Chapter #10: Honnleath's Golem
Neralinden
Honnleath's location was much closer to Lothering than Soldier's Peak, so Neralinden knew that her team would reach their destination much sooner than Orion and Alistair. Still, travelling through the Redcliffe Arling would still take them many days on foot. Luckily they were all able bodied individuals who were fit and driven, thanks to Orion's information about there being a golem, the sole reason they were going to Honnleath.
Nesinni and Gorram pushed them hard, but thankfully they again had people who were familiar with the area. The Ferelden Circle of Magi was to the north and Josran had studied the lands around Lake Calenhad. Then there was Reimar who had spoken about going past the very road leading to Honnleath, but his own sister doubted how true his words were.
They passed through several villages on their way southwest, spending nights at Calon, Boiding, Elstead, and Freystead before making their final camp just a few miles from Honnleath itself. They were all giddy that night, readying themselves for the battle that would ensue. Nera trusted in Orion's words that there would be a large force of darkspawn attacking the village as they arrived.
"You look worried," Aurelia said as she came and sat next to Nera.
"I am," she admitted while sharpening her sword.
"You know, you can tell me," Aurelia answered, offering the dwarf her ear. "If it's about the mission…"
"It's not," Nera spoke over her. "It's about the people we're with. Our brothers and Helinda, none of them like Orion, hell, your brother almost knocked him out." She recalled the fright it had given her, the way Orion had crumbled and ended up defenceless and vulnerable. How almost everyone in the party seemed to look at him as though he was some kind of monster, a trickster.
"I stood in his way if you recall." Her tone wasn't sharp.
"Yeah, but after that you didn't even come over and see him. It took you until he came to see me until you spoke. And even then you made him promise you something," she grumbled.
"Hey, we're going to need better armour."
"It might not even fit you though," Nera argued.
"Come now, Oroin knows it will fit me, he did say he would try to convince them after all, meaning that he already knows," Aurelia grinned, wondering about what kind of armour she might have waiting when they turn north.
"You better forgive him for not telling everyone sooner," Nera told her friend.
"Sure, we get the golem, save the girl, I get my armour. Then I'll consider him forgiven." Nera felt herself get a little annoyed with Aurelia but, if she did forgive Orion then she would be happy.
"Just make sure you forgive him. He doesn't have many friends." Nera's thoughts drifted back to her home, the halls of Orzammar and the friends she didn't have.
"He has friends, he has you," was Aurelia's answer.
"Yeah, he has one and I have two," Nera muttered, regretting her words before they were even out.
"Hang on." There was a smile beginning to appear, a mocking one.
Stupid big mouth.
"You're more worried about the impact the relationship Orion and I will have affecting you." Aurelia teased.
"A-am not!" she bit back, denying the claim.
"There there Nera, we can both be friends with you." The woman nudged her causing Nera to rumble and glare at her.
"You mean it? You are my friend?" Nera asked, she had to make sure however since she didn't have any friends in Orzammar. Everyone saw her as a tool to be used, a woman to be wed to get the husband closer to the throne. As a royal family member that wasn't allowed to be befriended in case one of her three older brothers found out and had them sent into the deep roads.
"Yeah, I'm your friend."
"And Orion?"
"Fine, fine. I'll forgive him and see if we can be friendly again. But I won't ever trust him, not fully," Aurelia warned, but that was enough for Nera whose expression broke out into one of joy.
"Yay! Now my friends can be friends." Aurelia put a hand on her head, patting her.
"Yes, your two and only two friends?" She ended with uncertainty, wanting to see if her thoughts were correct. Nera did stop and even gaze down.
"Maybe." She answered softly.
"No other dwarven friends? No other noble ladies that you played with?" Aurelia continued to pry.
"There were when I was little…"
"You're still little. Ouch." Aurelia said while smiling, the strike from her dwarven companion and now clear friend did hurt.
"I will hurt you if you say that again."
"Say what again?" Aurelia teased with Nera puffing up her cheeks. "Moving on." She smirked down at Nera. "And what about the young boys, I bet there were more than a few of them looking to get their filthy claws into the King's daughter, Princess Neralinden." She pronounced her title with great mockery and received a sharper, harder strike from Nera. She fell sideways onto the ground, laughing loudly with tears welling in her eyes.
"You're a bully!" Nera declared, Thagrin and Sten looking over their way.
"I'm just teasing Nera. Honest." Aurelia forced herself up while Nera blushed.
"You're being mean is what you're doing," she argued. Boys are just filthy. She remembered how Thagrin and even her eldest brother acted towards women. Both treated them almost as simple objects.
"Friends tease each other. Though, maybe our friendship is a bit new for that hmm?" Aurelia asked more seriously, bowing her head a little. "Can you forgive me?" There was that smirk again.
"Fine, but only if you forgive Orion when we get back." Nera told her.
"As you wish, Princess." Nera stood up and pushed Aurelia onto her back with the woman just laughing about it.
"Argh! Humans are so frustrating!" Nera yelled, heading for her sleeping roll.
Nera lay there facing away from the rest of the camp, forgoing food until Gorram told her to at least have some of the bread to which she reluctantly did. Sleep was difficult that night, tossing and turning, weird dreams and even nightmares.
She looked down over high walls made from dirt and stone and grime. Down, down far below to the sea of lava that flickered and moved so slow, only it wasn't hot, there were obvious gaps and the colours changed and died and rekindled again. Then she was looking up from where the lava had been, only to find herself surrounded by darkspawn. Tossing and turning, sweating in her sleep, Nera couldn't wake. That's when a screech from above called to her. Great wings of black and red, a long neck with flames bursting forth. The dragon reared, screeched, stomped down on the bridge across the chasm, shaking the very ground where she stood.
Nera woke with a start, bolting upright and looking around for the darkspawn, only to find her fellow Wardens and a warm fire. Gone were the darkspawn and the dragon, the walls that closed her in and blocked her escape. Her surroundings were clear and getting brighter as the sun peeked from over the horizon.
"Bad dream?" came Aurelia's voice, but Nera didn't answer. She did look up as something cool touched her forehead though. "Relax, it's a damp rag. Lucky for you, I have already had that dream. Poor me didn't have anyone to help me though." Nera gazed down, letting Aurelia help her and quickly began feeling a bit better.
"It felt so … real." Her voice was soft as she recovered from the nightmare.
"Most people say that, or so Gorram tells me. He had a dream about the Archdemon before we left, I had it our first night out. You seem to be the last in our group. Maybe it's because you're the youngest." She teased, dropping the rag into Nera's hand.
"Archdemon? The one that leads the blight?" She asked.
"Yup, the dragon in your dreams was likely the very Archdemon leading this one." Aurelia grinned while Nera only felt terror. "It talks to the horde, sometimes, according to whoever told Gorram, we Grey Wardens can sometimes feel it, hear it, understand it." That made Nera's skin crawl.
