A Tale of Two Wardens
Chapter 8 - The Joining
As Lara followed behind Morrigan, she knew she had to stay on the witch's safe side. The path they were taking was not one they could follow back without her. Much of the wilds were trodden paths, either by the visiting soldiers from the north or the Chasind Wilders who made the Korcari Wilds home going back before recorded history, but this path wasn't. Hidden by magic, and nature itself, the Wardens had to follow closely behind Morrigan who commanded the nature around her. Trees and vines moved apart as she walked, or nature recoiled naturally from her power, Lara couldn't tell. Eventually the hidden path ended as they reached a small island in the Wilds, most of the island was a mysteriously empty field and the other occupied by a tall and winding house, something out of a fairytale. The smells and sounds of the wilds were gone, replaced instead by the smells of fire and herbs, pungent but not unpleasant. It appeared that even the insects of the Wilds were held back by the magic, there was no more buzzing of mosquitoes, instead an eerie silence, only broken by the group's footsteps.
"We are in a fairytale...a children's story. This can't be real. Are we going to run into Dane and the Werewolf next?" Alistair whispered into Lara's ear as they crossed the rickety bridge towards the home. Lara had to hold back a laugh, not wanting to offend Morrigan, or turn her against them. Lara looked over her shoulder and Daveth was pale as a ghost; and definitely not finding it as funny as Alistair did.
"Mother," Morrigan called out suddenly and from a small garden beside the house walked out an older woman, wearing the robes of a mage but they were similarly disheveled, decorated with twigs and vines. The woman's body appeared frail, but when Lara met her eyes, she could feel the power behind them.
"There is no way this is what she really looks like…" Lara thought as the three of them stood in front of the home.
"Mother, I have brought you three Grey Wardens-" Morrigan started to speak
"I see them girl, much as I expected," Morrigan's mother interrupted, her gaze moving along the group, like she was scanning them to find their weakness. Daveth, then to Alistair, and finally landing on Lara before moving back to Alistair when he spoke
"You really want us to believe that you were expecting us?" Alistair asked, but he was unable to meet the woman's eyes directly.
"You are not required to believe, or anything else. Though this one," she said, looking straight at Daveth, "He appears to believe that he has jumped from the proverbial frying pan and into the fire," she said, her words slow and focused.
"She's a witch, is what she is! A Witch of the Wilds!" Daveth stammered out, stepping back but Alistair quickly reached out, grabbing his arm to stop Daveth from falling into the water behind them.
"A Witch of the Wilds, hah. Did Morrigan tell you that? Oh she acts so serious but she does fancy those stories...of witches dancing naked in the moonlight. Maybe I did so, in my younger days," Morrigan's mother said, her gaze shifting back to Lara.
"But you, you are not so scared as these quivering men behind you. In fact, you have an air of determination about you. What do you believe, mhm? Do you believe I am a mysterious Witch of the Wild?" she asked, staring straight into Lara's eyes.
With the woman's gaze on her, Lara felt her strength drain from her limbs, it was like her very spirit was intimidated by the woman in front of her. "I believe...I believe you have something that we want. Our-" Lara finally managed to speak but she was quickly cut off by the woman.
"Your treaties, yes. I know they are what you want and contrary to what you believe, I have protected these. Your simple charms and wards faded off years ago," she explained, reaching into a small bag that hung at her side and took out a series of scrolls. "Here, these are yours," she explained and walked close, handing them to Lara.
"You...you protected them?" Alistair asked, completely dumbfounded.
Lara took the scrolls from Morrigan's mother and held them in her hands, the old vellum was bound with leather string and sealed with a wax stamp.
"Yes. Are you surprised? I know many of your foolish comrades wished that the darkspawn were simply gone, but I always knew they would return. It is simple really, the threat that the Blight presents is even greater than the other Wardens realize." Morrigan's mother explained as Alistair looked down at the scrolls that Lara had handed to him
"What do you mean the threat is greater than they realize?" Lara asked. Morrigan's mother clearly enjoyed playing games, revealing information in breadcrumbs that you had to follow…..maybe they really were in a fairytale.
