Hey everyone! I've been having a bit of a hard time writing this chapter, so I hope it was worth the wait! please look at the notes on the bottom of the page for a couple of questions that I need answers to. Let's GOOOO! Also, please forgive that this chapter is a little longer than usual, haha.
Darkness filled her view as Aqua felt herself flying through the sky. The pit of her stomach dropped. She could feel the motion of the flight, although she couldn't see where she was going and was so sure that there would be something to run into. It seemed she was along for the ride whether she liked it or not. As she felt her body rise straight in the air, light erupted in her vision and something truly terrible appeared. A sea of heartless and nobodies were swarming around a giant dragon. She had seen it once before in her dreams before becoming a Warden and several times more in the past week. It's eyes were milky white and it gave a thunderous roar that seemed to be calling the darkspawn to action. They were in a large cavern of some sort and aqua could almost feel the ground beneath her trembling.
She shot up, she realized she wasn't in a cave at all, but huddled in her bedding for warmth. The Warden shivered when she saw that the sun hadn't arisen yet and no one else was awake. With a sigh, she tried laying back down in order to attempt to rest, but every time she closed her eyes, there was the archdemon, watching her, waiting for her. She shivered again, but this time it wasn't because of the cold.
"You saw it too, huh?" Came terra's voice.
He hadn't moved; in fact, he was still laying down with his back towards her. Somehow Aqua hadn't realized how closely they had put their bedrolls together, but in the dark of the night, she was glad they had. After pulling her blanket tight around her shoulders, she pressed her legs against her body and let her chin rest on her knees.
"The archdemon." Terra clarified.
"I guess you had the same dream too, huh." Aqua sighed.
"I'm used to them by now. It's part of the price we pay for being Wardens."
"Anything else I should know about?"
Terra remained still. He knew this day would have to come eventually. Vanitas had been the unpleasant reminder of that. At least he could save the worst for last. With everything happening at Ostagar so quickly, they didn't have the time to iron out the nitty gritty. It felt like they hadn't gotten much of a chance to rest since then, either. Perhaps he would have to thank Aerith for having them slow down after all.
"There is. I didn't get the chance to tell you earlier, and a lot of these things are Warden secrets."
"Secrets? Why do the Wardens need to keep secrets?"
"There are people who would use us if they knew some of these things." Terra responded. "Even I don't know everything there is to know. But I have access to several books and maps that can help me learn."
"I see. We're the only ones awake. Tell me now."
Terra nodded and collected his thoughts. His mind flashed to the small list he kept in his belongings of the names of the Wardens who hadn't made it. Peter was the first on the list and it had ended with Jim. He remembered each one and went over the list with every new joining. How much longer would that list be when they defeated the archdemon and began recruiting wardens again? They would be subjected to these things, too.
"You already know about the nightmares and the ravenous hunger that's been slowly waning from you." Terra chuckled.
Aqua blushed lightly. She hadn't realized just how much she had been snacking recently. No one had said anything, but somehow Terra knew she would need a lot of food those nights he had brought dinner to her. At least she had found enough valuables on their journey to be able to afford it, but it was still embarrassing.
"Have you been experiencing a physical change in you whenever darkspawn were near?" Terra asked.
"Yes, although I thought that was just adrenaline." Aqua admitted.
"Part of it is, but it's set off by the fact that you're able to sense them in a way. But in turn they're also somewhat able to sense you because your heart is closer to the darkness. It's been tainted."
"I remember Eraqus said that the Warden order wanted hearts aligned with the light. Why would we want to be tainted?"
"So we can sense the darkspawn and tap into the hive mind. It helps us to know whether what's going on is actually a blight."
She nodded, internalizing what he was saying. There was just one more thing that didn't make sense to her. If a Warden knew that it was indeed a blight, why would the court actively disbelieve them? It was a problem that affected everyone. The royal court in Denerim should be responsible to help the people, not sacrifice the them due to lack of action. Somehow, the things she was learning about the world made her question whether she had learned anything at all in her 12 years in the tower.
"There's also a decrease in fertility, if that's anything important to you. Of course, there's no way to know how long you have anyway."
"Well, of course. We're always in battle. You can't assume you'll be alright simply because you're a Warden."
"That's actually not what I meant. " Terra answered softly.
