Chapter 79: Mark of the Assassin pt9

Being lost in an ancient Tevinter ruin in northern Rivain is highly overrated.

And then I found myself beset by several bands of Qunari, apparently working in concert. I fled and managed to hide in a little village by the name of Vindaar. The people there, mostly humans and a few elves, were devout followers of the Qun.

It was the most organized village I ever laid eyes on. The houses were identical and arranged along perfectly orthogonal lines. The fields were well tended and apparently communal. But there were signs of damage everywhere, as if the town had suffered repeated sieges: buildings shattered, fields burned, and a great many empty houses. I spent the night in the home of Vindaar's matriarch, who introduced herself only as, "Seer." When I tried to regale my hostess with the tale of my Qunari assailants, I discovered something.

Qunari, Seer said, are people who follow the Qun. Her people. Those born into Qunari society who reject the Qun are called Vashoth, which means "gray ones." These gray ones must leave their homes, for they have no place among the Qunari. Sadly, many turn against the society that cast them out. These outcasts call themselves Tal-Vashoth, "the true gray ones." Often, they have no skills to make an honest living, so they sell themselves into service, usually becoming mercenaries. Even the most inept fighter among the Qunari race possesses prodigious size and an intimidating visage. These, she informed me, were my attackers in the countryside, the same band that wreaked such havoc on Vindaar.

The Tal-Vashoth wage a bitter war against the Qun, the Qunari, and sometimes against order itself. They are no match for the Qunari army, so they generally strike at farms, travelers, and those who stray too far from Qunari protection. I was lucky to escape with my life. —From In Pursuit of Knowledge: The Travels of a Chantry Scholar, by Brother Genitivi

Vimmark Mountains-The Ruins

The Grey Wardens have left their mark on the Vimmark Mountains, leaving behind ancient structures and tunnels dating back to the First and the Fourth Blights. The Ruins is one such structure at the far end of the Mountainside Path leading down from The Retreat. A mass of ancient worn pillars and broken battlements overlook a lengthy drop into the valley below. These ruins used to have a name at one point, but it was lost to history and Prosper doesn't care much to rename it. Despite the decay seen around the remnants, the rest of the Ruins are surprisingly well-preserved and would be a subject of study for any scholar in Thedas if it were not for the fact the Montfort family claims these ruins as part of their land and the danger posed by the wildlife in the area.

Two groups met at the battlement overlooking the mountains, the first group was Prosper and his chevaliers and the other was Tal-vashoth led by a red-beard qunari welding two longswords. Despite the deal they were making today, there was tension in the air due to the mistrust between the two groups and the fact they were being pursued. The quicker this deal went through the faster they could leave. "Let's get this over with, Qunari, before your assassins find us. Already I regret agreeing to spare them."

"I have chosen my path. That choice should not…"

"Parshaara" Salit went quiet, even though he has chosen to walk away from the Qun, the teachings and memory of that life was still fresh. "I am here to facilitate your deal with the empress, nothing more" The large man grabbed his swords which made the duke's men reach for theirs, Salit could only scoff, despite the chevalier's masks, the qunari could still feel their fear. He planted his swords on the ground and went forward while Proper nodded to his right-hand man to approach as well. They met at the center and Salit gave the chevalier leader a scroll. The leader opened it.

"Well?" Prosper asked.

"Names, Your Grace. It's…a list of names" The duke frowned and walked up grabbing the scroll. He then glared at the Tal-Vashoth.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"You asked for a weapon, I am providing it."

"We expected the formula for blackpowder! Dreadnought plans, a map of Qunandar, anything!" Prosper said outraged. "This…this is useless!"

"Well, well…if it's useless, how about we take that off your hands, hmm?"

"Your Grace!" They watched as the gang walked through the arches, both qunari and chevalier readied their blades.

"Champion…I suppose it was too much to hope that Arlange killed you" Prosper said handing the scroll to an unusually small chevalier.

Ericks smirked. "You really should pick your idiots more carefully, Your Grace" he said. "Preferably one that can actually use a sword."

"Joke while you can. You will not find it funny for long."

"Oh, trust me, it's about to get very hilarious…" A body fell to the ground behind the duke, his lieutenant charged at Tallis and the elf grabbed his arm and pulled it behind him and then kicked him in the back. She took smoke grenade and jumped to the nearest pillar out of the sight of the chevaliers.

"Tallis"

The elf frowned. "I said I would stop you, Salit"

"And I said I would slay you if you tried."

"If anyone is to do any slaying, it will be me!" Prosper said taking out his crossbow. The duke fired a bolt that released a green slime on Salit. The qunari gave a confused look until they heard a large roar above them. It was Prosper's pet wyvern, Leopold and he was very hungry. He leapt the rubble heading for Salit and ripped the qunari apart before tossing him away. "Kill them all!"

"You should have never come here, Fereldan!"

The battle started, chevalier fought the Tal-Vashoth while fighting the gang and the duke's pet wyvern. Prosper blew his horn and shot slime around the battlements to allow Leopold to rampage around the battlefield. "Andranste's tits, who has a pet wyvern?!" Varric asked shooting an arrow at a chevalier.

"He's Orleasian, they're all strange" Fenris said cutting down a Tal-Vashoth. "Avoid the venom but hit Prosper with everything you've got" Leopold rushed the battleground attacking everyone in sight except for the duke himself.

"Doesn't he care that his people are getting hurt?"! Merrill asked.

