Chapter 78: Mark of the Assassin pt8

The Retreat

The Retreat is a series of caves built into the side of the former fortress Chateau Haine. They were built by the Grey Wardens during the Fourth Blight in order to house thousands of refugees. Within the caves there is a freshwater lake that was artificially constructed by the Grey Warden, Isseya. The caves lead out into the Vimmark Mountains. After the battle in the vaults, the gang found themselves backtracking to the caves to catch up with Prosper. However, their trip was not easy as obstacles and traps got in the way of catching up with the Duke. "All of this for a qunari registry…anyone know just what the Duke's endgame is?" Varric asked.

"The Qunari is a big bogeyman to the rest of Thedas next to Tevinter" Fenris said. "A list of all the spies in Orlais would be very valuable to the Empress and the military."

"And if Prosper is the one to present it to Celene, that would mean more power and influence for him and his family" Ericks said. "Not to mention, he would be remembered as a hero in Orlais…the man who took down a qunari conspiracy."

"But Prosper is a fool, all he's doing is setting up a very dangerous chain of events" Tallis said. "If Orlais succeeds in eliminating the spies from within, then the other nations will catch wind and start doing the same in their own borders."

"The Qunari will not ignore so many of their own being slaughtered…they will respond."

"Annd boom! Another war with the Qunari starts, with Orlais being the first on their shitlist" Ericks said.

"Well…shit" Varric said.

"But wouldn't this put the Qunari at a disadvantage?" Merrill asked. "After all, Ericks did kill their leader in Kirkwall."

"One of our leaders, the qunari has multiple leaders, not just one" Tallis explained. "The Arishok was the leader of our military and as we speak the Salasari is selecting who will be the next Arishok"

"Which means, it is all the more important that we stop Prosper and this Salit before it gets bloody for both sides" Fenris said. Deeper into the caverns they went, where they heard little scuttling and chattering. They spotted more of the ghasts wondering about, most likely they were sentries protecting the nest. "Wonderful, more of these things…"

"Those little pests scuffed my boots!" the dwarf said.

"Now we know where the ghast came from" Ericks said.

"We'll have to fight through them. At least they slow down the duke's men as well" The gang went through the labyrinth while fighting off waves of ghasts. When they couldn't fight them all, they fell back and the ghasts followed closely until the gang made it to a bridge at the center of the Retreat. The ghast stopped…almost like they were afraid, the creatures were afraid of water as ghasts could not swim. The gang used that time to cross fully over the bridge and they saw the ghasts give up and walk away. "Never thought I would owe my life to a lake…"

"A lake in the middle of the mountains, don't see that every day" Ericks said.

"The Retreat needed to house hundred to thousands of people during the Blight. Can't do that without fresh water." Tallis said.

"So, they built a lake, the undertaking that must have been…even with magic" Fenris said.

"Oh that…I have no idea" They went forward past the gates, Tallis looked around…something was off. "That's odd. I could swear there was…" The gates closed, separating the elf from the rest of the gang. Behind the gang was Cahit and a group of mages behind him. "Hawke, trust me." Tallis ran away.

"Where's she off to?" Merrill asked.

"Don't know, she said to trust her."

"Real reassuring…" Varric said dryly.

"I will do what the qunari could not and break you, Champion" Cahit said.

"If I were you, I would be more worried about the fact that my boss has locked me in the dungeon" Ericks said. "I'd think about a career change."

"I do not fight for him" he said. "Prosper is a fool. His enemies, a posturing, guileless lot. But you are worth testing."

"The duke can fight his own battles, and I shall choose mine" the Chasind said. "Sakret, kunla!"

Ericks smirked. "A good old fashioned Chasind duel, it's been a long time since I've been in one of those" he said taking out his daggers. "Hakret, kunla!" Fire, ice and lighting all roared from the Orlesian mages, Merrill slammed the ground and a large wall of rock rose and protected the gang. Fenris' lyrium markings glowed and the elf appeared like a ghost behind the mages. Before the mages could cast a spell, Fenris phased his sword through their bodies, killing three of the mages. A fireball headed for Varric's head and the ducked into cover. Varric then peeked out of cover and fired a volley of arrows at the mages. A barrier protected the mages until the last one struck and blew away the mages with an explosion. Before they got up, Merrill entombed the mages in stone leaving them unable to move.

Meanwhile Ericks and Cahit fought a furious battle with blades and blood flying everywhere, all the tricks the rogue used in past battles, the large chasind warrior avoided and then countered. Cahit slammed his axe down and Ericks easily dodged it but then the chasind dug into the earth and threw dirt into Ericks' eyes. While Ericks was clearing his vision, Cahit gave a large shoulder charge to the rogue's chest. The Chasind's style of fighting was as dirty as it was vicious, it sought to use any and everything to achieve victory. Such a fighting style is often look upon by Fereldans as dishonorable and savage, but it was highly effective when it worked. Cahit approached, positioning his axe at Ericks' head but a knife flew towards the chasind's head and barely missed him.

