"You think this will help with your research?" Cullen asked as he looked uneasy at the vial that the mage held.
Maxwell nodded as he looked at the commander. He had been pacing back and forth in his lab for a few minutes now. The commander came to his office to check on him that morning to let him know that he would be safe to travel around Skyhold freely again. Cullen had asked him to remain out of sight as much as possible, but he would not need a personal guard any longer.
The mage was a bit disappointed in not needing a personal guard now. During the time he had been in hiding, Lysette had been one of the guards that Cullen had assigned. The two began to speak about literature, history, traveling across Thedas. It was refreshing to speak to someone that did not care whether he was a mage as he did not care that she was a templar recruit. They were each two people pulled together to help with a common cause.
"Here," Maxwell said as he held up a small vial of blood. Inside was a small scrap of paper. The vial was sealed in a metal casing. "I asked someone to get me one of these so I could try something. Evelyn knew I was asking about non-mage phylacteries so that's what she thought I was getting blood from her for." Seeing Cullen stop pacing and turn to him, he held up his hand. "I didn't tell her I was researching Rupert's Remorse."
Blowing out a heavy breath, Cullen nodded. Looking at the phylactery in the mage's hand, he struggled not to reach out and take it in his hand. "That's her phylactery?"
Holding it by the chain, Maxwell at it as he held it out in front of him. "It is. I had Rylen prepare it for me before he left since I had no clue how to prepare it. I didn't have him test it though because I told him it was mine. I wanted it made so you would have it if something happened to me." When Cullen still did not step forward to retrieve it, Maxwell set it inside a small, velvet lined box and closed it. "I'm still a little curious about it but it doesn't matter."
"Why do you need my blood?" Cullen asked again. He was suspicious of a mage asking for blood. After his experiences in Kinloch Hold, he continued to struggle with the trauma that he suffered there. The young mage was genuine, he knew that but there were still good mages that had taken the wrong path. "I thought you just needed to make a mixture for us to drink or whatever."
"That's part of it." Maxwell walked around to the other side of the table and picked up the book that he had discovered the recipe in. "With a little help from your fellow advisors and some merchants, I was able to get everything I needed to make the recipe. However, since it was your blood that mixed to cause the transfer, I need your blood again to correct it."
"Blood magic?" Cullen said. His hand shook as it wrapped around the hilt of the sword at his hip as it began to tremble. He could feel beads of sweat slowly pop up across his forehead. "You want to perform blood magic on your sister and myself?"
"No, I don't," Maxwell said. "That's the last damned thing I want to do. But you're the one that wanted me to make the recipe."
Cullen remained still as the mage picked up the tome and pushed it to the other side of the table. Cautiously he stepped forward to look down at the ancient text and read it. In the notes was a list of herbs and other items needed for the mixture. Several handwritten notes were in the text margins referencing needing to mix the blood of those infected to assist in reversing the effects.
"Like I told you before, I don't even know if it will work. Everything I've read was very vague." Stepping back, Maxwell folded his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the desk behind him. "Commander, it's all up to you. Honestly, I don't care one way or another if I do this or not. I'll destroy Evelyn's vial right now. As for the herbs, I'm going to use them to plant in the garden. Some of them are rare and we need them here in Skyhold."
The commander looked up from the tome to look at the mage once again. He wanted to believe the mage, but his fear was preventing him from doing so. Regretting not speaking to the Inquisitor before she left, he was unsure what he should do.
When Cullen did not respond, Maxwell was growing impatient. "Look. I'll talk with Solas. He's back and he might know something. And no, I won't tell him it involves you two. I'll just say it's youthful curiosity."
Nodding, Cullen turned to leave the office. He stopped just as he reached the door when Maxwell coughed. Looking back over his shoulder, he found the mage holding the box.
"Take it. I don't care if you put it up somewhere and leave it there. I don't care if you toss it in the fire," Maxwell said. "But if you do open it and try, I want to know what happens."
A shaky hand reached out and took the box from the mage. In the back of his mind he kept reminding himself it was no different than that of any other phylactery he had overseen keeping safe when he was with the Order. The only difference was she was not a mage and he was no longer a templar.
Taking the box, he nodded to the younger man and left the mage tower. Once returning to his office, he placed the box on a bookshelf. Sitting down behind his desk, he looked at the box as if it were calling out to him.