"Nope, don't want to do that, any of that." Aurelia laughed and tossed her half of her bread.
"Can't help it. Apparently that's part of what happens to all the Wardens. Lucky us." Her sarcasm was palpable.
The group ate something small and packed their things. It wasn't far to Honnleath and they had fighting to do once they got there. They came across their first group of darkspawn as they saw the village in the distance. Nesinni wanted to eliminate them and the whole group though it would be for the best. The more they killed now the less likely other darkspawn could reinforce their kind.
So an ambush was set. Nesinni went off ahead, loosing arrows at the group of monsters and letting a few arrows wizz back past her. As they began to approach her she turned and ran, halting to loose another arrow before scampering off again. She did this until they were all chasing her, allowing themselves to be led right into a trap.
Nesinni ducked under a log and got to her feet, bow replaced by two short swords at the ready. As the group of darkspawn trickled in, the Wardens let them filter under the log. Nesinni slaughtered many of them by herself before Gorram and Sten came from behind her and began cutting them down faster. The log served as a funnel, only allowing one under at a time. The ones that went under were quickly cut down and the rest remained cautious on the other side of the log. That's when Nimue and Josran stepped out from their hiding places and aimed their staffs.
Their chanting attracted the attention of their prey, but this was expected and as needed, the rest of the Wardens began to appear having circled the darkspawn now that they were firmly in the trap. Blood spurted and the monsters cried out in pain and rage, but still the blades bit into their flesh and bounced off the worn pieces of armour.
"Back!" Josran ordered just seconds before flames erupted from his staff, setting numerous darkspawn alight and singeing others. Some of those that weren't struck or avoided the cone of flames were caught in a second cone from Nimue's spell. Lightning darted between them, stunning and killing those it touched. Those not dead were then slaughtered by the other Wardens in a quick and effective manner with no hesitation for taking darkspawn life.
The leaders checked in for any injuries, and there were none. With no need to wait around, the party continued onwards towards the village. It was their first large encounter with the darkspawn as a team, half of their numbers and the one Qunari that had become their companion. Sten had shown his ability as he cleaved a hurlock in two. Nera had asked Aurelia if she too would be able to perform such a feat, the dwarf only got an annoyed huff in return.
Entering the village of Honnleath, the party was welcomed with the hanging of a man and woman, likely two of the villages. They didn't cut them down, they didn't want to create any noise or allow themselves to be distracted. Another man hung from the wooden beam below the stone arch that was clearly the main entrance to the small village. The man had armour on, a guard or old soldier perhaps, they would never know as from ahead they heard a strange call and came face to face with over a dozen genlocks and a few hurlocks. I thought there wasn't supposed to be this many? Orion had warned them that there were a lot of darkspawn, but through his multiple experiences and trouble remembering the exact numbers and types, he had said six or seven. The actual darkspawn that appeared numbered in the dozens, and would give them a more interesting and even fight, sure, but Nera knew a couple of their party who would bring this up and use it against Orion.
The warriors charged against the darkspawn with all the ranged Wardens focus down the enemy's archers, and thankfully there were no darkspawn mages. Nera charged one of the genlocks since it was closer to her size, slamming into it with her shield, flattening it and driving her sword through its belly as its crude shaped sword bounced off her shield. Her victory was swift, as were the rest of the party's Every darkspawn that had been in the well area was killed, though Nera could feel something dark, something cold, it was moving, they were moving.
"Can anyone feel that?" She said aloud.
"Yeah … it must be what Alistair told us, how Grey Wardens can sense the darkspawn." Josran answered.
"Whatever it is, it makes me uncomfortable." Nimue added as she watched other looting the bodies of the dead darkspawn and humans alike. Gorram came back over and swore.
"Damn chest needs a key. Wonder if we can…"
"Orion said there would be a chest requiring a key. Make sure everyone checks the dead villagers," Nesinni ordered with many just grunting, half ignoring her order.
"Why do you think the person is dead?" Reimar asked.
"Because Orion ... " Nera started.
"Forget Orion, you really think the darkspawn allowed someone to live?" Aurelia questioned her brother who fell silent, knowing his little sister had the right of it.
"Everyone stay on guard, remember, there is supposed to be a larger force than what we encountered here," Nesinni told them.
Right, but this one was already bigger than he said it would be. Her mind began to worry about what the others would do to Orion over this when they met up at Soldier's Peak.
The team moved on after their brief encounter, making their way up some stairs, if they could be called that. Oblong shaped logs had been made and buried in the dirt hill that would lead them to the upper part of Honnleath where the golem was waiting for them. Some of the logs had begun to rot, others had chunks out of them and there was blood staining others, fresh blood.
She heard them before she saw them, a screech that let them know they'd been spotted. Orders flowed from Nesinni and Gorram with the ranged members taking the rear while the shield wielders would take the front. Nera felt an arrow bounce off her shield and laughed nervously. She hadn't expected there to be so many.
Standing side by side with her brother, Nera felt strong, confident, undefeatable even as a genlock rammed itself against her shield. Thagrin slipped a sword past, piercing the monster which let out a scream as it died. Always has my back. She gave him a smile as an arrow from Nesinni whizzed overhead. She was thankful they were so short, it gave the rangers a barrier to half hide behind.
Peeking around the side of her shield, fear almost made her step back as she saw not just a dozen, but closer to the entire upper courtyard being infested with the darkspawn. Their mouths snapping as they ran, the black blood like drool escaping their shrivelled lips and sharp teeth. She recalled hearing some of the older soldiers under her father talk about the bites they experienced. Chunks of flesh, muscle torn making a limb useless for the rest of their lives, how some of their friends had succumbed to the taint after being bitten as the darkspawn blood burned and festered in their open wound. She would not allow that to happen to herself, or so she would try.
A blade scratched at her shield before she pushed back against her attacker, slipping her blade into the creatures guts. Those white eyes, eyes of death stared back at her as the genlock slipped back from her blade, landing on the ground dead. She didn't hesitate to push forwards again, parrying her next attacker's blow before nicking its side and stabbing it in the back as it spun away from the pain.
The sound of battle erupted all around her as the mass of darkspawn began clashing with her fellow Wardens. Battle cries from the men, her brother's very noticable to her. A woman's cry of triumph was as short lived as whoever it was grunted. Three, four, her fifth opponent was dispatched with ease, a hurlock misjudging her and having a leg severed before taking a blade through its skull as it writhed on the ground. Always finished them, that's what dad said. There were stories about darkspawn growing their limbs back, but she didn't believe that. How would someone know unless they captured one, but then that would risk the taint spreading and the observer catching the sickness.
An explosion of red and yellow came from her right, along with the agonising screams from those darkspawn now fighting on while burning alive, if they were alive that is. She came across one, half its face alight, the greyed skin melting and dripping onto its rusted breastplate. The sight became almost vomit inducing as she saw bone as the fire had nothing left to burn in that spot. Ancestors. She prayed as she cut this darkspawn down, too. Seven.