"Missed. That would have been a nice shot, too." Tallis jumped to the ground and tossed three more knives to move Cahit back. Ericks finished getting the dirt out of his eyes. "Didn't think I was leaving, did you?"

"The thought did cross my mind…"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I killed some chevaliers and mages that was heading your way" the elf said. "It's just us and the Chasind"

"Here that, Cahit? If you wish to piss yourself while begging for your life, feel free to do so." Ericks said.

"You should know that is not the Chasind way, kunla" The large chasind made his last stand against the gang, he had put up a good fight despite being outnumbered but in the end the gang had prevailed. Cahit fell to the ground into a pool of his own blood, Ericks came over and closed his lifeless eyes. The gang went on their way, they had a lot of time to make up luckily Tallis had found a way around.

"I sense you have questions, Hawke?" Tallis asked.

"Yeah, there's one thing that's been bugging me since you told me about the registry" Ericks said. "A registry that outs every single spy for the qunari in the hands of Orlais seem like a big fucking deal and yet…"

"I'm the only one after Salit and not an army."

"Right, I've seen what the qunari do when one of their own is threaten" he said. "Something's up…something you're not telling me."

"Very astute…the truth is that I am not here on some directive from the Qun, I came…" The elf then sighed. "Salit was declared Tal-Vashoth, but they didn't deem intervention worthwhile. I…couldn't agree. I had to try."

"Wait, wouldn't that make you Tal-Vashoth as well?"

"No. The Ben-Hassrath didn't order me not to do this, here I am anyway" Tallis then gave a little nervous chuckle. "I was trying to earn my way back into their good graces. This probably won't work."

"Why? What did you do?" Ericks asked.

"It's not easy, being an elf in the Qun. You're not born to it like they are" she said. "I've struggled to find that peace, that certainty. I know it's there, I just…keep falling short."

"Maybe that's a sign that the whole qunari thing isn't for you" Varric said.

"Before I was recruited, I used to tell myself if I never cared about anyone or anything, I could never be hurt. Life would be fun." Tallis said. "All it gave me was a hole inside me…a hole I could never fill no matter how much I tried."

"A hole you can never fill…I understand that quite well" Fenris said softly.

"Tell me, Hawke. Have you even been part of something bigger than just yourself?"

"I protect Kirkwall…for better or worse but I'm guessing that's not what you mean" Ericks said.

Tallis shook her head. "It's not the same thing…the Qunari have a vision of what life should be like" she said. "Free from pain and fear and doubt. You see tyranny and I see caring, an interest in the welfare of all."

"Yes, it could be better. But so could human indifference and cruelty. Or disagree?"

Ericks crossed his arms. "Saying the Qunari 'could be better' is an understatement."

"Maybe. What Salit does won't help, it'll only make things worse."

"Well, we can at least agree that much" the rogue said.


Vimmark Mountains-Mountainside Path

The Vimmark Mountains form a long mountain range in the Free Marches that stretches parallel to the coast of the Waking Sea and separates the narrow coastal strip in the south, including the cities of Kirkwall and Ostwick, from the Minanter River basin in the north. The Mountainside Path is a path in Vimmark Mountains leading from the Retreat beneath Chateau Haine. There are two different sections of the path, one leading directly to The Ruins from the Retreat and one off into the mountains.

The gang made it out of the Retreat and headed down the path to an old grey warden ruin that Prosper was going to meet Salit. Halfway on the path, Ericks stopped the others when he saw a bard in the clearing. Out of the forest came several chevaliers and Baron Arlange. "I knew you were a worthless traitor the moment I laid eyes on you."

"The Duke's doing, no doubt" Fenris said.

"Prosper has no end of useful idiots he can throw at us to buy time" Tallis said.

"Baron Arlange! So nice to see you again" Ericks said sarcastically.

"You filthy dog-lord! You humiliated me!" Merrill formed an armor of rock on her body to protect against the arrows and call a storm of magical bolts to wipe out the archers. Tallis and Fenris took care of the chevaliers while Varric held off the bard. Baron Arlange charged at Ericks and swing wildly at his head, the rogue dodged swiftly and easily after every blow. Arlange talked a grand game but fought like a simple thug on the streets. Someone like that Ericks would have enjoyed toying with at his leisure but since he was on a timetable, he decided to end the fight right then and there. The rogue disarmed Arlange of his shield, the baron with a yell charged hoping to stab Ericks in the chest. Ericks parried sending Arlange's sword upwards and exposed the Baron's belly, with several quick and deep cuts, he gutted the man and left him dead on the ground for the buzzards to find. The others finished their fights and joined Ericks down the path. Soon the path was starting to see less trees and more old castle structures. The gang could hear footsteps much heavier than before, dozens of qunari ran at the gang.

Varric groans. "Why can't stuff be easy for once?"

"Tal-Vashoth. Like Salit but for sale, he must close" Tallis said.

"Which means he's close to striking a deal with Prosper" Ericks said. "Let's move people, double time!"

Running out of time! Hurry! Next Time! As always Review and Comment!