Chapter Forty

Wending Wood

"I think we're lost," Aedan declared. Drake shook his head, "I don't think we are – Ara looks too relaxed and amused for us to be lost."

I grinned wider, "We're about to meet a new friend."

"The way you say that worries me," Magma said drily. I winked, "I suppose that just means you're smart."

Groans rang out – though Galaxia was highly amused by my antics.

Velanna appeared shortly after.

The elven woman was 5'5 with blond hair tied into a bun and tan skin. Her eyes were a lovely shade of brown too.

She spoke, "Another scavenger here to prey on the misfortune of others? No… you are too well armed. Here for me then. You will not drive me from these forests; the Shems could not do it, the darkspawn could not do it, and you will fare no better."

I held up a hand and step forward, "Aneth Ara, Sister – We are Grey Wardens."

"Oh. You are here to battle the Darkspawn then. Fair enough. Should you encounter any merchant caravans, tell them to release my sister, or more of their men will die. Now go, deal with your Darkspawn and…"

I held up my hands in a placating gesture, "Peace, sister – we are here only in part for the Darkspawn. I am Arvaala – of under Keeper Lanaya and given welcome before her under Keeper Zathrian."

"What happened to Keeper Zathrian – he was immortal…"

"No he wasn't – he made a blood magic curse and died to end it when it came to inflict the people of the clan. I know where Shianni is – I can guide you to the truth if you will allow me."

Her eyes darkened, "Tell me!"

"The Darkspawn have taken her – not the humans. If you will…"

"Darkspawn are not that smart! Do not lie to me – I didn't tell you my sisters' name but you knew it – so tell me where she is!"

"I'm telling you the truth, Velanna – please," I pleaded. She shook her head, "No – no, I don't believe you!" and she was gone after hurtling an attack at us that Celeste blocked.

Aedan looked pissed, "If she won't concede then we need to kill her. She's killing people…"

"No, Aedan – we can't kill her! She's been purposely misled by the darkspawn – that isn't her fault."

"Ara, if it will save lives… we have to – even you said some people need to die to save lives."

"No – Velanna will stop once we prove to her that she's being set up. If you harm one hair on Velannas head for any reason other than self-defense, I will turn your hair bright pink for next… however long it takes to solve this whole 'talking darkspawn' mess! And I swear, if you kill her I will leave you and make my way back to the damn Vigil and let you deal with all this bullshit on your own!"

Magma hissed – he knew that Fae had to keep their promises and had explained such to Aedan. He felt the magic slide into place when I said 'I swear'. Aedan looked horrified, "But… She attacked us, Ara!"

"And I would have done worse, Aedan! She wants to save her sister. Can you not sympathize with that? Imagine for just a moment that Fergus was kidnapped and you thought a specific group was responsible because of the overwhelming evidence that was planted around you; at that point the true culprit was thought to be incapable of doing that, so you only have one suspect. What would you do, Aedan?" I felt my hair floating as my voice climbed higher in anger. He flinched.

"I… I see your point. Fine; we will go along with your plan, but if it gets any of us killed, I will retaliate." He rubbed at his face.

"You're not gonna like this next part…" Nathaniel was collecting what seemed to be money from Anders so I would be asking about that later.

"Tell me."

"When you go into… the lair, so to speak, I won't be coming with you. I can't. You'll know why shortly after you enter, but… I can't risk it." I was worried what would happen if the Architect got ahold of my blood. Would his experiment succeed; would he keep me? What if the bastard tried to turn me into a broodmother? It wouldn't work but that didn't mean I needed any more trauma than I already had.

Magma said, "I can feel your worry – tell me…"

I leaned over and whispered in his ear. He frowned, "Fairy Blood is only able to be taken by permission of the Fairy – it will vanish otherwise… but Sylph Blood… we will have to stay back, but you could go in. I ask that you don't but…"

I smiled, "In that case, I'm going – no way am I letting them deal with that crap on their own. You all can have the tent set up and dinner made for when we get back. Now, off we go."

I dropped back to walk with Nathaniel while Anders walked with Aedan.