The battle was coming to a close, the darkspawn didn't run either, throwing themselves at the party that had stumbled into the sacking of the village. They lay dead all around her, she had to watch where she stepped as to not fall over and leave herself vulnerable. It was then that she caught sight of something sharp heading her way. Pulling her shield over and turning to greet the blow, Nera felt a sharp pain in her arm and head as she fell backwards.
"Nera!"
"Sister!"
Thagrin yelled alongside someone else, but Nera couldn't speak, she just watched as the culprit moved closer to her. She met those same eyes they all had, lifeless, colourless, the eyes that would be terrifying if they were the last thing one was to see in their life. Something Nera was about to experience. The helmet of this darkspawn had horns pointing from the sides almost giving it a bull-like appearance. Then there was the axe, a double handed, double edged battle axe like Aurelia. She fought to bring her shield up again, to block the blow, perhaps even glance it off to the side.
There was no glance, just a sharp screech as the axe's edge bit into the metal of her shield. Nera screamed in pain, the impact more than enough to break her arm, shield or not, the strength of this darkspawn was considerable. Still, as the monster wound up to bring his weapon down upon her a third time, a second while she lay on the ground, Nera grabbed her Shield with her good arm and pulled it over her body once again. She turned her head and closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to stun her again, she even heard the thunderous clash against her shield, but she felt nothing.
Opening her eyes to check if she was still of this world, Nera found the darkspawn gone. There was still the sound of fighting, but she found herself looking up at an elf, a very pretty elf who was talking. Though Nera didn't pay any attention, though when Nimue touched her arm she hissed, throwing her head back and howling.
"You've probably broken it. Let me help." Nimue rested a hand on the shoulder of her likely broken arm. A bluish glow began to form around Nimue as she chanted something under her breath.
It was the loud shouting that grew her attention from being healed, she could tell she was as her arm no longer felt like it was on fire, though it did feel strange, even foreign to her. Her eyes landed on the darkspawn that had laid her out, injured and at his mercy, not that darkspawn had any. It was fighting against someone else now, a fierce warrior with the same weapon. Aurelia! Though the human was pushing the darkspawn back, slipping to the side of wild strikes and even when she missed, she gained ground.
The hurlock swung in a wide arc, but Aurelia somehow ducked under it, the edge missing her by several centimeters. Nera felt the air drain from her lungs, worried for her friend, though as the monster struggled to stop his missed attack, Aurelia pushed again. Nera watched as the hurlock received a pommel to its chin, shifting the helmet to cover his face. Blinded and enraged, the hurlock thrashed about. She screamed for Aurelia to finish it, and Aurelia obliged. The darkspawn's fit of strikes missed Aurelia, who ducked and began to spin, holding her axe close. Nera hadn't thought the woman so agile, and the speed she had her axe reach was almost a blur before it thunked against the armoured stomach of the hurlock.
Cheers went up from others that had finished fighting, all those watching witnessed the darkspawn fall back to the ground, Aurelia's axe imbedded in it with black blood oozing out from where the axe had pierced the armour. It was a scary realisation, one that had Nera thanking her ancestors that Aruelia wasn't a darkspawn.
"Hold still, the fighting is over." Nimue instructed, but Nera wanted to get up and move. Her arm felt numb but otherwise fine, the pain that had been there was completely gone. "Go," the mage said angrily, to which Nera didn't respond.
Checking out the darkspawn up close, the very one that had injured her, she was glad to see it dead and impressed with the power Aurelia had. The blood trickled against the cold metal armour, pouring out from the corners where the armour splintered thanks to the blow.
"You ok, Nera?" Came Aurelia's tired voice.
"Yes." Looking up at the human, she found her brow coated in sweat with her face splattered with blood, black and red. "You're hurt!" she called too loudly, and Josran came running over, magic already glowing around his hand as he rested it on Aurelia.
"People think magic is amazing … but damn, what I wouldn't give to be able to hold my own like that," he said as the magic closed up the cut on Aurelia's head, not even leaving a scar. "Just minor, don't fret too much you two. Or do, I don't mind spending time with beautiful girls." Aurelia growled at him. "Women! I meant women," Josran said in his defence, though Nera laughed, doubtful that the correction had helped him.
"Are you sure? I heard you scream and came as fast as I could." Nera felt embarrassed about it, she had been beaten by a lowly hurlock, a darkspawn like so many others she had killed before. "Your shield," Aurelia breathed out in concern.
"Ah … yeah, I couldn't move it before."
"Your arm then, it is hurt." Aurelia knelt down and took her left arm, her eyes betrayed her though as the woman figured Nera would cry out in pain.
"It feels weird, numb I think is the best way to describe it. Nimue healed me right away." She hoped Aurelia would be ok with that and be happy to hear she was healed, but when she saw the smirk she became confused.
"Your Highness shouldn't…" Nera made to strike her in the jaw but her punch was caught. This … bad person. She threw her left hand next with Aurelia dodging and wrapping her up close. With her arms trapped at her sides and being unable to fight, Aurelia delivered the rest. "Shouldn't be using her left arm in such ways." Nera could only grunt in frustration, wriggling to try and break free. But Aurelia's grip was too strong.
"Come on you two, stop playing around over there." Gorram called. "We need to find the key … or we could just knock down that door to the cellar door."
"No." Came Nesinni's voice. "Breaking it down would likely alert those inside to our presence."
"If they haven't heard us already." Reimar barked.
Nera and Aurelia joined the others near the door as they talked about opening it. The leaders were at a disagreement and seemed to be forgetting that there was supposed to be a key nearby. Nimue walked right between the two and went to the door. Oh no… don't blow it up, can mages blow up doors? She had seen the fireballs and electrical attacks used against darkspawn, but never against a door. There was a click and then the elf turned with an unimpressed look on her face as the door stood ajar.
"He may have misremembered the number of darkspawn here, but he only ever said we needed one key." To which she showed the bronze key. "I suggest we take a short break, however. There were a few minor injuries, one major." Her eyes as well as a few others came to rest on Nera. "But we should be fine to head in shortly."
Gorram and Nesinni agreed and went off by themselves. No one thought anything of it, the two leaders likely going over the plan and making adjustments since Orion's information seemed to be lacking in the number of enemies they would face.
Picking up her shield and fixing it to her left arm, Nera lifted and lowered it, trying to get a feel for how well she would be able to fight once they moved out again. Her arm felt heavy enough as it was without the shield. It had been broken and healed, but there was still something wrong with it, it didn't quite feel her own.
"This was supposed to be a simple mission. Kill a few darkspawn and save the villagers, say a few words and bam! We have golem fighting on our side" Aurelia complained as she took a seat.