"Then what do you mean, Terra? I'm already a Warden and I've come too far to run away."
Terra nodded solemnly. "Every Warden gets a death sentence from the moment the tea passes their lips. The closer you are to the darkness, the sooner you'll hear the calling."
"You're being awfully cryptic, Terra." Aqua gulped.
Based on context clues, he had to be talking about what happened when it was time for a Warden to die. Aqua wondered if it had to do with the joining. After all, she had tainted her heart and turned it to darkness even though she aligned herself with the light. It hadn't been a lot to take in yet, but something told her it was getting closer- whatever bombshell Terra was going to drop on her, it would be out in the open before their conversation was through.
"That's because it's the part of being a Warden I'm not looking forward to."
Aqua placed her hand on his arm and stared him in the eye. She could take it. He sighed and began again.
"Remember what I said earlier about being tainted? When you drank that tea, you gave yourself blight sickness. The light in your heart is slowing it, but when it comes close to the end of your life, that taint will turn you into a darkling. It's what happens to everyone."
"A darkling? How is that any different than a darkspawn?"
"They're more ferocious and were born by succumbing to the sickness. Regular darkspawn are created by the archdemon utilizing corruption in the hearts of men."
"But don't worry; the Wardens have come up with a tradition for that, too. When you start heading voices in your head you know the time is right and your calling is at hand. So then you'll go down to the deep roads to take out as many darkspawn as you can before they get you. It's glory-ridden and helpful at the same time."
No wonder the Wardens were so secretive. If anyone were to know about these limitations, they would think twice before joining and then end up like Gaston did. As she had been told to, she had reluctantly written both Gaston and Jim's names on the slip of paper in her own amulet given after the joining. The former wasn't one she really cared to remember. Jim though, he was a different story. He would be someone she would always remember, if nothing else for his youth and the way that he was so sincere.
"Is that all that I should know?" Aqua quizzed.
"No, there's one more thing you should know…" Terra paused, looked up to the stars and then returned his gaze back to meet her eyes. "I'm choosing not to survive the blight. I'll be the sacrifice. You'll have to carry on once I'm gone."
What did he mean he was 'choosing not to survive the blight?' he had to- there was still so much to do, so much to figure out. He wouldn't really leave her alone like this, would he? There was still so much she didn't know about, so much that she wanted him there for. To see him give everything up just like that? And for what, some kind of eternal glory? The man really was a Theirin.
"What makes you think I'd let you give up like that? We'll find some way out of it. Why would you even need to do that in the first place?" Aqua stood up abruptly.
"Only Wardens can kill the archdemon. And when it's defeated, the old soul goes into the Warden who gets the last hit and is contained so it doesn't create another blight." Terra stood up. "Don't you see I'm trying to make things better? No one even wants me anyway, I'm just some illegitimate pretender who can't even lead a party of two lone Wardens!"
"That's a lie." Aqua pursed her lips and took a step forward. "You're my best friend and more than a reliable leader. Maybe you've made mistakes, but that shouldn't define you."
"You've known me for a little more than two weeks. What makes you so sure?" Terra mirrored her.
"Because Terra, our hearts are connected. I don't know how better to describe it, but when I'm with you, I feel like I'm at home. I don't care that my childhood homes have both been destroyed. Because home isn't a place. I trust you with my life. So please…." Aqua held her hands in front of her chest. "Don't give up. We can find something. Together. I don't want to lose my friend."
Their faces were much closer than Aqua had realized, and for a moment, she found she didn't care. He had to realize that he was needed, wanted. She couldn't do this Warden thing on her own. After the archdemon would be killed, she would need him by her side to help with rebuilding. No, it was more than that. She didn't want to just have him there for support. She needed him there because well, he was himself. They stayed in that position for at least another minute, eyes locked. Neither dared to back down. She could feel his breath as he exhaled, which was somewhat distracting. His face made tiny changes that reflected he must have been thinking about what he saw on her face, too.
"I'm the senior Warden. This is my duty." Terra's eyes softened.
"You can't…." Even Aqua herself wasn't sure if that was a question or a comment.