"Perhaps the threat is more...or they realize less. Perhaps the threat is nothing! Or they realize nothing!" The woman laughed, a cackling mischievous sound. "Oh don't mind me, an old woman's games. But you have what you need and I suspect you three will be needed back. Especially because two other of your recruits are still waiting for you," she explained and Lara's eyes opened wide.
"How do you know about Theron and Jory?" Alistair asked, slipping the treaties into his pack.
"The elf and the warrior? Oh, the wilds tell me much. They tell all. but you just have to listen carefully. Now go, and Morrigan, these are your guests and I recommend you bring them back to the tower you picked them up from," she added on before turning around and walking back to the house. The conversation was clearly over.
"Oh alright then, I will lead you back through the forest, follow me," Morrigan said and walked off towards the bridge they crossed.
"Well...that's a story for another time," Alistair whispered to Lara as they followed Morrigan along the hidden path.
"It's been nearly an hour that we've been waiting here. What if...if the Darkspawn got them? We ought to get back to Duncan with the blood we have...it's clear this tower is lost," Jory commented to Theron who was sitting on a broken pile of bricks, his chin resting on his hands.
"Jory, all we see are dead darkspawn bodies. There is no evidence anything bad happened to them, now give it a rest. We are safe here, most of the Darkspawn seem to be staying away from us so we can wait longer for them," Theron responded, trying to hold back his exasperation. Every moment they spent waiting, it was clear Jory was becoming more stressed.
"But-"
"Wait, something is coming, be ready," Theron hissed, quickly standing up and pressing his back to one of the remaining walls of the tower. "It's coming from the trees behind us," he whispered to Jory who was standing ready with his greatsword held out. Theron pulled out his sword while readying a throwing knife in the other hand. After a few moments Theron jumped out and held the throwing knife up, ready to throw just as Morrigan walked forward with the others behind him.
"Theron! Theron, it's ok. She's….well, she helped us, you can relax," Lara called out as they hopped off of the small hill and walked over to Theron and Jory.
"Did you get the treaties? The chests here are empty," Theron asked and Alistair opened his pack, holding up the treaties.
"We've got them, don't worry," Alistair added before glancing back at Morrigan.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye?" Alistair asked Morrigan but the witch simply crossed her arms.
"That is to be seen. Good luck, Wardens...I suspect you'll need it," Morrigan said quietly before turning around and vanishing into the trees.
"Who...was that witch?" Jory asked, sheathing the greatsword onto his back.
"We'll explain on the way, we should return to Duncan," Alistair explained before stepping forward to lead the group back to Ostagar.
By the time the group of Warden recruits returned to Ostagar, the sun had begun to set around the Ostagar garrison. The large towers and battlements were bathed in orange light, making it appear as though the entire garrison surrounded by flames, blocking them off from the rest of the world.
"So what do you think happens now?" Theron asked Lara as Alistair led the group of fledgling Wardens to where Duncan told them he would be waiting.
"I have no idea...but I think it has something to do with the blood. I...felt like some got in my mouth when I was fighting one of the beasts but Alistair didn't seem concerned. In fact...he said it was something I wouldn't have to worry about soon. I...I don't really understand what it means, but I don't like the sound of it," Lara explained to Theron who listened intently.
"I have nothing to lose at this point. I can't go back home….I'm ready for this, whatever this is," Theron whispered as Alistair led them to a small pavilion overlooking the great gorge that Ostagar was built above. Duncan stood beside a small fire, with a pot resting above it, dark smoke emitting from it. Next to the fire was a small table with empty vials, and a large silver and purple goblet. Beside him, Reilly was laying with his head on his paws. The mabari lifted his head up and jolted forward, rushing over to Lara and pressing into her stomach.
"It's good to see you buddy...I missed you, we could've used you out there," Lara whispered, kissing his wet nose. Reilly looked back behind him and barked happily towards Theron who simply waved at him.