"Speaking of." Nera started, her eyes turning to the small grassy raise that had the low wooden fence going around it. In the very centre at the highest point, there was a statue, the golem of all things. They always seemed bigger in the stories. It stood there as if roaring in defiance to something. It had a wide stance, with its arms out as if trying to catch something large falling towards it. Then there were little areas of crystals which made Nera go over.
She looked at it closely, the cracks between the stone that was its body, the crystals poking through what looked to be carved areas, even some of the rocks were smoother than they should have been. Running her bare fingers across its torso, she suddenly pulled back. What if it moved … it could have taken my fingers off. She looked up at it, perhaps three times her size yet still not as large as legend made them out to be. Then she began to smile, giggling to herself and leaned against it with one arm.
"What's gotten into you?" Aurelia asked, she too eyeing up the golem which stood taller than even her.
"You don't see it?" She asked with her voice full of wonder. "This… this golem is legendary, I've never seen one before, never. Hell, I doubt many dwarves alive have ever seen one… and once we get it moving…" She broke down into excited giggles once more.
Aurelia let her, perhaps it was the stress of nearly being killed, or maybe it was the fact that this creature, this construction was really that great. But it all ended as the leaders began to call most of the team in and sent those selected into the cellar. Helinda, Thagrin, and Josran were all told to remain outside to stand guard. They didn't need the darkspawn to somehow return and have them trapped underground. Their job was to kill any stragglers or if it came to it, flee and get help from the other group. Needless to say, if it came to the latter, then the rest of the team would likely be dead when they returned.
The cellar was so much more than Nera had given it credit for, a steep staircase that lead into a small room with not a whole lot there. Though there were bodies and blood, books and a strange looking crystal. Things that could be sold or worth something were taken and the team proceeded.
The next room was where they encountered more darkspawn. Even with three of their members up in the village, the Wardens made quick work of this lot, dispatching all thirteen of them without any injury. There were comments about Orion, none good as they made their way through, taking this and that, mostly just for the coins they could sell it for. Nera wasn't looking forward to loading her pack and hauling it north.
The next room was filled with barrels, and by the smell Nera could tell it was a room that her brother would have enjoyed. Hell, Reimar even grabbed a mug and poured himself a drink. It was already to his lips when Gorram spoke.
"What in Stone's name are you doing?"
"What's it look like? Having a drink, short stuff." He swallowed as Gorram approached.
"No one gave you leave to have a drink. You're endangering everyone!" Gorram snapped.
"Oh relax, we've been through most of the darkspawn already, Orion said there was only supposed to be a few after all." Reimar grinned. "Guess you could say I'm … toasting his helpful insight." He took another swig while Gorram snarled.
"Put it down. That's an order." His anger was clear to the others with Nesinni stepping up to his side.
"I don't take orders from you, dwarf. You're nothing, me however, I'm the heir to Highever." He gave a chuckle, making to have another swig.
"You're a Grey Warden, brother." This halted him, if for a moment before he chose to ignore his sister. "Highever is lost, Fergus is dead, let whoever wants to sit on that cursed seat."
"I will sit on it. After I kill the Archdemon and claim my reward. The ruler of Ferelden and commander of the Wardens won't be able to deny me after I accomplish such a feat." He made to fill up his mug again, Nimue moving safely to the opposite side of the room.
"Reimar Cousland." Nera's voice boomed. "I command you to put down the ale and listen to your commanders and fellow Wardens."
"And who do you think…"
"Princess Neralinden Aeducan of Orzammar. A title higher than your own. Now, put it down." Her eyes burned with anger. She hadn't fogiven him for striking Orion. The room was silent as the tallest of them stared down at possibly the shortest.
"As you wish." He answered with a smirk, placing the mug down full of ale and striding on ahead. Why he was smiling she did not know, but Nesinni gave her a slight bow while Gorram came and thanked her for stepping in. Clearly there was going to have to be another talk about leadership in the future.
A blue glow came into view as they came around a corner, Reimar waiting with his sword out and grinning like a mad man. There were clearly darkspawn ahead, if Reimar didn't give it away the sounding of their speech could be heard. Low growling and grunts, something akin to laughter even. That's when Gorram gave the signal to attack. Orion had said their final darkspawn encounter would be near a blue barrier. They fought towards said blue barrier, but the numbers once again were very wrong.
"Take out those on the platform!" Nesinni called, an arrow from her striking a hurlock clean in its throat. It toppled over the railing, dead.
Nera felt her shield rattle and her arm flare up as pain exploded through it. I thought it was healed? A magical blast took her opponent down. She finished it with her sword and turned to Nimue who shook her head. She wasn't completely healed it seemed, so she let her shield fall to the ground.
Another foe came at her with its jagged steel. She parried it away as her father had taught her in what seemed so long ago, and then nicked under its sword arm aiming for the tendons. It worked as it couldn't raise a defence as she cut its throat, blood spurting out towards was an intense few minutes as they ran their blades through the remaining darkspawn, filled them with arrows, or struck them with magic until they were all unmoving.
"By the Maker! We're saved!" One of what could only be, a woman from the village called as their Nesinni and Gorram approached the barrier. They were covered in blood, more Gorram than Nesinni, but she had been drawn into close quarters combat too as her blades dripped black darkspawn blood onto the stone tiles.
"You weren't sent by the Bann, were you? To save us?" Another villager asked.
"Your Bann didn't send us," Gorram answered.
"But someone who knew you were in trouble sent us here, to save you and ... " Nesinni paused, remembering what Orion had told them. "We're Grey Wardens."
"Grey Wardens? Here? Thank the Maker for our Luck!" The man cried.
"Is anyone in there hurt?" Gorram asked. The man shook his head. "Then let this barrier down. We have a few members waiting in the village. The darkspawn are dead." The man revealed himself as the mage as he lowered the barrier, or at least changed it as the colour changed yet the barrier remained intact. The other villagers running towards the exit.
"The statue standing out there." Nesinni stated. "Is it the golem? Does it work?"
"So this is about Shale. I should have known."
"Listen, we're Grey Wardens, having a golem on our side will help us immensely against the darkspawn." Gorram stated, seeing how the man reacted to the golem being brought up.
"That damnable golem brought us nothing but trouble. My mother sold the rod years ago, after it killed my father, and good riddance." This stunned the party, each exchanging looks of horror and sudden anxiousness about getting the golem. Though for two of them, a simple eye contact showed their understanding and how Orion had been right when telling them.
"Wait … it killed your father?" Gorram sounded shocked.
"That bastard … he's tricked us. What if we activate it and it decides to try and kill us?" Nesinni snapped, looking down to Gorram. Nera found it funny since Nesinni and Valhen were supposed to know this already. How much did Orion tell them exactly?
