Chapter Four
Enemies and Sacrifices
After the Templars dealt with Idunnas body and took statements, we used my place to quickly navigate to dark town. It took a while to get to the right spot for 'Enemies among us' (Chose to do that first since a vision indicated that Emeric still needed to get to Dark Town); not everything was as small as the games depicted, after all.
We had picked up Anders on our way when I said that Keran had been tortured and would need healing. Thankfully, the Clinic had been empty. Anders and Alistair exchanged the 'weren't you a grey warden?' dialogue and I had rolled my eyes at that. We'd also grabbed Carver and Fenris.
"You think we can do this without… aid?" Carver asked. I snorted and looked at Alistair. "Dear, you think you can do an Area Smite on some Blood Mages?"
"Ever since I met with you at the Vigil, yeah. I did let Avernus know about that; seems you don't only increase Mage abilities, but Templar ones too."
"Huh… wasn't expecting that." Of course that led to me explaining to Hawkes group about Avernus and my blood.
"You can increase a mages power?" Fenris asked. "Well… yes. But I keep myself shielded when possible, and on top of that, my blood evaporates if I don't personally extract it – you saw that. No one can use it without my permission, it seems. There are other properties to it, but if I tell you now, two people won't end up where they need to be…" because if they knew I could cure the taint, Hawke wouldn't let Bethany or Carver be conscripted into the Wardens.
"I will accept that… for now."
We began clearing the area, Alistair refusing to allow me near the front of the action after earlier, thus causing me to rely on Magic. I was mentally rolling my eyes about it… he wasn't even this bad after Honnleath when I had been absolutely covered in blood.
When I brought it up after the fight, he shrugged. "That was a Blight… and you had been… I had to kill the darkspawn before I could make sure you were safe. Do you know what it did to me when, every time I looked over, all I could see was you slumped over and covered in blood? I was… terrified; learning that caused a miscarriage just made it worse. Then with the Archdemon… you climbed it. And if you recall I was trying to pull you away from it when you just stood there and taunted it! And don't get me started on Soldiers Peak! There is a reason I call you an indestructible Goddess…"
I snorted. "Yet I get a small flesh wound in the Coast and suddenly I'm relegated to stand at the back of the group? Didn't Aedan tell you I lost an arm in Kal'Hirol?"
"Excuse me?!" Alistair shouted as the others looked at me. "Oh… I take it he didn't tell you? One of those talking darkspawn snuck up and just… wacked it off. It grew back within a half-hour fight. I blacked out, but I know the timing because Aedan and Anders were tracking how long the fight was…"
Alistair whirled to look at Anders who put his hands up in surrender. "Is this true? She lost an arm?"
"Er… you know she can't lie… right?" Anders asked.
"Well… yeah… but… please tell me she suddenly gained that ability…" Anders shook his head. "Afraid not; she wouldn't let me heal her before shoving me off to assist Aedan in the fight, either."
Alistair yanked me into a hug. "Ooof!"
"Please… let me care for you? Let me protect you while I'm here; you seem to get into so much trouble when I'm not around…"
I caught Isabela smirking at me as Fenris was watching me with a calculating look. "Ugh… fine. I guess. But remember what happens if you get injured… I won't be held responsible for that!"
He grinned. "I think it's attractive. Maybe I'll get injured in a fight while I'm here…" I lightly punched him in the arm.
We rounded a corner. Fenris looked as though he was about to ask something when we heard, "How wonderful, more Vessels for our experiments."
I looked over at the woman; Tarohne. She was short… 5'3 like me, with short blond hair and clear grey eyes. He lips were deathly white-blue and her once tan skin looked like it had been stripped of color. She was possessed, for sure. The Aura around her reminded me of Kinlock Hold abominations.
"Where is Keran?" Hawke asked.
She ignored him as the people behind her shuffled. They were all covered head to toe. They also had possessed Auras but I was unable to tell anything else from them.
"Perhaps one of the demons will find one of you suitable."
"She, um… if you couldn't already tell, all four of them are possessed, Hawke. Good thing Demons have no way to take me; do you see her? Ugh, I'd rather die again." Hawke and Alistair snorted as Fenris shot another look at me.
"Always the demon thing… can't you people say no?" Anders snarked and Alistair rolled his eyes.
"I am not some hopeless waif that ran crying to a demon! I sought them out… and embraced them!"
"Why have you taken the recruits?!" Hawke demanded.
"Demons can inhabit much more than mages and corpses. With assistance, they can control anyone I ask. Any Templar… any Noble… and well-meaning meddler."
"You do know I cut a path through your… abominations, right?" Hawke sighed. The itch just smirked. "Good, good! The demons like spirit! If a few more Templars fall to the demons, we can seed chaos in their ranks. How many abominations can they discover amongst their own before it drives the knight-commander crazy?"
"Tell me now; where is Keran?" Hawke asked slowly as though talking to a child.
"The experiments need so much fuel, you see. So many living vessels are found… wanting. Useless Vessels can still feed the compost heap, so it's not a complete waste."
"Good to know you're barking mad; that makes things so much easier," Hawke was pulling his staff out, which prompted others to pull their own weapons.
"In days of old, the Tevinter Imperium spanned the known world. Demons were their allies; held in check by knowledge and power. With a wave of my hand I could do more than a Templar can achieve in their lifetime. Yet they command us? Absurd! We should be ruling them; we should rule you all! Kill the Vessels only if you must!" she shouted, starting the fight. Alistair was fast on his smite.