"What was that about?" Nathaniel blushed at having been caught. "Anders thought that it would take us finding the proof of Darkspawn setting it all up for Aedan to cave about not killing her. I bet that he'd cave before we ever started moving again. I won."

"Always a safe bet to put money on the Seer. Anders will learn… eventually." I gave Nate a sly grin and he nodded.

We wondered over to the human camp where there was only one man left – he was mostly a ghoul by now… poor man looked to be in so much pain too. I whimpered and I could see Magma and Drake each comforting one of the girls.

"Don't look – don't look at me."

Aedan spoke to the man, "Who are you?"

"Olaf – my name… came with friends… to drive away… the elf; But the… darkspawn… too quick. We were… ripped apart: biting claws and teeth… from the darkspawn. And then… I woke… flesh and bone and gristle under me… around me. Everyone dead – dead soft meat melting into the ground… I… I crawled away – came here; can't stand to… see it."

Aedan flinched. Nate asked, "Do you know the elf womans' sister?"

"Sister… I have a sister… do I? Elf-sister… no, we did not… take her. Probably eaten or… dead."

"So you didn't kill the elves?" I asked – already knowing the answer but realizing the others needed to hear it too.

"No; no. Darkspawn came first – slaughtered us, took our steel… brought it to the elven camp. Tricked us – tricked the elf… she thinks we are… to blame… hunts all in… her rage. They watch."

Anders groaned, "All these people died over a misunderstanding? Maker – that's horrible."

Olaf spoke again, "They curious… about your group – they watch you as well… can you feel them? End it… please…"

I turned away – Nate pulling me into his chest as Aedan pulled a dagger. I sobbed as I heard the sigh of relief from the condemned man… then I head Magma and the others enter combat as I turned to the dead man – Olaf.

I began moving the earth around him to bury the man – and having noted his Andrastian necklace – began giving him Andrastian rights.

While we were resting for the night, Oghren approached me… while drunk, "Do you… think that it's too late to be part of the Little Nuggets' life?"

I blinked – having forgotten that the man had that dalliance with Felsi during the Blight – Goddess, I was forgetting quite a bit lately – out of sight…

"You get paid and it's not too late to be part of the nuggets life, Oghren. Just be there or even just show up once in a while. Support the kiddo and Felsi – you get paid a bit more as a father anyway."

He nodded, "Felsi… she's going to name the nugget after you if it's a girl."

I flushed, "I'm honored – and if it's a boy?"

He grunted, "Hmph – she'll name a boy after Aedan. You two made the nugget possible by helping us out and all. And you're continuing to help too."

I smiled, "I try."

"This is a pretty good arrangement to think of it – you feed me and I get to take my frustration out on the Darkspawn… can I have a pony?"

I heard several people sputter a laugh. I grinned widely knowing he was about to pass out where he swayed, "I bet, you can't tell me what you just said."

He laughed and… passed the hell out. Magma sniggered and motioned to Drake. Drake groaned and helped him lift the dwarf.

Aedan chuckled, "Makers' Breath – I needed that. Did he really just ask for a pony?"

"I plan to get him one," I shrugged. Everyone froze and Anders said, "What did the poor pony do to you?"

I winked, "You'll see! Anyway – off to bed, you lot."

The next morning we got the Northern Prickleweed – Anders recognized it before we ever reached Ines.

The botanist was reluctantly impressed about us already having found it before we reached her.

I managed to have Drake 'summon' as much granite as possible and stuffed it away in my bag. Once that was done, I looked at my guards.

"This is going to be… tricky. I do not want you lot charging in at all. I know Sylphs can be tainted and I don't want to lose any of you to that monster. Just get the tent set up and wait in there… hopefully we'll be back before dinner but if we aren't back tonight we will be tomorrow. I'm perfectly safe down there, okay? That thing is trying to get rid of Archdemons and when he finds out I'm immune to the taint he will treat me with the best care in hopes of finding out my secrets, okay?"

Magma pursed his lips, "I don't want you going down there."