"I think survival is the only thing he cares about right now" Ericks said. Tallis tossed knives at Prosper but the duke was quick despite his age. He retaliated with explosive traps and trick bolts to catch everyone off guard. It was pure chaos between the smoke and fire and the rampaging of the wyvern that was claiming the side of the Tal-Vashoth and the duke's own guards.

"I will make this quick!" Prosper said blowing his horn. "What fine trophies you will make in my hall!" Once the battlefield became cleared with the gang the only one left, Leopold now focused on them. Varric and Merrill hit the wyvern with magic and arrows, but they couldn't match the agility of Leopold. On the pillars, Prosper fired a storm of bolts into the sky. Merrill formed a dome of magic to protect the gang while Leopold jumped to the side of the ruins. Once it was cleared, Ericks rolled out of the barrier and tossed a frost grenade at the feet of the wyvern causing it to slip backwards into the ruins. Prosper jumped onto Leopold's saddle, together master and pet were not even more dangerous.

"No more games! It is time!" he said. "We will show you the strength of Chateau Haine!" Leopold spat out a glob of venom and Prosper ignited it with a firebomb. The explosion knocked back the gang, dazing them.

"Ugh…that's a new trick" Ericks said. When his vision cleared, the rogue saw Prosper and Leopold gone. "Where…?" He then spotted fire traps around them. "Shit! Move!"

"I will give your heart to the empress as a gift!" Leopold spat out it's poison and ignited the fire traps, the gang ran to get clear.

"Hawke, we can't keep this up!" Tallis said. "We need to end this!"

"If you've got a plan, I would love to hear it!"

"An animal is nothing without it's legs, you see that singe on Leopold's left leg."

"The wyvern didn't get clear of the explosion in time" Ericks said. "Good eye, everyone aim for the left leg!" Varric fired a volley of arrows at Leopold's leg while Ericks and Fenris held the wyvern's attention. Merrill imprisoned the wyvern's front legs while Tallis harasses Prosper. Leopold rampaged pushing the gang towards the ledge, Prosper sat up and fired the bolt of green slime at Ericks. The duke smirked and charged the rogue, Ericks prepared himself…he had only one chance to get this right. At the last minute, Ericks avoided Leopold's jaws and cut the wyverns tendons to trip it up. Leopold fell to his death but Duke Prosper held on to the ledge just barely.

"Keep away from me!"

"My, how the tables have turned, eh Prosper?" Ericks asked with a smirk.

"The empress will hear of this! Orlais will burn Kirkwall to the ground! All of you will die screaming, I swear it!"

"I would have tried begging for mercy, but that's just me." Ericks turned his back and Prosper roared in fear and desperation.

"You…blasted…turnip!"

"Thank you for the lovely party. I'll treasure the belt" The duke's grip gave way and fell down the ravine screaming until the collision of several rocks silenced him.

Varric shook his head. "And that's why you don't waste your last breath monologuing."

"Looks like duke…has fallen from grace" They went to Tallis who was mourning her mentor, she wanted to stop him from making the greatest mistake of his life, but she didn't want this…for him to die in such an undignified way.

"Ataash varin kata"

"So, this whole time Prosper had no idea what Salit was going to give him" Fenris said. "The Chasind warrior was right, the duke was a fool."

"Be thankful he was…today we just saved a lot of lives, on both sides" Tallis said. "Thank you. There's no way I could have done this without your help."

"So that's it, huh?" Ericks asked. "Hard to believe that little thing could cause a war."

"Many of these agents have children, family, friends. They're people you wouldn't suspect" she said. "Some have even left the Qun behind, but that wouldn't have mattered if it fell into human hands."

"The Aridun believes they knew the risks, but what about the innocents? I…I couldn't let this happen."

"So, what now? You aren't just going to leave, are you?" Merrill asked.

Tallis chuckled. "You think I would fit into this merry band?"

Fenris snorted. "We are hardly 'merry."

"Some of us are downright broody" Varric said.

"Or so clever we could just die."

"Maybe some other time. I still have a few things to do… but I am grateful. I want you guys to know that."

"Ah well, you know…that's what we do; feed the sick, cure the poor, pat the hungry on the head" Ericks said dryly.

"Kill nasty Orlesians…" the elf said.

"Are there any other kind?" Ericks was then given a large crimson gem with gold trimmings. "And this is?"

"That was going to be the Heart of the Many. You'd find a jewel, while I'd go off and find Salit…and be back before anyone was the wiser" Tallis said. "I suppose nothing ever goes like we plan, does it?"

"Take care of yourself, Hawke. Maybe we'll meet again sometime." The gang and Tallis went their separate ways.


Hawke Estate-9:40 Dragon

Cassandra crossed her arms. "Let me guess you haven't seen Tallis since that day."

"Given her nature that would be the safe assumption" Varric said.

"And who is left to appease Orlais after a duke's murder at the hands of the Champion of Kirkwall?"

The dwarf raised a brow. "You really want to go there, Seeker?" he asked. "Prosper invited his death by dealing with Tal-Vashoth. Possibly under orders from Empress Celene."

"That's the kind of scandal that breaks kingdoms if it ever got out."

"If you believe a Qunari agent" the Seeker said.

"Difficult stuff, isn't it?" Varric asked. "Don't know why Hawke helped Tallis. I suppose the elf did have her nose" Cassandra gave the dwarf a stern look. "Look, whatever the reason, I doubt it's the last we've seen of her."

"But what do I know? I just tell stories."

Vacation's over, time to get back to work! Next Time! Review and Comment!