"My father's name was Wilhelm, mage to the Arls of Redcliffe and a hero in the war against Orlais. And what did he get?" The man questioned. "One day my mother found him outside the tower, with so many broken bones that she could barely recognise him, and Shale standing over him just like it is now. My father deserved better than that. But if you really want to wake Shale up, if you really think it will help, if you want to risk it killing you too … Well then, it's yours now."
"Wilhelm, I know that name." Aurelia whispered in Nera's ear. "He was a mage that fought beside the Rebel Queen Moira, and then her son, Maric the Saviour." Nera felt goosebumps all over, such a man was killed by his own golem.
"I wonder if that's why Orion said he didn't know exactly how its master died?" The question remained unanswered as they left the leaders to discuss whatever they needed to with the man.
As they returned to rest with the others, Nimue was going about healing those that were injured. Sten had taken an arrow to his shoulder and the armour he wore still didn't fit properly so he had taken many cuts too, nothing deep, but enough to warrant healing. Reimar was another matter, the man had been the second up the stairs and struck a darkspawn head from its shoulders in one swing. It was a clean strike, timed perfectly and with an angle that gave almost no resistance. He had two arrows in his side before, but they were now lying on the ground coated in blood.
Aurelia had only suffered cuts and Nera this time had managed to avoid getting injured, having chosen to stay back and kill whatever came after her. The party was fairly battered at this time and both Nesinni and Gorram got a little healing done before they spoke to the rest of them.
"The man's name is Matthais. His father was a Ferelden hero and owner of the golem. He has agreed to tell us the words to activate it, but we must be aware of what it might do." There were a few worried looks.
"If it attacks, we need to kill it, however that may be." Nesinni added. "We're also making some changes, this next part will be the final push before ... "
"Final push? Didn't that Matthias guy give you the phrase?" Reimar interrupted, much to Nesinni's annoyance.
"No, Orion said there would be demons to deal with, and Matt…"
"Orion … fuck Orion. His information has been next to useless here. And now you're going to believe him and continue on?" Reimar's frustration was clear. He didn't like or trust the guy from this other world.
"Honnleath was under attack, the golem is standing there and awaiting the phrase, there are, were villagers that needed saving and finally, demons to kill and a girl to save. Still seems pretty consistent to me." Nesinni snapped. Reimar slammed his hands against a desk, cracking its surface before glaring at the elven woman. To her credit, Nesinni didn't recoil at all, she even seemed to make herself appear bigger.
"Nimue, Sten, Reimar. You're all out. Go and relieve the others and send them down here in your place." Gorram commanded with Nimue trotting off first. Sten gave a huff but went along while Reimar went last.
"Pathetic. I'll go and finish my ale now." He glared at Nera as he left, wanting her to bite, wanting her to say anything, but she didn't.
Deep Crawler shit.
The wait for the three changes was done in silence, even Aurelia didn't talk with Nera who was busy looking around at the human cellar. It was underground sure, but it was nothing like her home. There was no dirt, everything was lined with stone or wood, nothing raw and unaltered remained of the room. She wondered what her father would think of this place, probably saying that it was even more pitiful than the building the casteless live in.
Thagrin led in the traded group members with a smirk on his face. Helinda looked restless and voiced her desire to get underway immediately. Josran however looked concerned and kept looking back the way he came.
The next area of the cellar was far different from the rest. Roots from trees had grown through the stone walls, crackling them open and spilling dirt onto the ground. Elfroot and Deathroot had begun to grow in places too. The shrieks of something ahead stopped Nera from wondering too much about the place, the threat of demons lay ahead and she had never faced one before. In fact the only one who might have was Josran himself, though he was still keeping quiet and bringing up the rear of the party.
As they entered a room with a body on the floor, Josran moved to check it over. While he did, Gorram and Helinda moved forwards, heading towards the table that was situated in front of a fireplace. At least they had some warmth down here. Nera's thoughts were dash as with a horrid, ear piercing screech, creatures emerged all around them.
"Demons!" Josran cried, and the party went to work.
She saw Gorram and Helinda go after the largest demon while Josran threw fire at another. Magic seemed like such a great thing to have, all that power at one's fingertips, the ability to use different elements. The demon screamed as fire engulfed its twisted and slammed itself into the wall trying to end the severe pain it was experiencing.
Nera found herself against one, its nails like sharpened bones, or perhaps they were bones with the flesh stripped from them. Its skin looked like melted flesh frozen in place with straps holding it together, though when her blade sliced through flesh and strap, the demon barely recoiled before swiping again. The noise she heard as it clawed her shield made her shiver as more paint was stripped from her defence.
As the battle ensued, her blade became coated in blood. Stabbing and cutting, even running the demon through seemed to do very little. Nera was feeling tired too, she was in good shape despite her arm, and the battles before hadn't taken that much of a toll on her surely. Shield up! She reminded herself as the demon's claws raced across the metal, hurting her ears as it scrapped across the shield.
"There aren't many! Finish them and move to help others!" Someone called but Nera was too caught up in her encounter to put a name to it.
The straps the bound the demon's flesh had loosened, two had even been cut through by her blade and a foul smell wafted forth. She wanted to throw up, wanted to block her nose or find a sweet flower, but she wasn't given the chance as the demon threw itself at her time and again. Its wounds barely slowed it, not until Nera managed to remove one of its hands and slip her blade up under the demon's hideous face.
It was then that she found the reprieve to look around and gauge how the rest of the group was doing. There were two demons like hers remaining, and one later one that the other dwarven siblings were fighting. She decided to go to them, charging in silently as to not give herself away. She drove her sword through the back of the demon and its screech penetrated her ears so loudly that she cried out in pain, drawing her sword from the creature. As it rounded on her, she found that it was much more intimidating than the demon she had fought alone.
Its face looked like a skull, devoid of any flesh with blank eye sockets. It didn't have a jaw which would have been fine if its body hadn't been morphed into a massive vertical mouth from where it walked on the floor all the way up to each shoulder and lined with teeth, it looked as though it could fit Nera entirely inside it. Blocking one of its arms and then another, she almost lost grip of her sword as she wheeled backwards to avoid a third strike. Its reach was alarming, several times greater than a dwarf.
With a hiss it made to lunge at her, but Nera was ready. She peered over her shield that covered most of her body, something she liked but she wanted an even larger shield, not a difficult request for a dwarf. It had barely moved an inch when two sharp points appeared inside what was its mouth. Then Nera heard a sound before the demon fell forwards all the way to the ground. Then she saw Gorram and Helinda, the leader missing his two blades, the two that had pierced right through the demon. Helinda though held onto the base of her maul, the head end resting on the skull of the motionless demon.
"Thanks." Nera said quickly, lowering her shield and sword.
"No, thank you. We couldn't separate because of its long reach. Your distraction was perfect."
"Perfect? Did you even see how I ended that thing?" Helinda asked loudly with her brother responding with little excitement."