"Me either, but I've learned that the only way to stop her is if it would endanger us for her to go – and apparently, it won't so…" Aedan said blandly. I gave him a wide grin, "You can be taught – here I thought all those lessons were going in one ear and out the other."

"Sarcasm isn't very lady-like," he snipped back.

Anders sniggered, "Screw lady-like – it's funny."

Oghren snorted – I liked his approach of 'you can't have a hangover if you're still drunk'. I was impressed he was still alive with that much liver damage though.

We headed over to the Dalish Camp and I saw Velanna kneeling by several graves. I approached slowly and knelt beside her, "May the Goddess and the Creators welcome them home, Lethallan – and may their deaths give them peace."

She glanced at me, "Have you found Seranni?"

"I found her amulet on one of the Darkspawn – but Shianni will be with the leader of this group. Velanna… are you aware what Darkspawn do to women?"

"Kill them," She whispered.

"No; it is worse than that. The men are killed and it is a mercy that women only get if they do not survive what the spawn do to them. Women are kidnapped and violated – not sexually; the Darkspawn are asexual – they do not use sex to reproduce. They are force fed blood and skin from the darkspawn that were too weak to survive around the others – and they are fed living flesh while they turn into ghouls too; to keep them alive through the process. Usually, they will feed the women from whatever race they are from – elves are fed elf flesh and so on. They also force feed the women their vomit. This process… they eventually become a type of Darkspawn – a Broodmother – and their new purpose in life is simply to birth clutch after clutch of the vial creatures. That is why their numbers grow though they do not reproduce."

"You're saying they're doing that to Seranni?" she looked sick and horrified.

I sighed, "Not exactly. The Leader of this group of Darkspawn calls itself 'The Architect' and he has had a Dwarven former warden female with him for about 20 years now. Her name is Utha and she is still a Dwarf and still a ghoul at the same time. The Architect starts the process and makes the women sentient ghouls – but he doesn't complete it. Shianni is now a rare breed of Ghoul – sentient, still elven, but tainted. I know you don't want to believe it – but I cannot tell an untruth. But you will want proof."

"Of course I do," She snapped.

I nodded, "I can understand that, Velanna. But first, look around us – those weapons… there are so many. Why would a group of humans leave all their weapons behind and leave nothing to defend themselves with? and we found the human camp, Lethallan – only a man named Olaf was left and he was a ghoul begging for death… if they had your sister, then where is she? The spiders near there are all dead – the wolves too, and the Sylvan trees. That leaves only the Darkspawn."

She flinched, "I… I thought they were too stupid for…"

"Ordinarily… no – Darkspawn seem stupid to people only because they don't talk ad have such single-minded focus and devotion to finding and serving the old gods. The mage darkspawn – the Emissaries – can speak; but if they do speak to humanoid creatures it's usually taunts and jeers. The Architect is a very powerful and intelligent Emissary – he was one of the first Darkspawn even. The Architect has all the influence of an Old God on these Darkspawn, Velanna – meaning he can make them kidnap but not turn a woman. Come with us – meet with your sister. We plan to go there anyway – and perhaps you could convince her to go through the joining or something. There need not be any more live-blood shed over this matter when all you do now is terrorize the innocent. We can blame the Darkspawn for the disturbances here and have the matter dropped."

"… You swear we will find Shianni?"

"If we don't find Shianni with the Architect then I will allow you to do anything you wish to me without fighting back."

She nodded, "Very well – I will come with you…"

She stood and so did I. I knew that my guards had heard everything – but the group as a whole was far enough away that the humans and Oghren didn't hear anything.

I led her over and made introductions, "Velanna, this is Aedan – Commander of the Grey and my brother. That would be the mage Anders; Oghren the Drunken Dwarf; and Nathaniel Howe is an Archer and an ass; so don't mind him. Over here are my guards; don't be shy now guys…"

They dropped their glamour and Velanna gaped at them. Magma said, "I am the captain of Her Majesties Guard – Magma of the Flames; a Fire Sylph. This is my husband Drake of the Forest – an Earth Sylph. Our wives here are Galaxia of the Sea and Celeste of the Sky – a water and Air Sylph respectively."