He was the first to pull away. If he could be stubborn, so could she. She would do what she could to find a way out. Even if she had to make sure she got the last hit on the archdemon or ask one of their companions to hold Terra back, she would. But magic was funny like that. As she had told Ventus, most spells had a way to be undone- a back door, if you would. She would find it and make use of it so neither of them had to live without the other. From the moment the tea ran down her throat, Terra had become a part of her.
"It's going to be a long day tomorrow. We should get some sleep." Terra returned to his bedding. "Good night, Aqua. I hope you have better dreams."
The next morning they arose to find Kimahri making breakfast. He wore his usual clothes, not seeking to care about the heavy chill that was hanging in the air. Aqua hadn't recalled ever seeing Kimahri eat much, much less cook for anyone. But it smelled good and she could use something to help warm her up. As she stretched her limbs and moved her joints, Ava stood next to Aqua, facial expression unreadable behind the mask.
"The Qun are like that. They don't believe in set roles. If there's a job to do, they do it." Ava explained as if reading her mind.
"Oh." Was all Aqua could find herself saying.
"Anyway, there's a tavern near here that I need to make a stop at soon, if you don't mind."
"Okay, I guess. What for?"
"Personal business."
Aqua nodded and cleaned up her bed roll before heading over for breakfast. Kimahri looked at her the whole time she was getting her food, his expression nearly unreadable. There was still so much about the Qunari warrior she still didn't know. She would have asked, but he rarely spoke as it was. She couldn't live among the Qun for their secrecy and fear that they would sew her mouth shut. But maybe she could learn second hand what it was like. As they ate a silent breakfast, the sun rise and began to warm up the ground beneath their feet. If it were this cold here, it must be even colder at the tower. Aqua wondered if there would be a chance for snow. In that case they might have to start chipping in for a room in an inn. At least they found plenty of valuables during their adventures and were able to sell them to Biggs and Wedge for a quick bit of coin.
Speaking of the two merchants, she looked over to see Wedge petting one of the cats that always seemed to follow them around, despite Skuld's complaints. It arched it's back and closed it's eyes, clearly enjoying the attention. Aqua wondered if they really *had* been protected by the elven goddess, or if they had simply been incredibly lucky.
"Hey, we just wanted to let you know that we'll be making our way to Orzammar now. I've heard rumors that the path has been closed, but with our connection to the city, I'm hoping to be able to get in. It's doubtful you guys will be able to get in though."
"We have to try. Maybe we can follow you guys?"
"It's just a rumor." Wedge added. "You never know whether it's true or not."
"Wedge is right. Besides, sounds like you guys had a pit stop to make. With any luck we'll find you down with the Paragons."
Aqua nodded and finished breaking down camp. With a toss of her keyblade, Aqua summoned her keyblade glider and followed behind Terra. Thankfully the tavern in question was right on their way to Orzammar. It was nearly impossible to tell how Ava was feeling when she wore that mask. Aqua couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her mind. None in the group spoke, and that gave Aqua all the more reason to get lost in her thoughts. She had recalled the dream Ava had. Her greatest desire was to kill the man named Braig.
Eventually a large building appeared on the horizon and they dismounted. It was a wide building with a hanging sign that had no words but only the picture of a yellow duck. The group walked in and grabbed the only empty booth. It was nestled in the back corner among the crowd of people taking lunch. Aqua could feel eyes boring into her back as she walked. It was kind of exciting to be so close to danger, but something inside made her wonder if it were appropriate for her to feel that way. They slid into their seats, Kimahri and Terra taking the outside seats. There was a waitress who came to ask for their orders. After they had all given their answers, she left. Aqua noticed that Ava was scanning the room as best as she could. She was here on personal business, so it was likely she was trying to find whomever it was she needed to meet.
"Don't look." Ava whispered. "But it's my guess those are the two we're looking for."
Ava subtilty directed Aqua's attention to two men wearing floppy caps and dark jackets were holding full glasses of some ale or another. Aqua noticed that they hadn't taken a drink once and we're muttering things among themselves. One met eyes with her, and she looked away quickly.
"I believe I told you not to look." Ava nearly hissed.
"Sorry" Aqua mouthed.
Their drinks and Aqua's food came out a few minutes later and they made small talk among the group. Stitch watched as a lone minstrel sadly plucked a tune and he rubbed his hands over his face. Before anyone could stop him, he kicked the minstrel off the chair and began playing the same song, only more smoothly. He stuck out a third arm, waving over to Aqua with a giant smile on his face. She sheepishly gave a small smile back before looking around to see if anyone else had noticed they entered. The two men picked up their glasses and walked over to the table to speak to the party.
