Thanks to everyone who has read and favorited this story!
To the awesome "We Hate Howe Club" and my repeat reviewers: lisakodysam, voltagelisa, Shakespira, Lavinia Luscious, zevgirl
Miltonia, CCBug, sandradee27, Nithu, Nanicane, FallingDarkAngel, tgail73 and KayraCousland: Your support means more to me than I could ever say!
To my unbelievable Beta Reader, Lisa, the most wonderful friend I could ever ask for: I hope I treated your Cullen right!
Bioware owns all!
Exhausted and emotionally drained, Zeva and her companions headed down the hall from the Sloth Demon's lair, fighting still more abominations. Zevran stayed close to Zeva's side, and she frequently noticed him watching her, with a strange expression on his face. They had much to discuss when they finally escaped this Magi prison.
A closed door stood at the end of the hall. As Zeva approached it, Wynne stopped her. "Through this door is the staircase to the Harrowing Chamber," the older woman explained. "We have to assume that Uldred has taken Irving and the other Senior Mages there to complete whatever insidious plan he has in mind. Before we continue, let me see the Litany."
Zeva handed the parchment to Wynne, who read it over quickly. "One of us will need to recite the verse should Uldred attempt to use his blood magic to control the mages he has with him." she said.
"Tell me what to say and I will do it," Zeva said determinedly. "You and Morrigan will be needed to fight off Uldred's magic and Zevran can handle the abominations that come to his aid. I will fight alongside Zevran and help protect Irving and the remaining mages, providing they are still alive."
Seeing the fear on Wynne's face, Zeva reached out and placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. "We will save them, Wynne, if it is at all possible," she said reassuringly.
Wynne smiled weakly and proceeded to recite the Litany to Zeva, who repeated it several times to make sure she had each word correct. When she was confident she could use the parchment correctly, Zeva moved to the door and opened it slowly, her dagger at the ready.
In the next room, they encountered a scene of horror. Encased in a magical barrier was a young Templar, kneeling on the ground, shaking uncontrollably. Around him were the bodies of several of his fellows, their deaths the result of a sword attack, if the injuries on the bodies were any indication.
The ginger-haired man was thin and haggard, the victim of obvious torture. "I know this Templar; his name is Cullen. We have to help him," Wynne said quickly and Zeva approached the barrier. She reached her hand out, pulling it back quickly as a stream of electricity shot through her body.
Kneeling outside the cage, Zeva asked quietly, "Ser Templar, are you alright? We are here to help you."
She jumped back as the Templar stood suddenly, staring at her with undisguised hatred. "This trick again? I know what you are. It won't work. I will stay strong!" he cried, backing away from the barrier.
"I'm sorry, Ser," Zeva began, trying to calm the agitated man, "I'm not sure what you are talking about, but this isn't a trick. We are here to help you."
Falling back down to his knees, Cullen began rocking back and forth, his head buried in his arms. "Enough visions. If anything in you is human... kill me now, and stop these games," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Filthy blood mages... getting in my head... I will not break... I would rather die."
"Look at me, Cullen!" Zeva said sternly, and the Templar glanced up, his eyes wary. "I am no illusion and I am no trick. I am here to stop Uldred and I will get you out of that cage."
"Uldred!" the Templar cried as he rose from the ground. "Did Knight-Commander Greagoir send you? You must destroy Uldred for what he has done. You must kill them all!"
Wynne stepped forward and asked anxiously, "Where are Irving and the other mages who fought Uldred?"
"They are in the Harrowing Chamber," Cullen said, his face a mask of terror. "They have been trapped up there for such a long time. Maker, the screams that I have heard coming from that room! You must destroy them all to ensure that no abominations survive!"
Zeva looked at him curiously. "Are you suggesting that I kill every mage up there?" she asked incredulously. "Irving and the other Senior Mages are innocent of Uldred's crimes."
"Innocent?" Cullen yelled angrily. "There is no such thing as an innocent mage! I used to believe they were simply victims of their nature, but no longer. Mages are the only ones with the power to snake their evil fingers into your mind and corrupt your very thoughts! You have no idea what they are capable of!"