"Was it worth giving the mage my blood to make this all stop?" he thought to himself. "When she returns, we will put this all to an end. Once and for all."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The bodies of Grey Wardens were scattered across the Ritual Tower. Rogues and warriors with throats slashed, abdomens that were ripped open. Blood colored the ground turning the stone black beneath their feet. The sound of bugs flying around the decaying bodies was a low hum to anyone that listened. The smell of death and the weakness of the Veil was nauseating. At the end of the walkway, a mage was stepping forward as a rogue was trying to find a way to escape. He had been disarmed the moment that he arrived at the tower and witnessed every Warden that was not a mage was murdered by the mages in the scouting party.
"No…wait… no," the rogue cried out as he tried to look for an escape as he backed away from the approaching mage.
On top of the dais above him, the Tevinter that lured them to the tower held out his arms. The man looked down at the mage, smiling. "Warden Commander Clarel's orders were clear."
"This is wrong!" the rogue screamed as he turned around to look at the Tervinter.
"Dear Warden, remember your oath: In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death…"
Lifting a blade as he approached from behind, the mage raised it up. Hearing the other man step from behind, the rogue turned around to look over his shoulder to see his friend staring back at him. His eyes void. His face expressionless.
The mage focused on the rogue. His voice haunting as he spoke. "I'm sorry."
The Tevinter watched as the mage thrusts the blade deep into the rogue's chest and pushed upwards. "…Sacrifice," the Tevinter said with a wicked laugh as he watched the blade pierce the Warden's heart.
Before the body could drop to the ground, the mage stepped back. Blood began to swirl around the fresh corpse as a demon rose from ground.
"Good," the Tevinter said gleefully. "Now bind it, just as I showed you."
The Warden mage lifted his left hand into the air to his shoulder's height. The words fell from the mage's lips as he cast the spell to bind the demon to him. On the dais, the Tevinter watched carefully as he paced back and forth. A smile on his face as the Warden worked the spell.
"Good, good," he said.
Once the Warden completed the spell, he raised his right hand and began to cast his own spell. Ancient words spoken as more blood rose from the ground, swirling in ripples around him. The Warden's body shook briefly before he stiffened. His eyes now glowing, the demon fully bonded to the mage.
"Now take your place," the Tevinter said as he watched the mage and demon move to stand to the side with the other mages and bound demons.
As Evelyn lead the group forward, she felt the surge in her palm. The mark was building in her body causing her arm to feel like every nerve was vibrating. She was expecting to hear Varric or even Dorian to make some murmured comment, but it was Cassandra that had done it.
"Holy Andraste," she muttered. "They've gone mad."
"Ya think?" Varric remarked as he held Bianca a little tighter in his hands.
Before Evelyn could yell at the madman pacing before her, the Tevinter turned to face them. His smile growing as he held out his arms widely.
"Inquisitor, what an unexpected pleasure. Lord Livius Erimond of Vyrantium, at your service." Erimond waved his hands in circles as he bent forward at his waist to bow.
Stroud gripped his sword tightly as he stood beside Evelyn. "You are no Warden," he cried out. His fellow Wardens laid on the ground, dead. Mages standing with demons several feet away from where he stood. This was not what he had expected to find.
Erimond began to pace again. "But you are." He sighed, throwing a hand nonchalantly. "The one Clarel let slip." He clasped his hands together as he looked down at them pleased. His eyes moved from Stroud to focus on Evelyn. "And you found the Inquisitor to come and stop me. Shall we see how that goes?"
Feeling Hawke move up to the left of her, Evelyn had Stroud to her right. Both men held their weapons, ready for whatever would come at them. She turned to look at the Warden mages. Void of expression, vacant stares. She shook her head. "Wardens! This man is lying to you. He serves an ancient Tevinter magister who wants to unleash a blight."
A smirk curling Erimond's pasty face as he looked at her. "That's a very serious accusation. Let's see what the Wardens think." Turning to the Wardens, he said, "Wardens, hands up."
The four Warden mages that stood there all lifted their hand into the air as they were ordered.
Erimond continued to stare down at her, smiling. "Hands down."
The four Wardens continued to follow orders as mindless drones as they lowered their hands to their sides. Evelyn's eyes narrowed as she watched the spectacle. Feeling Stroud's gaze, she turned to him.
"Corypheus has taken their minds."
Erimond brought his hands behind his back and twined his fingers together as he shook his head. "They did this to themselves. You see, the Calling had the wardens terrified. They looked everywhere for help."
"Even Tervinter," Stroud spit out.
"Yes, and since it was my Master who put the Calling into their little heads, we in the Venatori were prepared." Folding his arm across his chest, Erimond rested his left elbow in his right palm to rub his beard with his left hand. "I went to Clarel full of sympathy, and together, we came up with a plan. Raise a demon army, march into the Deep Roads, and kill the old gods before they wake."