"Yes, it was splendid too." Helinda just huffed, turning away for another fight but everyone had wrapped up the demons. "Injuries, speak up now." Gorram demanded, but not a one spoke up. Finally, a fight with no injuries. She bent and straightened her arm, it still felt a little odd.
"What were those things?" Thagrin asked as he wandered towards Josran, the only mage in the group.
"Demons, though how they got here I do not know." The elf answered.
"I thought they only came after mages?" Thagrin asked.
"Most do, but what we faced here were mostly shades. They can learn to drain the energy from those they encounter, which allows them to manifest into their true form, the same form they have in the Fade." Everyone was quiet as the elven mage informed them, teaching them just a pinch of knowledge about the demons they faced. "Until that point they remain in the shadows, gathering energy, feeding, before being able to do what they did just now, attack."
"But we killed them, they weren't even that tough." Aurelia answered. There were a few scoffs with Nera grinning. They knew Aurelia was strong, but it seemed as though she had found the demons light work.
"True, but they must have been feeding off things down here for a long time, draining whatever they were and likely driving them insane," Josran told her.
"And the big one?" Helinda asked.
"It was a more powerful shade, without the ability to possess a physical body. They seem to like ash, blood, bones, and mold, though the most readily available is ash or dust. Hence why people refer to them as Ash or Dust Wraiths." Nera got the chills from the name. "It uses these to make its body, potentially forming a quasi-material body if there isn't enough of one substance around. They can look very different from one another for this reason."
"And the desire demon we're on our way to meet?" Gorram asked. Everyone focused on Josran who looked a little nervous.
"One of the more dangerous demons. It will likely try to tempt one of several of us over to its side with an offer of wealth, power, or lust, things that most people, desire." He began to smile at his pun, but with no one else believing it a joking matter, he regained his composure. "It would be best if we killed it quickly, though Orion said we need to bluff it, make sure that it doesn't possess the little girl." His eyes looked troubled by that detail, the life of an innocent hung in the balance.
"He also said we should lie to it, convince it that we'll help it escape." Aurelia added.
"Let me do the talking then." Josran answered. "It will think it will take to a mage better than anyone else."
With Gorram and Nesinni agreeing that they and everyone else would sit back and let Josran commune with the demon, they made their way forth again. They passed through a room with a large collection of water, enough for all of them to fit in and so deep that Nera bet even Reimar wouldn't stand with his head dry. The wooden planks they walked over had to be the worst part, rotten and creaking under their armour and for some, their weight. She was thankful Sten and Reimar weren't with them at that point, they could have lost one to the waters.
They finally entered a large chamber after passing through a barrier, Josran informed them it was magic and that it likely sealed the demon inside, much like the first they passed through. They began to fan out as they went down the few stairs, left and right, Nera picked her place next to Aurelia while Josran took centre stage and stood there before what was the little girl they were looking for, and a cat. Where's the demon? Don't tell me Orion was wrong about that too. Though her worries were dashed as the cat spoke.
"I would not suggest leaving in such hostile company, Amalia. Look how they act." Its eyes glowed a light purple and made several of the tense. Josran remained calm however, his staff held lightly in his hand.
"The cat talks?" Josran asked sarcastically.
"Of course silly." Amalia answered.
"Talking is simple enough, once you know how." The cat answered.
Nera scratched her head, wondering if this was some magic. Perhaps the old mage cast a spell that let it talk?
"Amalia, you need to return to your father. He asked us to come here and get you." Josran spoke boldly, ignoring the cat's comment.
"Nothing you say will convince Amalia to go with you. She loves only me now. I am her friend, while you are just strangers." It answered while still licking its paw.
"What have you done to her?" Josran asked, the calmness in his voice had wavered, now hinting at caution.
"I have done nothing. I am all but powerless. The mage made sure of that, didn't he?"
Powerless? It's a cat though… isn't it? Nera began to wonder if what Josran was talking to was really a cat. Animals couldn't speak, though with magic involved she did wonder.
"I cannot leave this chamber. No, Amalia found me. After decades of isolation, her company is … welcome."
It was then that it finally clicked for Nera. A cat could not live for decades, nor could it be so intelligent. The demon? She began to wonder, she was almost sure of it. Her hand tightened around the hilt of her blade. She made to draw it but a larger hand, rough and experienced fell over hers. She looked up to find Aurelia looking down. The woman shook her head and Nera relaxed her grip, though the hands stayed where they were.
Josran didn't say anything, nobody did for the longest of times. They all knew what the cat was now though, or at least like Nera they all had the suspicion that this cat was the demon in disguise.
"We're not leaving without Amalia, her father is worried about her." Josran spoke softly this time, trying to appeal to the demons softer side, if it had one.
"Then it seems we are at an impasse, so let me propose a … compromise of sorts. Release me mortal ... " Nera stepped back at the tone this cat used. Almost seductive, no, it was very seductive and it continued to speak in that manner. "And let me have the girl. Let us return to her father and leave this place forever." Nera had to bite her tongue, hard. She almost screamed at the demon, her hand tightening once more and Aurelia's too in response.
"Let you have the girl? You mean possess her, don't you, demon." Josran used the last word warily, letting everyone who was still unsure of what the cat was, know it was the demon they were after. Power, wealth, lust. It lusts for its own freedom.
"That's such a crude way of putting it. I do not wish to hurt Amalia. I merely want to see your world through her eyes. Is that so wrong?" The demon asked. Neither the cat or Josran spoke for a time as the elf pondered his next move.
"I'll free you, and you can have the girl. Just promise you will not control her." They then waited for the demon to respond.
"Thank you. You are very gracious." The cat then scanned the line of armed and armoured people. "And what do your friends say about this compromise?" They began to look at one another, no one voicing their disapproval at Josran's decision to deal with the demon in this way.
"He is the mage." Gorram spoke. "We defer to his decision when dealing with a demon." The cat seemed to smile at that.
"A dwarf, smart of you to do so. Your kind does not meet with demons very often." The cat turned back to face Josran, apparently accepting Gorram's reasoning. "The mage's wards hold me within this chamber… and only a mortal may approach them. There is a trick to disarming the wars, but I do not know it. Perhaps you will succeed where the girl failed."
"Oh, this is so exciting! Kitty is going to be free!" Amalia's innocence stumped Nera. Josran and the demon had both talked about having the girl.
Does she not see the danger she is in?
Josran looked over the strange tiles on the floor while the others all visibly relaxed. Nera found herself holding in breath that she didn't even know about. Dealing with a demon … I don't want to do this ever again.
"I'll attempt to bring down the barrier. You guys work out that puzzle and the first one to succeed, well done." He smiled at them and went up the stairs. Nera watched him work for a few moments before the others began to buzz about the tiles and the flame that seemed to burn without fuel.