"I am well aware of the dangers of magic, young man," Wynne said irritably, "and I know that Irving would never allow himself to be controlled by Uldred."
"You know NOTHING!" Cullen protested. "You have not heard the things that I have; seen the things I have seen."
"I have seen enough to know that what I am about to walk into is a nightmare," Zeva stated, staring into the Templar's amber eyes. "Believe me when I tell you that I will deal with whatever I find; and I will do it without destroying innocent lives. There has been too much death in this Tower already. As soon as I am finished, I will be back and we will get you out of this cage."
Turning away, she proceeded up the stairs. "Maker turn His gaze on you," Cullen said to her retreating back. "I hope your compassion hasn't doomed us all."
Electricity was sparking around the Harrowing Chamber, giving it a nightmarish glow. In the center of the room stood Uldred, surrounded by his abominations. Their focus was on a mage, frozen in place before them. Fear and agony were etched on the young man's face as he was raised into the air.
Uldred approached him and asked, his voice seductive. "Do you accept the gift that I offer?" he asked the terrified mage.
Unable to speak, the mage nodded weakly and fell to the ground. Zeva watched in horror as Uldred and two of his abominations raised their hands over the prostrate form and concentrated their magic on him. In moments, he had turned from the handsome young man he had been into yet another of Uldred's monstrous minions.
As his newest follower rose, Uldred turned his attention to the new arrivals, his eyes flashing with evil glee when they came to rest on Zeva. "I remember you from Ostagar. Such a lovely creature, I remember thinking. Pity she is wasted on the Wardens," he said, causing waves of disgust to flow through Zeva's body. "Tell me, my dear. Have you come to join in our... revels?"
Swallowing the bile which rose in her throat, Zeva met his gaze steadily and replied, "Actually, I have come to end your reign of terror in this Tower, mage. "
"Such a shame, Warden," the blood mage replied. "Not that it matters. You cannot stop me and I will combine your amazing abilities with one of my beautiful creatures. The Templars call us abominations and seek to destroy us before we can attain the pinnacle of our power. That ends today! I will see them all dead for daring to keep us from our full potential."
Gesturing dramatically at the room around him, Uldred spoke to Morrigan and Wynne. "I can offer you this power," he announced, his voice once more taking on a seductive tone. "I can offer it to all mages everywhere. Why should we allow the Chantry to control our destiny? Join with me and we will make them suffer! As you can see, Wynne, even Irving is considering my generous offer."
Following the direction in which Uldred was pointing, Zeva saw an elderly mage trapped inside a barrier much the same as the one in which they found Cullen. He looked as though he had not eaten or drunk in days. The circles under his eyes were deep and his breathing was dangerously shallow.
Wynne cried out in horror, "Irving! What have you done to him, Uldred?"
Before the blood mage could respond, Irving spoke quietly; the very act seeming to bring him great pain. "Stop... him. He... cannot be... allowed to build his a-army." With that, he slumped forward and said no more.
"Irving, you disappoint me," Uldred said sadly. "I thought you were finally coming around. No matter. Eventually, you will succumb and join me."
Zeva spoke up, her patience with the blood mage at an end. "Do not count on that, Uldred," she stated with conviction. "I have heard your 'offer' and I don't think any of my companions are interested. So I think I will kill you now, as you have begun to bore me."
His eyes darkening angrily, Uldred faced her and replied, "Fight if you must. It will only make my victory the sweeter!" His body began to shimmer, and a bright light flashed before their eyes as the creature who was once Uldred appeared before them; a huge abomination, easily three times taller than any human man, with a thick scaly hide and sharp claws.
"Remember the Litany!" Wynne yelled as she, Morrigan and Zevran moved apart, surrounding the monster. Zeva ran to Irving's side, where she could keep a close eye on the remaining mages in the room, on the chance that Uldred tried to harm them.