"At last, you have arrived," Duncan said solemnly as the group walked up to him. "Do you have the blood?"
Alistair turned and looked at all four of the recruits before nodding as each of them took a vial of darkspawn blood, thick black viscous liquid, out of their packs and held them up. Alistair took each vial and brought them over to Duncan. Duncan looked down at them in his hands before emptying the vials one by one into the pot above the fire. When he stared down at the blood, his stony expression shifted ever so slightly and sadness could be seen, the pain behind his eyes that he tried to hide.
"We also acquired the treaties, though it was….not as simple as we were expecting, there were complications," Alistair explained, showing them to Duncan from his pack.
"Complications? And hold onto them for now, I'll take them from you after the battle," Duncan replied before glancing at the recruits.
"We met a woman….a mage, and her mother. They were very odd," Lara explained. "Intense...powerful. The mother warned us that the blight was a greater threat than we feared."
"Chasind or apostates, perhaps," Alistair added on.
"We have no time to be hunting apostates, Alistair. Leave it be...we have what we need, that is all that matters," Duncan explained and Alistair nodded understandingly, standing beside Duncan as he turned to speak to the recruits.
"The Grey Wardens were founded during the First Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. So it was the first Wardens who drank of Darkspawn blood and mastered their taint," Duncan explained. "As the first Grey Wardens did...we take on the taint as the source of our power, and our victory over the blights."
Theron and Lara looked at each other nervously before turning back to Duncan, but beside them Jory was beginning to shake.
"We have to drink the blood...the blood of those monsters?" Jory stammered out, looking towards Alistair for some guidance.
"Those who survive the joining become immune to the taint, and we can sense its power. We use that power to slay the archdemon," Alistair explained.
"Those...who survive?" Jory asked, but Alistair had no response, only turning to look at Duncan for guidance.
"Yes, there is a great risk in taking on the taint. For some...the taint will overcome their body, and they will die. But from the moment that blood touches your lips, you are Grey Wardens," Duncan explained, his words slow and measured, before grabbing a small ladle and to transfer some of the liquid from the pot into the goblet.
"Who will go first?" Alistair asked and after a moment Theron stepped forward.
"I have nothing to return to, if...if the Maker wills it, I will happily take this chance to prove myself as a Grey Warden," Theron said, steeling himself for this moment.
"Good. There are few words spoken before the joining, but these are the words that have been spoken since the first. Alistair, if you would?" Duncan asked as he walked over and carried the goblet towards Theron.
"Join us brothers and sisters, join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day, we shall join you," Alistair spoke slowly and solemnly before stepping back as Theron took the goblet in his hands.
"Maker preserve us," Theron whispered before taking the goblet and bringing it to its lips. The smell of the warm blood stung his nostrils, the smell was of death and more, it was corruption itself. Slowly the black liquid came to his lips and passed down to his throat. His whole body began to burn, aching as the taint roared through him. The goblet fell from his hand as his vision blurred and the strength drained from him. He could hear Duncan and Alistair speaking, but it was barely intelligible, quickly replaced by roaring, the roar of the Darkspawn and the roar of the Archdemon.
"You are now a Grey Warden, Theron Tabris," Duncan whispered as Theron's eyes shut and he slumped to the ground, his breathing slowed but he was still alive.
"Alistair, bring him over to the cot," Duncan ordered while picking up the goblet and filling it up with another ladleful of the treated blood. He turned to Daveth and beckoned towards him, "Daveth, step forward."
Lara glanced over at Alistair as he lifted up Theron's body and carried him over to where the four cots were set up. Watching Theron take in the taint had been terrifying, as he drank from the goblet Lara could see the color drain out of his skin. She thought he had died when he collapsed to the ground, but she could see him still breathing under his armor.
"Well...guess this is it. Here we go," Daveth whispered before taking the goblet from Duncan.
"Daveth, you are now a Grey Warden," Duncan whispered before stepping back.