"So, it's a lovely day. What brings a party as large as yours to the snuggly duckling?" One asked. "I'm Jasper and this little lump is Horace."
"Can we help you?" Aqua questioned.
"We're just hoping to have a pleasant conversation. After all, you never know what secrets will come out." Jasper spoke carefully.
Ava tensed slightly for only a moment. The bard didn't seem fazed at all beyond that; instead she casually took a long drink out of her glass. It would be a great chance to finally get to see her work. Ava put down her glass and looked directly at the tall lanky man who was leaning on the table. While Aqua took a sip from her drink, underneath the table her free hand was clenched into a fist. These guys may have been bards too, but were nothing like Ava. There was something amiss with them.
"Any chance we could get that mabari war hound to play a different song? This one is a little too sweet for my taste." Jasper started again when he saw there was no response.
"What song did you have in mind? It's a sin to tell a lie?" Ava replied.
While she spoke, Ava's accent had completely disappeared. Now instead of having the usual sound of the Orlesian court, her voice lilted and flowed like anyone's from Ferelden. It was almost off putting to hear her utilize the accent so well. She could have become someone else without Aqua even knowing it. But she was comfortable around the Wardens, right? She hadn't seemed to pretend much around them, despite how tight lipped she was about her past.
"No need to be so chilly, miss, after all, it's just a song." Jasper smirked. "Besides, no one's going to be able to have a right old chit chat when there's a song playing that they actually like them."
"That's right, we need to speak to your Warden friends about a certain blood mage who passed away a couple of years ago. I don't suppose either of you would have any idea of what we're referring to, would you?" Horace piped up. "They say his hometown was Lothering, before it was destroyed."
Jasper tightened his hand into a fist and brought it down on Horace's head. The taller man shot his companion a glare that made aqua wonder if he hadn't said too much. Ava kept her cool though as the rest of the table looked between the bard and the men as they seemingly kept their conversation light.
"What my compatriot means to say is there is a person of interest in our search and we would have hoped that an organization as widespread and knowledgeable as the Wardens would be able to help us find." Jasper recovered.
"You do know the Wardens are being actively hunted by the Teryn, right?" Aqua stated.
"We aren't interested in what the Teryn has to offer. Our employer is looking at something much more lasting than the whole of Orlais." Horace responded. "Why, when he gets what he wants, Ser Braig will-"
Jasper threw his hand over Horace's mouth and whacked him in the head again, simply for good measure. Ava's face lost all color and her lips pressed together.
"If you're really after secrets, you should watch your tongues." Ava stated. "What did Ser Braig send you to tell me?"
"Don't know, miss. We were just supposed to be looking for the Wardens to ask for some help."
"Well, if you need some help, we can probably look into-" Terra began.
"No." Ava answered firmly. "Tell Braig the message has been sent."
Jasper's face scrunched up and it grew red. Horace looked as uncomfortable as did many of the others in the booth, unsure of not only what just happened but what Ava had meant by message. Aqua was the only one who was privy to the information needed for this to make any sense, but she still wasn't sure what was going on.
"Now you listen here. We needed to talk to the Wardens, not send you some message, little missy. You had better tell us what we need to know before I get rough with ya." Jasper hit the table with a fist.
"Now emThat's /emsomething I can get behind." Zack smirked as he turned the round table toward them, spilling all of the drinks and Aqua's uneaten plate of food.
"Hey!" Aqua stood up.
"I'll buy you another one next time, promise!" Zack grabbed Horace by the collar and punched him on the cheek.
The larger man landed on the backs of some other tough looking men and caused them to spill their drinks on themselves. Wet and annoyed, they turned to punch whatever had caused them trouble. One group turned to two and all of a sudden people everywhere were fighting hand to hand. Stitch humped up and began to cheer, changing his song from the previous one to a more upbeat tune.
"Oh hey! I know this one!" Aerith laughed as she weaved to avoid a punch.
What surprised Aqua most was she actually began to sing along to the song.
Be sure it's true when you say,
I love you. "It's a sin to tell a lie.