Nera watched as Aurelia and Nesinni both began to study the tiles and eventually started moving them. The two spoke to one another calmy, showing that although they were from two completely different backgrounds, they could work together. So that's what Wardens are supposed to be like? Nera wondered. What I'm supposed to be like. Each tile was square with two outer circles, what appeared to be razor blades around a third, and then within the fourth circle there was a sun-like shape that reminded her of when she first saw the woman that accompanied Orion to the came. The one responsible for getting him punched in the face.
Time passed slowly and from the barrier came the constant muttering of their mage, their liaison to the demon cat. There was also a trail of fire that was creeping closer and closer to the required destination, a more unique looking tile that would likely undo the barrier. When it did finally reach it, there was a strange humming noise that filled the room.
"Yes … I can feel the magic fading. Oh … I had forgotten how it feels to not be caged!" The demon said as the barrier faded from sight.
"Kitty? What's happening?" The girl asked.
"A wonderful thing, my dear, for both of us." The demon assured her.
"Now, I did say I would free you. I never said anything about letting you live." Josran smirked, his deceit now out in the open for the demon to realise and glower over.
"Betrayal! You will not take the girl! She's mine!" The cat's fur stood on end as it prepared to jump. Its eyes glowing purple with its tail up in warning.
"Kitty, you're scaring me! I won't let you inside me! I won't!" Amalia said defiantly, though it was coated with fear. She ran, with the Wardens moving to block the path of the demon and surround it. The cat glowed a bright white and seemed to grow, then as it became larger and took on a more human-like appearance, Nera gazed at it, stunned by what was essentially a nearly naked female, or at least the torso and face.
It was almost as tall as Nesinni, had deep dark eyes and horns protruding from its skull. Its hair was a dark mixed blue-black and its skin was a dazzling purple. Though Nera could see that it's fingers were more like claws and she was reminded of the demon she killed earlier. Josran had said this one was more cunning, would that mean it would be more skilled and tricky in combat, she would have to find out when they all moved to slay the woman, if the demon truly had a gender.
"Kill it!" Josran cried from atop the stairs, energy already pooling around him in a dim light. The look in his eyes told Nera that he was fearful of their opponent.
The group charged but was met with masses of red and orange and yellow, clawing their way out from the ground below. She heard Josran scream, "Demons!" but they didn't look like the previous ones they fought.
There was almost one to a person, save for the main demon leaving a gap to itself and Helinda taking it head on. Nera only saw one swing of her maul before the brightly glowing demon was upon her. Its claws tickled her leather armour and left gouges from it and even sliced a strap or two. She felt something move uncomfortably, but the demon gave her no time and continued to push.
She was on the defensive, blocking and cutting at its outstretched arms whenever she could. Its hissing was like when water dripped onto a burning log, but Nera didn't give up. Her arm began to ache while she blocked, but she would rather that than take another wound and need more healing. It wasn't until a bolt of magic stunned the demon that she was able to start fighting back, stabbing it and watching as glowing orange blood spurted out onto the floor. The demon recoiled, hissing at her before crumbling into dust as a blade ran it through.
Her brother smiled at her and Nera couldn't help but return it in kind. He might have been a bit of an ass and disliked her human friend, but he was always there for her when she needed him. Looking around, her eyes came to rest upon Helinda who cheered loudly. The demon lay at her feet even as the others finished off their opponent. No one said much as they looted the room, seeing if there was anything worth grabbing before they returned to the girl's father and claimed the words that would wake up the golem.
Josran used his magic to heal all the minor wounds as none counted as major. Gorram and Nesinni lead the way back, being careful thanks to Orion's warnings and successfully ending the shade demons that appeared. It was too easy and for the demons at least, Orion's prediction about their numbers was correct.
It had been a long slog for the new Wardens. Travel, darkspawn and even demons had slowed them, but as they all poured through the door and came face to face with Matthias and Amalia, they knew it would all be over soon.
"You did it! You freed her! Thank you so much!" The father cheered. With Amalia apologising and her father assuring her that all was fine now, he handed over the phrase that would awaken the golem.
Dulen harn… he almost had it right.
"Now, we should go, and quickly. Thank you again. We owe you our lives." Matthias said, fleeing the cellar with his daughter and leaving the Wardens to make their way back to the surface. A ladder to the surface was in the very room though and as they all made their way up, cries of surprise and congratulations were heard from the three above.
Nera was one of the last up, joining the group as they chatted amongst themselves. Not too far from them stood the golem, Shale as Matthias had called it. They all gathered before it, just looking at the golem, their goal. Nera was eager to wake up what was a legendary construct of the dwarven people, her people. And no matter what the others had planned for a golem they thought would be under their control, Orion had let her and Aurelia in on the secret.
"Wait." Thagrin said. "We need a control rod, what if it was to go wild and try to kill us?" Although there wasn't any talking, his comment made the air around them thick with unease.
"Orion said…"
"Fuck Orion!" Reimar yelled. "That bastard lied to us about the number of darkspawn. Several of us got injured because of it."
So he does care.
"Perhaps things are different than his game." Nimue offered an explanation. "What if the changes he's made, the number of us Wardens that are alive have … altered things?"
"My sister is right. Orion said there was only supposed to be one Warden plus Alistair, yet here we stand." Josran added.
"Forget the numbers, we can have him explain himself later." Nesinni stated. "For now, we need to find that control rod. I'd rather not have to destroy this thing if it did go wild." There was mumbling but everyone seemed to agree upon finding the control rod.
They fanned out and began searching, collecting items that might be of value and with the key to the chest they saw earlier, retrieved the dagger Orion had mentioned. There was a heated argument about who would get it, but it was decided that once they all returned to Soldier's Peak all the spoils would be distributed.
Nera barely looked around and as the others began moving further away and searching the houses for the control rod, she walked back to the golem. It dwarfed her, was wider, made of stone, and incredible to behold.
"Thinking about something?" Came Aurelia's calm voice.
"Yeah… this thing was a dwarf once. Made by Paragon Caridin. He invented how to make golems and was made a living Paragon. His golems allowed us dwarves to push the darkspawn back for a time, before the king became greedy."
"What did this king do?" Aurelia asked, wishing to know more about Nera's people.
"He began forcing people to become golems. Criminals, casteless, noble rivals and others he simply disliked. According to the Shaperate," Nera claimed.
"Wouldn't that be dangerous? The golems could have easily rebelled."
"Not with the control rods they couldn't. The very thing we're looking for."
"Then … the king made the golems into slaves. He was clearly unworthy to be a king." Aurelia said, putting a hand on Nera's shoulder. "You would never have done that, would you?" Her silence troubled the human though.
"That's just it … I don't know." She turned and looked up at Aurelia. "Lia, what if doing that could save your people from probable extinction. Would you not consider doing the same, for the greater good?" Aurelia's eyes became clouded as she contemplated it.