Velanna looked confused, "Her Majesty?"

I coughed, "I guess I forgot to mention that – Forgive me, Velanna; allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Princess Arvaala Cousland of Danu – Fairy Princess and betrothed of King Alistair."

She looked a little thrown off guard, "D-Danu; Fairies?"

"Danu is the Fae homeland. A fairy is a Sylph that can control all four elements and everything that comes with that. A Sylph is a Fae that can control one element. Sylphs have 2-3 mates while Fairies have four – one for each element. Here – this book explains it all."

She hesitantly took the book, "I-I see…"

The sylphs started setting up the tent while I looked at my group with a wide smirk, "Strip."

"I beg your pardon?" Nathaniel sputtered. Aedan just groaned and began stripping much to the shock of all the others.

I smirked and pulled out cloth robes for each person, "I said strip – unless you want to see your armors, knickers and weapons all over some ghoul-like creatures – the stench will take ages to wash out at the very least. I will keep our stuff safe and clean until that part is passed. We have some damn good weapons and I'd rather not be on the receiving end of them."

Aedan and I were the only ones changed by the time I finished talking. Oghren grunted, "No one touches Oghrens' junk and…"

"No one wants to touch your junk, sweetie – now hand over the armor or let a creepy ghoul wear it for a few hours with their rotting flesh falling off all over it and them oozing puss and blood…"

Oghren began handing over his armor and snatched at the robe I gave him. Velanna – seeing that Oghren believed me so readily and that Aedan hadn't even questioned me before complying – began stripping.

Anders and Nate – not to be outdone by the wild Dalish woman – stripped too.

"I feel naked without my staff," Anders complained.

"I was actually naked like 10 minutes ago, Anders – you had a chance to look and you didn't. I bet you didn't even see my back tattoo."

He blinked, "You have a fourth Tattoo?"

"I rest my case, lady and gentlemen."

Velanna smirked, "It was a lovely tattoo, too."

Nate – who had seen it since sharing a bed with me due to my tank tops and putting my hair up – nodded and said, "It really is amazing work."

Anders pouted, "When did he see it?"

Aedan grumbled, "I'd like to know too."

"I wear Tank-tops and hair ties to bed, brother dear – nothing indecent has happened. Nate belongs to a friend of mine."

Nate blinked as we entered the ruined mine, "I what?"

"You two will make such an adorable couple. Just don't be an ass because she's a mage – do I make myself clear?"

He flushed, "Is it inevitable then?"

"Well, no – but the two of you will be so happy together… she's only 20, but even her brother won't give you too much grief so long as you make her happy. And she's going to be a Grey Warden in less than a year anyway; so there's no reason not to be with her since Grey Wardens only have 30 years after the Joining without intervention from a Fairy."

He blinked, "She's 10 years my junior, Ara."

I shrugged, "So what? I'm 30 years older than Alistair – 7 years older if we only count years my soul has lived and not my body."

Aedan chuckled, "Don't fight it, Nathaniel – she has thing for nudging people into doing what is best for the future."

"I mean – I already saved the womans' life; you could just give her a chance to make you happy. It won't kill you."

Nate sighed, "A chance then. I won't judge her for being a Mage or being 10 years younger… but I will give her a chance."

I smiled happily, "Yay!"

And before anyone could continue, we saw the Architect. He was tall – about 9 feet tall – and mostly because it looked like he'd been stretched to death. He was skin and bones with a golden mask fused to his face and robes that were mostly deteriorated but… also fused to his flesh with chains half-melted into place. His ribs were visible through the skin; in fact, he looked like nothing but skin and bone. No muscle at all. Good thing the guy could float, because those legs wouldn't hold him up if they tried.

Beside him was Utha – 4'4 with short black hair, white-grey eyes and a mournful look on her greyed face.

Then… we were all put to sleep.

I woke on a table – not in a cell. The Architect looked someone frustrated as he spoke to me, "I have discovered your immunity to the taint."