Zevran engaged Uldred's minions, using combinations of Whirlwind, Flurry, and Riposte to keep them at bay, away from Morrigan and Wynne, who were concentrating their attacks on Uldred.
"Uldred is trying to do something to the mages," Wynne called out as she dodged an ice attack from the Uldred abomination, casting Heal on Zevran, who had defeated two of the abominations around him and was slowly beating down the final two.
Zeva glanced across the room and saw a shimmering white glow surround a prone mage on the far side of the room. Quickly she recited the Litany and sighed in relief when the magic seemed to dissipate, leaving the mage unchanged.
Morrigan used her frost spells to aid Zevran in defeating his two final foes. Once they were dispatched, he turned his attention to Uldred, and the combination of the three fighters slowly started to wear down the blood mage.
Uldred attempted to transform the surviving mages several times, and each time Zeva was able to negate his magic with the Litany of Adralla. She pulled her bow, and began shooting at him from her location near Irving. Though her arrows had little effect, they helped to draw his concentration from the rest of the party, allowing them the time needed to cast their spells on him.
Seeing the abomination begin to stumble, Zevran pressed his attack, running up and slicing at the creature's legs, bringing him down to the ground. After a long and arduous fight, the companions stood panting, staring down at the abomination's corpse. The cages surrounding the remaining mages vanished, and they collapsed, exhausted but alive.
Wynne rushed to Irving's side as Zeva helped him to his feet, holding him steady until he could stand on his own. "I am getting far too old for this," the First Enchanter said, his voice pained.
"Irving," Wynne said quietly, "forgive me for saying so, but you look positively awful. Let me see to these wounds." She approached him and her hands glowed brightly as she ran them over him.
"I never imagined I would survive," Irving said. "I see I have you to thank for that, Wynne."
"I certainly did not do it alone," the Senior Mage replied. "The Grey Warden was quite determined to rescue any surviving mages, even though Greagoir had already called for the Rite of Annulment."
Irving smiled warmly at Zeva. "The Tower owes so very much to all of you," he said softly. "Now, we should get back downstairs to Greagoir. He will want to know that the Circle is safe."
Her eyes opening wide, Zeva remembered the injured Templar below them. "Zevran and I need to check on Cullen. Can you help Wynne escort the First Enchanter downstairs, Morrigan?" she asked. Though she looked positively disgusted at the very notion of aiding the elderly mage, Morrigan nodded stiffly, and Zeva smiled at her gratefully.
Walking toward the stairs, Zevran whispered to Zeva, "I take it we are babysitting the Templar to keep him from harming the remaining mages, my dear?"
"You have read my mind, Zev," she replied quietly. "His hatred ran so deep that we cannot be sure he will not try to kill them all."
Descending the stairs, they found Cullen kneeling on the ground, his head bowed and his shoulders shaking. "Cullen?" Zeva called softly, approaching the Templar cautiously.
Averting his gaze, the Templar asked, his voice shaking, "Is it over?"
"Yes, it is," she replied, moving slowly closer to him. "Uldred and his followers are dead. Now, let Zevran and I help you downstairs. Greagoir will want to know you are alright."
"You didn't kill Irving, did you?" he asked, finally raising his gaze to hers. She could see he had been crying and her heart filled with pity for the broken Templar.
"No, I didn't," she stated firmly. "It is not my place to decide what happens to the remaining mages. That is for Knight-Commander Greagoir to decide, wouldn't you agree?" She reached out, offering to help him rise to his feet. She didn't need to look around to know that Zevran had slowly drawn his weapons, preparing for a fight. It was exactly what she would have done.
Hanging his head in defeat, Cullen grasped the proffered hand. Zeva pulled and the Templar slowly rose, his legs unsteady. Silently motioning for Zevran to follow them, weapons at the ready, Zeva wrapped her arm around Cullen's waist and carefully led him down the stairs.
o~~~~~~~~o
"Irving," Greagoir called wearily as the party entered the entrance hall, "it is good to see you are alive. I had given up hope of ever seeing any of you again."