Just because these words were spoken.
The song then devolved into a story about someone who told a woman she was pretty when he was drunk and would now have to marry her. She would have liked to heard the whole thing; it sounded funny. But she was a little busy concentrating on trying to avoid the dishes that were being thrown around her. She noticed Kimahri had food on his shoulder already from a flying plate.
"Aqua!" Terra motioned for her.
She grabbed his hand and they locked arms back to back. As he spun her around, she used her legs to kick at whoever was running at them. At one point she almost kicked Skuld, but managed to pull her leg back at the last second. She was grateful the apostate had her back turned at the moment.
Granted Skuld likely would have pinned the blame on Terra, so maybe it wasn't the worst thing. Aqua thought to herself.
When he let her down, he ducked to miss a punch which led to her getting pushed into another person. She pushed off of them before moving to the side to avoid a hit which landed on the poor sap behind her. The music stopped as stitch began using the mandolin to hit anyone who got too close. When the instrument was beyond recognition, he tossed it to the side and jumped on someone's shoulders. Zack was using his sword to shield Aerith from the incoming dishes and people that Kimahri was throwing around. Aerith wasn't as excited as she had been at the beginning of the fight, and was slowly moving to the front door with Zack at her side. Ava was lost somewhere in the crowd, and as Aqua was just now realizing it, so were Jasper and horace. It was anyone's wonder what they could be doing, but Ava could take care of herself. She was smart and always had her daggers on her. Now the important part was to get out of there as best as she could.
Screams filled the tavern as a large black bear stood eight feet high by the fireplace, causing several people to run away in the ensuing chaos. Skuld always did have a flair for the dramatic. Aqua was nearly bowled over, but as the people made a run for tue door, she was plucked up by Kimahri and dangled so she wouldn't get injured. From how close she was to him now, Aqua could hear a contented growl in the throat of the Qunari who held her. If aqua didn't know any better, she'd say he had enjoyed that; in some way, she had, too. It was kind of fun not fighting with just her magic for once. Of course, her enemies this time we're just locals as opposed to the usual darkspawn or assassin. Gave her a chance to blow off some steam.
"Thank you." Aqua said as Kimahri put her down. He nodded and walked to the horses.
"Well, I think the odds are that we're not going to be let back in there anytime soon. Did anyone see where Ava went?" Terra breathed a sigh.
"I'm right here." A quiet voice came from the door of the tavern. "I could use a little help with the bodies. Just enough to tie them up out here. I-I need to send my own message."
Terra and Zack hurried into the tavern and grabbed out horace and Jasper before the owner could come and get angry with them. The men got slumped over the backs of a couple of horses as they rode out a small distance from the snuggly duckling. When they stopped, both Horace and Jasper were unceremoniously thrown from the horses and tied up. Ava quickly stripped them of their coin and any valuables.
"Are you sure we should be doing that? They're going to need a way to get home when they wake up." Aqua knelt beside Ava.
"See this wallet? It's Antivan. They've filched it off some other poor sap long before we got here. Besides, we'll need it if we want to be prepared to end the blight. Think of it as a donation for the trouble they gave us."
"I suppose. But what was the message that they were sending to you? It seemed to me that they were just asking a question."
Ava paused. "Braig would never send two nug-brains like that out into the field if he wanted something done right. He's trying to bait me into something."
"What makes you so sure?"
"He's involving you. Although I can't imagine how he came to find out about you or whatever other warden thing he's chasing, but he does have a particular way of getting things out of people."
"He was your teacher, right?"
After biting her lip, Ava nodded slightly. There was still so much that the bard was holding inside. It must have been awfully lonely to be inside Ava's mind. At the end of the day, sometimes it's easy to feel like the only one anyone can count on is themselves. Still, Aqua wanted to be there for her. No one deserved to be alone. It didn't matter what kind of secrets their past held, everyone needed someone to depend on. Maybe this wasn't the right time for this. But Aqua wanted to try anyway. Carefully, she held out her hands and drew Ava into an embrace. It was one of the things her mother would do; something she desperately missed at the circle. The bard jumped a little at Aqua's sudden movement. She stared ahead as the mage slowly brushed a hand over her tacky looking cowl. Ava could hear Aqua's heart beating. It was strong and steady, giving something for Ava to focus on as she breathed deeply in and out. Her tough act was completely destroyed by a single tear that fell from her cheek and landed in her hand. She looked down at it in confusion. She hadn't been crying.