I coughed drily and he handed me some water. I drank it down and said, "I take it you also discovered your inability to take my blood, Architect?"

Surprise flashed through his face, "That is right – why is that? How do you know me?"

"My blood is special – I have to give permission to take it. And I know you because I'm a seer. Where is Seranni?"

He tilted his head, "Releasing your friends."

"Nice of her to do that," I commented. The Architect nodded, "One of them is her sister."

"I know… this will be their first stop when Seranni tells them where I am."

He nodded, "I want to know more – I could use your blood for better results… if I'd had it, the Mother may not have gone insane…"

"My blood can't cure Darkspawn, you dolt. She is fully a darkspawn now so it would just kill her. I can cure regular ghouls like Seranni if I do it soon enough, but not when they become full darkspawn. You would die, the Mother would die, and a Genlock would die if my blood interacted with them properly."

He frowned, "It wouldn't free them from the song?"

"No – it wouldn't. Your plan can't work the way you're going – you would need Broodmothers who were made like the mother before they became Broodmothers. And that would be cruel because then the mothers know what they once were and miss their lives and families and giving birth is painful."

"I found no evidence of childbirth on you…"

"It is a long story, but I did have a son. Being ignorant of their situation keeps the Broodmothers somewhat sane, believe it or not. I wouldn't wish the Mothers' fate on my worst enemy."

"But it would work if I made a new broodmother?"

"Possibly, but not certainly – the thing is that if you did that, it may be worse due to them recalling their lives as humans or elves or dwarves. They may do worse than this war The Mother has started."

He sighed, "I will think on what you have said – your companions approach so I must go."

He left through a hidden panel – leaving me tied to the blasted table… naked. Well… it could have been worse, I supposed. At least he had been unable to take my bag from me – another enchanting feature Celeste had told me about while at the vigil this last time.

When my friends came into the room and saw me in my current state… only Anders and Velanna didn't turn away but rushed to untie me.

I sat up and began pulling out armors and weapons before getting dressed and making everyone else do the same.

Velanna nodded to me, "I owe you an apology, Ara…"

"No you don't – in your situation; I would have done much worse. I may not have killed anyone – not if I could help it – but I would have incapacitated and interrogated and… well, if I had lost the only family I had and thought they were still alive, I may turn to black Wicca instead of grey. I died for my son – killing for him was entirely in the realm of possibilities too."

Aedan coughed, "That's fair – I'd have done the same for Oren…"

I smirked, "You sort of did – the men who burst into your room that night were the ones to kill him so… you avenged your family."

Aedan blinked, "That does make me feel better… is that what you told Fergus after the family meeting in Denerim two weeks ago?"

I nodded, "He asked if they suffered – I forced a vision of the past and saw that. Oren was killed in his sleep and Oriana was groggy enough not to see it coming. It made Fergus feel better to know you avenged them, so I told him."

We all finished getting equipped and left the lab.

As we made our way through the tunnels, I found Silverite – this was a Silverite mine… I collected as much as possible. Velanna also probed me on my knowledge of everything.

Aedan said, "Why were you in the lab?"

"The Architect wanted to have a little chat when he found out he couldn't take my blood and I'm immune to the taint."

"That thing can talk?" Nathaniel asked.

I nodded, "Oh yeah – he can talk. He's actually very smart too. He was looking to find a way to end the Blights by killing the Old Gods… obviously he failed spectacularly since he was the one to taint Urthemiel and start the fifth Blight."

Anders snorted, "Cute of him to do that."

I did recruit the merchant here – that made two of two!

When we got to the area where the Architect waited with two Drakes, I groaned.

The drakes stayed and waited for a moment while the Architect called out, "You could join me – we could end the Blights together."

"I'm gonna have to pass – waking up naked and strapped to a table just made me feel so violated, Lord Architect. And I know you are doomed to fail and die at Aedans' hands anyway."