Smiling weakly at the Templar, Irving replied, "So I hear, Greagoir. I assume you will be calling off the Rite of Annulment now that the Warden and her party have retaken the Tower?"
Before Greagoir could reply, Cullen cried angrily, "NO! We can't trust the mages! They have been trapped in the Harrowing Chamber with the blood mages controlling their minds. There is no way to know that they aren't already abominations."
"Cullen!" Greagoir replied quickly. "This is my decision and if Irving tells me that the Circle has been restored, I will take him at his word. I do not take this decision lightly, and we will stay on alert until I am sure the Tower has been purged of all traces of Uldred's machinations."
Seeing the despair on the Templar's face, Zeva felt another pang of sympathy for his plight. She knew only too well what it was like to see everyone you care about destroyed, and she made a note to speak with Cullen before they returned to Redcliffe. Her immediate concern, however, was to speak to Irving and Greagoir regarding the Blight and Connor.
Approaching the two men, Zeva cleared her throat softly and they both turned in her direction.
"Thank you, Warden, for all of your help," Greagoir said, bowing slightly to her. "I am sure the mages can offer support for the Blight, but I am afraid my Templars will be busy restoring stability to the Circle."
"I understand, Knight-Commander," Zeva responded, turning her attention to Irving. "First Enchanter, will the Circle mages provide support for the Grey Wardens in their battle against the darkspawn?"
"How could we refuse, given the invaluable assistance you have given us during our time of need?" Irving said, smiling warmly at her. "There may not be many of us left, but we will be a force to be reckoned with, nonetheless."
"Irving," Wynne said quietly, "I have a request, if I may."
The First Enchanter stared curiously at Wynne and nodded his head.
"I seek leave to follow the Grey Warden in her battle against the Blight," Wynne said confidently. "She is a strong woman, who risked much to save the Circle, and I would very much like to aid her in her upcoming battle."
"Wynne, are you sure?" Irving asked. "The Circle needs you now!"
Chuckling softly, Wynne placed her hand on Irving's arm. "The Circle has all it needs in you, Irving," she said gently. "You know I have never been one to stay still while others need me, and I think Zeva will need help if she is to unite this Kingdom against the Blight. If she would have me, I feel my skills would be best served at her side."
"Wynne, I would be honored if you would join us," Zeva said and heard a loud huff of disgust from behind her. Turning, she met Morrigan's furious glance.
"You want to take this preachy old bag with us?" Morrigan said angrily. "As if it isn't bad enough that we have that bumbling Templar and that idiot Warden Commander you are so fond of! Now I have to travel with a useless mage who isn't even strong enough to live outside a cage?"
Sighing heavily, Zeva approached Morrigan and placed a hand on her arm, pulling her away from the group so they might speak in private. "Please, Morrigan," she pleaded quietly, "can we not discuss this here? I really want to leave and do not forget, we still need Irving's help to save Connor. I have no intention of allowing Wynne to tell me what to do, or you either, for that matter. However, we are in need of a healer and she has excellent abilities, you must admit. Just follow me on this and I promise I will keep her away from you."
Glancing over Zeva's shoulder, Morrigan gave a last hateful glance at Wynne before nodding slowly, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so.
"Thank you, my friend," Zeva said gratefully. "Now, let's get this over with so we can be gone from here. You have some reading to begin, do you not?"
At the mention of Flemeth's Grimoire, Morrigan's face brightened and she smiled slightly. Relieved that yet another crisis had been averted, Zeva left her side and returned to Irving and Wynne.
"I am sorry to keep you waiting," she said politely. "We just had some internal decisions to make. Wynne, I would be very pleased if you would join us. We will be in great need of your help very soon, I am afraid."
Irving spoke, his face concerned. "Is there something we can help you with, Warden?" he asked quickly.
"Please, call me Zeva," she said and nodded. "There is a possessed child in Redcliffe who we need help with, First Enchanter. I have been told that it may be possible to save him if we were to send a mage into the Fade to do battle with the demon directly, but that such an act requires a great deal of lyrium and several mages. The child is the son of Arl Eamon of Redcliffe, and it would be a great favor to all of us if you could provide some aid."