"I … I couldn't imagine myself doing it at the moment. But as a Grey Warden, we must do what it takes to defeat the darkspawn, or so Duncan told us over and over. If that meant turning people into soldiers of immense power and endurance … then I suppose I would. For the greater good." She looked at Shale and then to her friend. "Not the answer you wanted to hear?" Nera shook her head.
"I don't know what I wanted to hear. His intentions, to make more golem to fight the darkspawn, they were good. But how he forced people to become golems, that is what bothers me."
"And what of Caridin and his golems?"
"Gone, disappeared after the king had Caridin turned into a golem. He and his anvil, the Anvil of the Void disappeared. There were many attempts to find them, all failed. Eventually Caridin and the anvil were declared lost, dead. A great weapon and means to survive, squandered by the greed of the nobility." Nera said sadly.
"Greed … or will to keep their kind from extinction?" Aurelia asked more openly than to Nera.
They gazed up at the golem together. A statue of immense power, all either of them had to do was utter two simple words and it would awaken. Why not, Orion said the rod wouldn't work anyway. She looked to Aurelia, who must have been pondering the same thing. Sharing a smile, Aurelia gestured for Nera to be the one.
"Dulen harn." She spoke clearly, and loudly. It took just a moment, a moment where Nera began to doubt whether they received the correct phrase. But the statue began to shake, its head began to turn and the sound of gravel filled the air. There was a loud crashing sound like two rocks being smashed together, this brought the others hurrying back.
"What? How?!" Gorram yelled.
"Nera! You didn't?" Thagrin cried, drawing his sword as all the others brought their weapons to bare.
The golem continued to struggle from its frozen state, creaking and shaking, snapping as its joints began to bend and move. Its arms snapped from their frozen pose, dust and dirt shimmering down over its sculpted body. One step another, the golem shook and dust fell from the cracks and level edges of its body. Crouching, it shook even harder, a small cloud of dust appeared and it rose again, standing up straight and becoming even taller. Wow… it's beautiful.
"I knew that the day would come when someone would find the control rod. And not even a mage this time. Probably stumbled across the rod by accident, I suppose. Typical." The golem voice was rough and dry, though Nera was drawn to its glowing white eyes. That was, until Aurelia nudged her.
"Huh? Oh ah, me?" She chuckled nervously. "No, I'm not a mage. But my friends here are." She gestured over to where Nimue and Josran stood, their staffs raised with mana glowing around the top.
"Hmm, other mages. Charming." The golem's sarcasm wasn't lost on the group. "I was just starting to get used to the quiet too. Tell me, are all the villagers dead?"
"No, not all of them, just a majority." Nesinni added as she held an arrow on her bow, ready to pull and release at a moment's warning.
"Some got away then. How unfortunate."
"How un …" Nera felt herself becoming angry, but Aurelia once again put a hand on her, tempering the younger dwarf.
"You didn't care for them I take it?" Aurelia asked, drawing its eyes to her.
"Familiarity breeds contempt, as they say, and after thirty years as a captive audience, I was as familiar with these villagers as one could possibly be. Not that I wished their fate upon them, no, but it did make for a delightful change of pace." Nera was at a loss for words, it knew them for so long and didn't even care that they were killed.
"I'll bet." Reimar laughed, though he still had his sword in hand.
"Well, go on then. Out with it. What is its command?" The golem asked.
"Tell us why you killed your old master." Came Gorram's deep and serious tone. The golem didn't even turn to face him.
"Did I? I honestly don't remember. Perhaps it was after yet another time he called me golem. "Golem, fetch me that chair." "Do be a good golem and squash that insipid bandit." And let's not forget, "Golem, pick me up. I tire of walking." Nera couldn't help but giggle at the last one, her innocence and youth even with her upbringing in the noble caste showing. "It… does have the control rod, doesn't it? I am awake, so it… must…"
"Something wrong?" Nesinni asked with the group beginning to fan out.
"I do not see the control rod, I feel… Go on. Order me to do something." The golem demanded.
"Golem." Came Josran's nervous tone. "I tire of standing here, carry me." The smirk on his face showed his amusement.
"And… nothing? I feel nothing. I feel no compulsion to carry out its command. I suppose this means… I have free will?"
"Do you have anything you want to do?" Nera asked.
"What should I do? I have no memories beyond this village for so long. I have no purpose… I find myself at a bit of a loss." The group now surrounded the golem, weapons in hand save for Nera and Aurelia who continued to stand before it at ease. "What about it? It must have awoken me for some reason, no? What did it intend to do with me?"
"Ask you to fight alongside me, us. We are Grey Wardens, charged with defeating the blight, the darkspawn that attacked this village." Nera answered quickly.
"The darkspawn are an evil that must be destroyed, it's true. Though not as evil as the birds… damnable feathered fiends!" Aurelia laughed this time, covering her mouth with her armoured hand. "I suppose I have two options, do I not? Go with it… or go elsewhere? I do not even know what lies beyond this village."
"Are… you going to keep calling us, it?"
"Yes. Very likely."
Nera sighed. "Well you're more than welcome to come with us. We could use your help."
"Are you certain that's a good idea, sister? What if it decides to kill us, we have no way to control it," Thagrin called from behind it.
"This is stupid and dangerous," Nimue added.
"We couldn't have controlled it anyway," Aurelia declared. "Orion pulled Nera and myself aside before we left. Even with a control rod, the golem wouldn't be under our control." The others of the group stood stunned.
Orion… you're going to be in trouble, again.
"He knew it would have free will, but not why. His … knowledge of this world only suggested that its former master's work must have done something to remove the ability to control it. It is free, we treat it like we'd treat each other."
No one talked, but Nera could see the burning hatred for Orion in Reimar's eyes and disappointment in Josran's. Gorram and Thagrin looked equally pissed off about the situation while Nesinni was just shaking her head.
"I will follow it about then, for now. I am called Shale," the golem, Shale, said.
"I'm Neralinden, Nera. This is Aurelia, pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you, Shale."
The party put their weapons away, slowly. None of them truly trusted the golem save for perhaps two of them. Though Nimue and Josran came over and looked it over from a distance. Nesinni ordered everyone to pack up and take what valuable items they could, with Shale being told to carry some. It refused and only took a couple of packs when Nera asked it to, politely, and even then it was hesitant. She knew it wasn't a pack mule or a work horse, this was a former dwarf, someone who might have been just like her centuries ago. She decided that she would be the one to look out for the golem and never refer to it as an object.
Hey everyone, just so there is a less confusion, here are the names of the Grey Wardens.
Reimar Cousland
Aurelia Cousland
Numerius Amell
Leola Amell
Josran Surana
Nimue Surana
Tarian Tabris
Saphielle Tabris
Valhen Mahariel
Nesinni Mahariel
Thagrin Aeducan
Neralinden Aeducan
Gorram Brosca
HelindaBrosca