He motioned and the two drakes swooped in… but they didn't attack. One came over to me and wagged its tail like a puppy. I patted her head with a small smile and looked to the tall Darkspawn Magister, "Did I forget to mention that most animals won't attack me willingly? Dragons are especially subservient to me – I'm the Fairy Queen; all elements are mine to control. They are cute though…"

Aedan was sniggering while Oghren snorted. The Architect simply turned and left – collapsing the cave behind him once Seranni and Utha were with him. Velanna cried out and asked me, "Why did she go with him? Can we follow?"

"He tried to drain my blood too much. When it disappears, I don't get it back – it evaporates. I can't use my powers right now – I'm too weak. I'm sorry, Velanna. Seranni followed because she believes in his cause… but he is doomed to fail. And Aedan will be the one to kill him, too."

Oghren snorted, "They're darkspawn – they'll head into the deep roads… they always do."

She looked thoughtful, "The home of the Children of Stone; yes. They say Wardens can sense Darkspawn even deep beneath the ground. I would join the Grey Wardens. Give me the ability to hunt down these monsters in the deep."

I spoke, "Yeah – welcome aboard."

Aedan coughed, "What – just like that?"

"Well why not? She's a good fighter and was always supposed to be recruited anyway…"

Aedan nodded at that and we all headed out. When we all started entering the 'little tent', Velanna was skeptical.

Magma grinned, "Welcome back, Ara – Dinner is on the stove."

Celeste came over and hugged me – the others weren't far behind.

I looked at them, "I need a shower – I feel violated."

Instantly they all began asking questions. I waved a hand, "Ask Aedan – I'm going to shower."

I heard Aedan begin explaining as I headed to my room.

It was an hour later when everyone was sitting at the table. "You want to tell me why you let us get captured?" Aedan asked looking put out as everyone was served food and drink.

"It was the only way you would see Seranni. I was not going to deprive Velanna of seeing that her sister was still alive with her own eyes. If I had warned you, you would have fought it." Velanna looked stunned but subdued.

"He took our blood! Fuck, Ara, what does he plan to do with it?" I sighed.

"He plans to… free the darkspawn. It works in some aspects, but in others… well, the reason for our most recent Blight was because he was trying to 'free' his Old God, not taint him, but managed to fuck up. The Mother you keep hearing about? She's a 'freed' Broodmother who went nuts. It doesn't work and it's not worth the price. He's… one of the seven original Magisters that walked in the Fade and Brought the Blight back from beyond. It always existed, you know? It was simply trapped until then." I had taken to rambling, and only realized when I saw the horror on Aedan and Nathaniels faces.

"Wait… the Chant of Light is true?!" Anders cried.

I shook my head, "Not exactly. The Magisters did breach into the fade, and they did bring back the blight, but the Maker foisting it upon them for their sin? That didn't happen. If the golden city really was the Makers seat, it was already abandoned. I have a theory that the golden city was actually the Temple of Elgar'nan. Since the Fade and the Waking World were once one, it makes since to me. I mean I know for a fact that two of the Elvhen Pantheon are still walking the planet…" I slapped a hand over my mouth and shot my head to look at Velanna. As expected she began shooting questions at me. 'Which creators?' and 'how do you know?'

"Look, I can't tell you! I shouldn't have said as much as I did, and I'm sorry for that. All I can tell you is that I've met one in person and that they are both trying to restore the People. And while you may guess one, you would never guess the other." With that I stood and walked to the room I now shared with Nathaniel.

The next morning, Aedan said, "What's the next step of our plan, Ara?"

"Blackmarsh is our next destination. It is the closest. I need to pick up a bone from a very old very undead dragon there anyway. We'll need to heal the Veil there too – it's straight up torn in some places. So we'll need to fight demons, blight werewolves, and an undead dragon… any questions?"

"Any surprises there that we should know about?" Drake asked amused.

I gave a dramatic sigh, "If I told you they wouldn't be surprises… would they? Oghren certainly won't like it – but he signed up for this so that's more on him."

Oghren grumbled, "More twitchy mage types then?"

"Nope – don't worry Oghren, we have all the mages we will have for this fiasco."

He nodded firmly, "Good then. I guess we should get going then."

So we left – heading for the Blackmarsh while my guards pestered me about what surprise I was hiding.