Daveth brought the goblet to his lips and drank from it, but his reaction was different from Theron's. Lara watched in horror as his body collapsed down to the ground in front of them, black tendrils forming along his neck from his mouth as the taint corrupted his body. His whole body began to twitch and shake on the ground, groans of pain coming from his mouth as the blackness spread across his face and by the time the tendrils began to appear on his hands, he had stopped moving. Reilly whined, pressing his nose against Lara's thigh and Lara quietly put her hand on his forehead. She couldn't react, frozen in place by what she just saw. Jory was just as taken aback, stepping back anxiously but they were positioned with the columns of the wall behind them so he could not go far.
Duncan reached down to pick up the goblet and filled it up from the pot before turning to Jory, "Step forward, Ser Jory."
"No...no...there is no glory in this. No honor. I have a wife! A child!" Jory said, the panic clear in his voice as he reached for his blade on his back.
"Jory don't be an idiot!" Lara yelled, "There is no going back from this, you knew this!" Lara was terrified for what was about to happen, Duncan had a pained look in his eyes….he had been here before, in this very position. She didn't particularly care for Jory but she had lost enough people, she didn't want to lose another person like Daveth.
The words of Morrigan's mother kept replaying in her head, that the threat of the Blight was being underestimated. But her words fell on death ears.
"No...no you ask too much Warden," Jory said, drawing his blade but Duncan was faster. The man may have been the same age as Lara's father, but he moved faster than anyone she had ever seen. With a quick movement, he had his dagger placed at Jory's side, his free hand grabbing Jory's, stopping him from moving the blade.
"I'm sorry," Duncan whispered before stabbing the blade right into Jory's side.
"No...Helena…" Jory whispered as blood pooled at his mouth. The grip Jory held on his greatsword vanished and the blade fell to the ground. Jory's eyes already losing much of their light as they met Duncan's, but Duncan didn't react. Instead, he sighed and pushed the blade up his side, severing much of his abdomen, causing the warrior to fall to the ground and slowly bleed out on the pavilion.
"You...you killed him," Lara whispered, stunned by what she saw. Even if she wanted to, she would never have been able to stop Duncan, and she had no intention of dying. By his blade, or the taint.
"He is a Grey Warden now," Duncan said in response as Alistair came over, a pained look in his eyes.
"Lara, there is a reason the joining is a secret...and it must be kept a secret," Alistair explained as Duncan filled the goblet with the final ladleful of blood before carrying it over to Lara who stepped forward away from Reilly.
"I have no choice….this is what I have to do," Lara thought to herself.
"Lara Cousland, you are now a Grey Warden," Duncan said and Lara took the goblet out of his hands and brought it to her lips.
"This is for you...father….mother," Lara whispered and shut her eyes, remembering the image of her mother readying herself to protect her dying father.
"I will survive and find Fergus. I will survive...and get vengeance on Howe," Lara thought to herself before lifting up the goblet. The blood slowly poured past her lips and down her throat, burning up her entire body. Her hands clenched around the goblet as the fire rocked throughout her body and her vision blurred. Duncan and Alistair stood quietly in front of her, but she could hear roaring, screams of pain and agony. "Am I screaming?" Lara wondered, her thoughts blazing as her vision blurred and that's when she saw it, far in the distance of her mind. The Archdemon. The Archdemon spoke in its garbled tongue to the Darkspawn it commanded, but when she turned, she saw Theron standing there. His eyes were shut, but he was standing there beside her in the vision, but soon that began to fade as the strength drained from her limbs and she collapsed to the ground.
"I've got you," Alistair said, quickly catching Lara in his arms and against his chest. He looked up to Duncan as he carried her over to the cot and laid her down. "At least these two survived," He commented sadly.
Duncan picked up the goblet and began to clean up the tools of the joining. "Prepare the necklaces for them...I will have the bodies respectfully buried. This is always the hardest part, I've seen too many young people die to the Joining. I carry everyone of them in my spirit," Duncan explained to Alistair who was listening intently while filling up two lockets with the remaining drops of the treated Darkspawn blood.