Baldwin as he turns towards Morrigan.

After we killed all of our shadows…

"How did you kill your shadow?" I asked Baldwin.

"That thing started hitting the ground with its fist, I thought he was trying to use pyromancy, so I rushed forward to stop it, but no fire came out, so I just stabbed him while he was still bent over." Baldwin Answered.

Morrigan: "Those spirits can read our minds and copy our skills, plus they have the ability to alter reality, so tis' easy for them to use magic. But even so, they couldn't copy your magic, why?"

Baldwin: "Maybe they don't have the right catalyst."

Morrigan: "Like I said, spirits can alter reality. What catalyst could you possibly have that they can't recreate?"

Baldwin: "Who knows. I don't even really comprehend what your spirit is or what "altering reality" actually means."

Third Trial

This time it's a puzzle that involves creating a bridge with magic blocks. Sten refused to take part because it's magic. I don't get it, how do all these trials test our faith exactly?

Sten: "The Blight ravages the land, and here we are playing with switches and stepping stones."

Last Trial

Now they want us to take off our armors and put down our weapons and walk through a wall of fire.

Baldwin turns to Alistair. "Use your power on the fire."

Leliana: "What? This is a test, to test our faith…"

"What test? That stone tablet literally just says that we should go through the fire naked." Said Baldwin, as he lifts his hand to his upper left chest. Does he have an ugly scar or something?

Leliana: "And believe we wouldn't be burned. That is faith."

"No, not faith, obedience. We just need to do what the person who created this fire wants." Baldwin points to the wall of fire. "That fire is magical, the caster can make it do anything they want. If they wanted to, they can even make it smell like roses and heal wounds."

"Fire that smells like roses…" Said Alistair, in deep thought.

Baldwin then turns his back. "I'll wait outside."

Morrigan: "I never thought you to be the shy type."

Baldwin POV

While I am curious about this urn, there's no way I'm laying down my weapons or taking off my armor, or walk into a wall of fire. I thought as I touch my upper left chest, where my Darksign is.

"AHHHHH!"

I was walking back outside when I heard a scream! It was Leliana! I ignore the wall of fire and immediately rush into the room, and find Leliana lying on the flood, and Darrian standing near her with a sword soaked in blood.

"What happened?"

Darrian says nothing, instead he knells down and sprinkle something on Leliana's abdomen.

I look over at Alistair and Morrigan.

"Darrian… he poured the blood into the urn, and she went nuts… and attacked Darrian… and then…" Said Alistair, still in shock.

Morrigan: "I always knew she was deranged, I just didn't know how much."

I knelled down, removed my glove and put my finger to Leliana's nose as Darrian stands up.

"The Ashes!" Cried the Guardian as he rushed into the room.

Morrigan: "Don't bother, I already tried healing her. She's dead. He even sprinkled some of those ashes on her."

My Estus… will it work on a mortal? No, even if it did, Leliana is already dead.

"This most grievous of sins cannot go unpunished. Andraste must be avenged." Said the Guardian as he drew his weapon.

"Shut up. I'm trying to think." I search through my bag. "I know I have a Divine Blessing… Did I already use it?" That nobleman at Redcliffe! Pointless, even if I do have one, Gwynevere's potions can't bring back the dead.

"Die! May the Maker forgive your sin!" Screamed the Guardian as he charged at us.

"I said SHUT UP!" Enraged, I threw my spear at him, and it penetrated his armor all the way through his back and sent him flying towards the wall.

"Maker curse you…" Said the Guardian as he drops to his knees and falls to his side. Your maker is too late, I'm already cursed.

"You… you just killed the Guardian… the last of Andraste's disciples…" Said Alistair, horrified.

"You still believe that?" Chuckled Morrigan.

"He attacked us. Should I have just knocked him out?" I was not in a merciful mood.

Sten: "You've found your holy dirt, there is noting left for us here. Let us leave."

I emptied my bag on the ground, hoping to find something, but all I have are some mosses. I stand up and grab Darrian's collar and pull him towards me. "This isn't over, we'll talk about this after we leave the mountain."

To be continued

Let's be honest, we all poured blood into the urn, that's the only way to get the Reaver class. But unlike the game, there's no load option.

And let's be clear, I have nothing against Leliana. Not a single thing. Or Shale. They didn't die because I dislike them. Leliana was my primary lockpicker when my Warden wasn't a rogue. I'm only doing this for plot reasons.

Even so, I don't understand why the writers had Leliana attack the Warden like that. She was devoted, yes, but that scene just made her look like a crazy zealot.