Her heart stopped as her hand shook. It was all coming back to her. The never-ending nightmare that haunted her dreams. "I saw this in Redcliffe. Corypheus marching across Orlais with an army of demons. That was in the future I saw at Redliffe."
"And now you know how it begins. Sadly for the Wardens, the binding ritual I taught their mages has a side effect. They're now my master's slaves." Erimond began to pace again as he continued his diatribe. "This was a test. Once the rest of the wardens complete the ritual, the army will conquer Thedas."
Shaking her head, Evelyn could not believe any of this. "Corypheus made them do this? He's the one that influenced the Wardens and made them do this ritual?"
Evil laughter came from Erimond as his head tilted back. "Ha! Made them? No. Everything you see here? The blood sacrifices to bind the demons? The Wardens did it of their own free will. Fear is a very good motivator, and they were very afraid."
Blackwall stepped up from behind, his hands clenched in fists. "That's a lie! The Grey Wardens are heroes! They would never do this willingly!"
"The Grey Wardens care about nothing save stopping blights. They will do anything to accomplish that. You should have seen Clarel agonize over the decision. Burdens of command, I suppose."
"Why would the wardens try to kill the old gods?" Evelyn asked.
"A blight happens when darkspawn find an old god and corrupt it into an archdemon. If someone fought through the Deep Roads and killed the old gods before they could be corrupted…poof!" Erimond held up his hand and blew across his palm as if blowing dust into the wind. "No more blights. Ever. The wardens sacrifice their lives and save the world."
"That's madness!" Cassandra shouted. "For all we know, killing the old gods could make things even worse!"
"Well them, it's a good thing I'm taking this demon army off their hands."
"Why would Clarel risk using demons?"
His eyes fell on her again. Evelyn felt a chill down to her spine as the Venatori glared at her. "Demons need no food, no rest, no healing. Once bound, they will never retreat, never question orders. They are the perfect army to fight through the Deep Roads. Or across Orlais. Now that they are bound to my master."
Evelyn squeezed her left hand tight, trying to ignore the pain that was growing, spreading throughout her limb. "What's in it for you, Erimond? Do you really want to see the world fall to the blight? What do you get out of this?
"The Elder One commands the blight. He is not commanded by it, like the mindless darkspawn. The blight is not unstoppable or uncontrollable. It is simply a tool."
Dorian shook his head, holding his staff tightly in both hands. "No, Livius. You're the tool."
Beside Dorian, Varric snorted and smirked. "Well, shit. You said it before I could."
Erimond rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "As for me: while the Elder One rules from the Golden City, we, the Venatori, will be his god-kings here in the world."
She had had enough of Erimond and his ranting. "Let the Wardens go. Release the Wadens from the binding and surrender. I won't ask twice."
His eyes narrowed as he focused on her. "No, you won't…"
Lifting his right hand, the mage glared down at her as the blood lifted from a pool at his feet. Evelyn's hand felt like it was on fire as the mark began to glow stronger. He wielded the power coming from him, forcing her down to her knees as she grasped her hand, crying out from the pain.
"The Elder One showed me how to deal with you, in the event you were foolish enough to interfere again."
Erimond smiled when he was able to elicit another cry from her. Her companions circling around her for support. Dorian ran to her side, dropping to one knee as she clutched her hand to her chest.
"That mark you bear? The anchor that lets you pass safely through the Veil? You stole that from my master. He's been forced to seek other ways to access the Fade."
"Get…me…up," Evelyn said through clenched teeth. On each side of her, Dorian and Hawke helped her up to her feet, her eyes raised to meet the Venatori's.
"When I bring him your head, his gratitude will be – "
Stepping forward, Evelyn used her right hand to lift her left into the air. Willing her strength through the mark, she was able to focus long enough to cast mark of the rift at Erimond. The Venatori shouted in surprise, struck by the mark's power that she wielded. His control over her quickly faded as he found himself forced to his knees.
"Kill them!" Erimond ordered as he pushed himself back to his feet, clutching his right hand against his chest.
Evelyn barely had time to recover when the Warden mages and demons began to charge at them. She felt a wave come through her, it was Rylen and his templars from behind. They began to counter the mages spells as the others joined the fight to destroy the demons.
She unsheathed her sword and ran into the fray with a battle cry as a mage came at her. His staff blade aimed at her chest as he came at her. Blocking with her shield, she was able to dodge the blade and spin around behind the mage. Her sword piercing the lower abdomen of the mage as she pushed forward with her right arm. As the mage dropped to the stone ground, she watched as the mage looked up at her. His eyes no longer void as they turned brown once again. He was dead before he hit the ground.