She hadn't changed, surprisingly. But her… companions had. Once they were all dead, I ran over to where the cage had appeared. I saw Keran in it, and the moment I reached out and touched it, it vanished.
Keran groaned as Anders rushed over to heal him. He was covered in cuts and bruises. He was 5'9 with shaggy blond hair, bright blue eyes and pale skin… I admit I was beginning to miss earth's diversity. Keran wore only a pair of thin trousers.
"Keran?" Hawke asked. "Yes, that's my name. Oh, thank the Maker; I thought he had abandoned me."
"But… is it only Keran? It could be Keran plus one; a very nasty plus one, at that." Varric asked, causing everyone to look at me.
"I never… I never understood why people could be so terrified of mages. Our family had two; you and Bethany… but this… Andraste was right to warn against Magic."
"Carver, are you saying they should lock up Garrett and Bethany?" Alistair asked, horrified.
"That is not what I meant! It's just that I never really saw it from their side before; now I do." I sighed. "The Templars have faults too. Don't want to listen to someone who has magic? Ask Alistair; he used to be one, or close enough."
"It's true. It's like any group of people really; the good ones and the bad. I knew one man who, right after taking his vows, was disciplined and transferred for beating the younger mages; others in my 'class' talked about how mages were no more than slaves. There are good ones, but… there is two sides to every tale, friend." Fenris had stiffened at those words, but said nothing as Carver looked away.
"Anders, can you tell if he's… possessed?" Hawke asked. Anders nodded, his hair flopping into his eyes as he walked up to Keran and shot a bolt of spirit magic through him.
"What the…!" Keran exclaimed. "If there was a demon in there, it would have defended itself. Looks like he's safe."
"Could have asked me. Keran is more than safe." I nodded, handing the half-naked man a shirt. He pulled it on with a nod of thanks.
"Go ahead and leave Keran. We will meet you at the gallows in a few hours." I said, giving him some shoes and a sword. "This is so you can defend yourself on the way out of Dark Town. Don't misuse it."
Once he was gone I led our group on another 15 minute walk to where Emeric was. The Carta was easily taken care of with our group. I had sent Anders back to the Clinic and used only my blades in this fight.
Hawke once more took point. "You okay there?"
"Thank you, Serah, for coming along when you did. I am Emeric, a Knight with the Templars."
"Just the person I was looking for! I need to speak with you about Ninette." Hawke gave him an award winning grin. That's when Emeric noticed Alistair. "Your Majesty!" he dropped to on knee as Alistair groaned.
"It may not look like it, but this is a vacation. You know, leave the crown at home, spend time with the love of my life… kill bad guys… vacation!" I was laughing as I bent double at his words.
Hawke and Varric smirked as Fenris allowed his lip to twitch and Carver lifted an eyebrow. "Er… yes your majesty…"
"Ninette?" Hawke prompted as Emeric stood. The Templar was 5'11 with greyed hair and dark eyes that I could hardly make out as blue.
"Ah… Ghyslain de Carrac's wife. Her disappearance interested me; I tried looking into it but the investigation is a waste of time."
"That sort of attitude will never pay off," Hawke sighed.
"I admit, I was eager at first, but failure has leached all enthusiasm from me. This all started when Mharen – one of our circle mages – disappeared; I found it odd. She was a bit older and not at all adventurous… then I heard about Ninette and two other missing women."
"I had a friend who disappeared once. Turns out he was under my bed, drunk! What?" Varric looked around as everyone gave him dark or sad looks.
"I believe they're connected, and I suspect foul play is involved."
"Have you mentioned it to the City Guard?" Hawke asked. Alistair was holding me from behind, nuzzling my neck and I gave a low growl.
"Of course, but without proof of connection… they believe the women just left home; it happens all the time."
"What about the Phylacteries?" Alistair asked softly. Hawke repeated the question about Mharens Phylactery.
"Well… we followed it to a foundry in Lowtown, but there was nothing there. I had heard of sympathizers smuggling mages through Dark Town, so I was hoping to pick up the trail here. There's no trace of her, however; and as you've seen, locals haven't made me very… popular," the Templar sighed.
"Mages routinely leave the Circle; perhaps your mage wanted freedom?" Hawke lifted a black eyebrow… why was I finding that sexy? I didn't think he was my type…
"Mharen is… was a loyalist. And her Phylactery has gone dark. If she escaped it killed her, Serah. She received a bouquet of White Lilies from a suiter; some of us thought she had gone to meet him. Relations may be frowned on, but they aren't forbidden. Perhaps that is linked to it?" Emeric shrugged, weary.
"Would you hand over your notes, Ser? I get the feeling you've given up on this investigation." I asked, feeling rather warm as Alistair nipped lightly at my throat.
Emeric was bright red when he looked away from me to Hawke; "Take them, if you wish. This battle showed me that I am no longer the Warrior I once was. I know when to walk away."
Once Emeric was out of sight I yanked away from Alistair, turning us and slamming his back against the wall; our companions looked stunned as they took a collective step closer. "Dammit, love; do you want to explain what that was? Riling me up in the middle of a mission? I have half a mind to give you what you were just asking for, right here, right now!" I growled.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. One moment I was hugging you, the next… it's like I caught your scent and…"
"Well… I doubt it's that simple, but… I don't know. We'll talk about this later; we have to check that foundry and head back to the Gallows. Damn, I feel warm…" Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy.
"Love, it's rather cool here… are you okay?"
"I… don't…" I fell forward as the world went black.