At least, she didn't think she had been. Another water drop fell and then another and another. Her vision was getting blurry as well. It had been a while since Ava had been able to cry; she wondered if she hadn't lost the ability a long time ago, but here was viable evidence to the contrary. She found her shoulders were also shaking of their own free will as the water came faster and faster. During her tutelage with Braig she had never been given such a merciful gift.
Much to Aqua's surprise, Ava grabbed her arm and relaxed into her hold. Off came the fox mask she always wore and small strands of red and blonde hair spilled out to the sides of her face. Her hands rushed to her eyes to rid themselves of the salty tears that were pouring out. Aqua continued to hold her without another word, simply rubbing up and down gently on the younger girl's back. Neither noticed the way that skuld ushered everyone back and terra grabbed the two men so that the women could have some room. When they were finally alone and Ava's tears subsided, she exited the embrace and dried her eyes once more.
"Do you need a handkerchief?" Aqua held out one of hers to Ava.
"No, I'm alright. If I'm honest, i wasn't even sure I could do that anymore. I hope I didn't worry you."
"I am going to worry about you, Ava. you're my friend. Are you alright? Those two seemed to have shaken you up quite a bit."
She shook her head lightly again, removing her cowl. When her hair had been freed, she quickly placed her hair behind her ears and picked up her mask, letting her fingers run over it as she spoke.
"It wasn't them who got me to feel like this." Ava sighed. "Even however far away you are, you're still just toying with me, aren't you Braig?"
"What do you mean?"
"Ever since I was young, I have been close to the Maker and have seen visions that I believe are from him just as easily as one reading a book. For that, I became an outcast and was shunned from my family. I ended up pickpocketing from Braig one day in Val Royeaux and when he caught me, he decided to give me a home. There were a couple of us there; learning the ways of the bard. The only two of us who ever stayed on for longer than a year was myself and a boy named Gula."
Aqua waited for her to continue.
"At the end of our training, Braig set us free with one mission. Gula was sent to do a long job with the Empress of Orlais while I came here to Ferelden. I'll spare you the details, but he tried to kill me. So I entered the Chantry to keep safe from his clutches. Even he's smart enough to know not to mess with them."
"He tried to kill you?" Aqua gasped.
"That is not important right now. Thank you for listening to my sad tale, Aqua."
"But that doesn't explain why this got you so shaken up."
"It's because I know Braig is up to something. And he wouldn't be tempting me like this unless it was big. When the blight is over, will you promise to help me bring this man to justice?"
"Of course." Aqua nodded. "If he's the way you say he is, then he needs to be stopped."
"Thank you. I know the Maker sent you to me for a reason."
Ava gave a genuine smile before donning on the mask and the cowl. They returned to the group and after scrawling a quick note for Braig, they left the two in ropes by the door of the bar. It was time to get back to their travels for they had waited long enough. Aerith gave the all clear for a return to full travel days and they were on their way to the deep underground roads of Orzammar.
Notes:
The peter whose name is in Terra's necklace is Peter Pan.
The Qun don't believe in gender roles. They choose people to do jobs based on their ability. It's a really cool society. We will go more into their culture in the next two stories.
The first song Stitch plays is Annie's Song by John Denver. This, of course, is the song I chose for the Terraqua ship as the song he does that represents them the most. Go check it out, John Denver is one of my favorite musicians!
Another great old song is "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie". Though the version John Denver sings is a cover, I prefer it over the original. This is also the same version that is used later in the chapter.
So a couple of questions: I plan on doing a short story involving what Teryn Xehanort is doing at the castle while all of this is going on. Would you prefer I throw it in the story or make up another story in the Kingdom Hearts section of ffn that would be separate from the main story, like what Kessie is doing with the codex entries? Let me know in the reviews.
Also, I was thinking about it and I was considering moving this story back into the KH section of ffn. I moved it to the crossover part simply because I wanted more Dragon Age fans to see it, but I'm wondering if it being in this section is making it hard to find. Do you hate the idea? Love it? Does it matter to you? Let me know and thanks again for hanging out with me for this long!