The fight continued against the remaining three mages and the demons. Rylen and his men continued to combat the mages with their shields and swords as well as using their templar skills to try and stop the mages from casting spells. Dorian stayed behind the templars to prevent himself from being struck down as Varric protected him from any attacks. With Stroud, Hawke, Cassandra and Blackwall's help they were able to defeat the enemy with minimal injury. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the Wardens.
Hawke walked up to Evelyn, shaking his head. "They refused to listen to reason."
"You were correct," Stroud said as he turned to Hawke. "Through their ritual, the mages are slaves to Corypheus."
"And the Warden warriors?" Hawke said, looking around the tower at the corpses that laid scattered about them. Lowering his head, he shook it mournfully. "Of course. Sacrificed in the ritual. What a waste."
Evelyn stood beside a mage's lifeless body, looking down at the younger man. Thoughts of her brother came to her as he had the same color hair, same features. "This could be Max," she thought. Inhaling deeply, she slowly released it. "How could they do this? Human sacrifice, demon summoning…who looks at this and thinks it's a good idea?"
"The fearful and the foolish," Hawke replied, turning to look at her.
Stroud shook his head. "The Wardens were wrong, Hawke, but they had their reasons."
Evelyn spun around to face the Warden to say something, but Hawke was able to speak first.
"All blood mages do," Hawke began to say, folding his arms across his chest. "Everyone has a story they tell themselves to justify bad decisions…and it never matters. In the end, you are always alone with your actions."
"I believe I know where the Wardens are, your worship. Erimond fled in that direction," Stroud said as he turned to point west. "There's an abandoned warden fortress that way. Adamant."
Pinching the bridge of her nose, she closed her eyes to try to make sense of everything. "That makes sense. I guess they didn't want to summon a demon army out in public."
Returning his sword to its sheath on his back, Hawke looked at Stroud before turning back to Evelyn. "The Warden and I will scout out Adamant and confirm that the other Wardens are there. We will meet you back at Skyhold."
Nodding, Evelyn looked at the two men. "Be careful."
She stood there, looking across the ritual tower at the madness that remained. "This was not supposed to happen," she thought to herself. "We just came to talk. Not kill everyone."
She pulled her gloves off as she wiped the blood from her face. The smell mixed with the anger and remorse she felt was making her stomach revolt until she could not hold it any longer. Leaning over, she gripped her knees as she began to vomit. Her body expelling as she wrapped her arms around her abdomen.
It was Dorian that approached her, placing a gentle hand on her back as she wiped her hand across her mouth. He spoke her name softly as he rubbed her back. The mage frowned when he saw the tears welling in her eyes.
"This was all senseless," she said.
"None of this shit make sense," Varric said from behind as he secured Bianca to his back.
"The Wardens had a choice," Cassandra said. "They choose to side with the Venatori. With Corypheus."
"No, they didn't," Blackwall defended. "They're under some kind of mind control. They can't help themselves."
"I'm done with all of this!" Evelyn shouted, staring at her four companions. "I'm tired of all of this shit! This Clarel started this. The Wardens wanting to end the blights. They're scared of having to die. Damnit, we all are! But making deals with something that stepped into the Golden City and corrupted it is not a solution."
Dorian stared at her as her anger raged more. Her hand was glowing again, the eerie green was sending sparks from it as she breathed heavily.
"Cousin," he spoke in a calm voice. "Take some deep breaths. You need to relax."
"I don't want to relax!" she screamed, turning to face him. "I'm pissed off!"
Cassandra held up a hand, her face wore a worried expression as her eyes focused on the hand. "Evelyn. I think you need to do as Dorian suggests before – "
"Before what?! Before someone else is going to start making excuses for sacrifices and killing people?"
Varric swallowed as he saw Blackwall clutch his sword with both hands. The Warden keeping his eyes on the hand.
"Before you rip a hole in the Veil and let an assload of demons out of the Fade would be a good start," Dorian replied, pointing at her hand.
Finally looking down at what held her companions' attention, Evelyn saw her left hand was engulfed in the glow from the mark. Closing her eyes, she tried to slow her breathing down by breathing in her nose and slowly breathing out her mouth. Angered thoughts were pushed out of her mind as much as she could as she attempted to clear her mind. It took several minutes before the hand stopped glowing and returned to normal.
Blackwall blew out the breath that he had been holding as he saw her regain control over herself. Sheathing his sword, he looked at everyone else before returning his attention to her. "Lady Inquisitor?"
Embarrassed, Evelyn shook her head. "Let's go home," she said before turning around and walking away. She did not give anyone a chance to say anything else as she left them standing there.