Irving appeared deep in thought for a moment, and then responded. "Yes, we can be of assistance to you in this matter, Zeva," he said assuredly. "It will take me a couple of days to organize the mages and reach Redcliffe, but we will venture there as soon as possible. Might I ask how you learned of this ritual? Your apostate friend, perhaps?"
"Actually, First Enchanter, it was one of your apostates; Jowan is his name," Zeva said and Greagoir suddenly appeared at her side.
"Jowan!" Greagoir exclaimed. "You have him in custody?"
Nodding, Zeva answered, "Yes, Knight-Commander, we have him. He was captured by the Arlessa of Redcliffe after poisoning her husband at the order of Teyrn Loghain. He offered his assistance in controlling the Arl's possessed son, Connor, until we could return with help from the Circle."
Clenching his fists in fury, Greagoir said forcefully, "I will send several of my Templars with you on your return to Redcliffe, Warden. I want Jowan brought back here to face punishment for the crimes he committed here at the Tower."
"I am sure something can be arranged, Knight-Commander," Zeva said carefully. "However, I know Bann Teagan will not release him to your custody without Arl Eamon's permission, and the Arl remains deathly ill. My companions are in Denerim at this very moment, following some leads that will hopefully help us find the Urn of Sacred Ashes. We believe it may be the only thing that can cure him of this poison."
Mention of Denerim brought memories of Duncan to Zeva's mind, and her need to depart became overwhelming. "Please feel free to send your Templars along with the mages, but my companions and I must be going," she said quickly. "We have been away for far too long as it is, and I need to make sure all is ready for your arrival in Redcliffe. We need to replenish our supplies, so please give us a list of anything you will need, First Enchanter.
If you will excuse me," Zeva concluded, "I must get ready for our journey." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked toward the quartermaster, Zevran following close behind her.
Their purchases complete, Zeva and her party prepared to take their leave of the Tower. Zeva approached Cullen one final time while the others gathered the last of their belongings. He was standing alone in the hall, his eyes revealing the pain which was still fresh in his mind.
"Cullen," she said softly, and was not surprised to see the anger in his gaze when he looked at her. "I know you do not agree with my actions today. You would have rather I killed all of the mages remaining in the Circle, and I can understand, believe me. I recently lost my entire family to a man as power-hungry and crazed as Uldred. He killed everyone I loved, and tried to force me to do things that still freeze my blood." She shuddered as she recalled Howe's hands on her body, his fingers inside her. A tear slipped from her eyes, and she quickly wiped it away.
Seeing the change in Cullen's eyes, from bold hatred to pained confusion, Zeva continued. "Please do not allow what has happened here to break you; do not let it harden your heart to everyone around you. If I have learned anything from my experience, it is that if you allow the cruel, unconscionable actions of others to alter who you are as a person, they have truly won. I know you may not believe me today and it may take a long time, but I am right. I wish you only the best, truly."
Squeezing his arm gently, she smiled and walked away. She was so occupied with gathering her things that she didn't see Zevran standing nearby, watching her in awed silence, his own eyes filled with pain. He had heard her conversation with Cullen, and it had affected him more than he ever thought it could.
When she had rescued him, he had looked upon her as a beautiful distraction, a challenge to be overcome. Somehow, she had become so much more to him, even in such a short time. He knew he wanted to make amends for the horrible things that had been done to her at the hands of Howe and the Crows. He had written that feeling off as simple guilt.
However, when she had rescued him in the Fade, she had forever altered his view of her. Now he had feelings he didn't understand and which frightened him far more than any abomination ever could.
Ah, Zevran, he thought mournfully, you are still too soft. You need to separate your desire for her from all this other mess. Surely she is still only a conquest; a friend at best. Bed her and you will get all this confusion out of your mind.
His decision made, he walked toward her, smiling seductively, as was his way. Yes, he would sleep with her and all would be well again. Or would it? the nagging voice in the back of his mind asked, disquieting him yet again.