6/27/19 EDIT: Grammar clean up, moved the opening scene to where it would have happened chronologically and new text and dialogue was added.
"You want me to what?" Hissed the elf in a panic, caught completely off guard with her friends' request.
When Aria was still a child in the Circle she remembered every night Jowan would take her to the towers library and pick out a book to read to her to help her fall asleep. This was during the time she had started to have terrible nightmares about the Templars. She remembered the tales he chose to read to her were always about fantastic heroes in time going through and succeeding to accomplish nearly impossible odds. One story she remembered, though a little sketchy was in the end, a tragedy. Facing similar problems as Jowan and his lover Lily, the hero in the story was a mage planning an escape from a tower in some far off land with their beloved. They had fought tooth and nail through evil Templars and loyal mages. Then, when they finally reached the grass from outside the tower gates were they shot down dead. In the end, they died together, holding hands without a regret because they had accomplished what they wanted to do.
Aria couldn't bear the thought of the same thing happening to Jowan, for while he was a good man, he was an idealist to her acceptance of her own hopelessness. While Aria just couldn't figure a way he could really do such a thing.
"Please, Aria. Lily and I have been planning this for weeks. All we need to do is destroy my phylactery so no one can track me after we've escaped. The thing is, one of the tools we need is above my level, I can't get to it because I'm an apprentice. But you, you can!"
"Aria, please, Jowan is your friend, just give us your word you will keep this secret and help us." Lily pleaded with clasped hands. She shook her head, giving up.
"Alright…because this is you Jowan, I would help you with anything. You have my word, just tell me what to do." The two before her smiled wide, Jowan grabbed the elf and wrapped his arms around her in a thankful hug.
"Aria, thank the Maker you are so kind to me…" he sighed a breath of relief that rustled her mused hair. Aria smiled and patted his back comfortingly.
"You've cared for me for as long as I can remember, to me you are my family, and family helps each other out no matter how insane the problem is."
Lily watched the two from the side happily before casting a glance at the door to check if anyone was coming. With the coast still clear she cleared her throat to get the mage's attention.
"Ok, I can get us into the repository, but there is a problem," Lily began her explanation softly. "There are two locks on the phylactery chamber door. The First Enchanter and Knight-Commander each hold one key, but it is still just a door and there is enough power in this place to destroy all of Ferelden."
"I've seen something called a Rod of Fire that could melt through anything, you can get one from the storage room on the third floor. Owain will not release such a thing to apprentices, and that is where you come in." Jowan murmured.
"So I just have to get the rod and we'll be set?" Aria confirmed. The two nodded.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do."
The Tranquil in charge of the storage room don't just hand out Rods of Fire willy-nilly, this Aria found out simply enough as she made conversation with the older man that spoke with an uncomfortable deadpan.
Owain's eyes were so unfeeling and dull that Aria wondered what the man was like before his connection to the Fade was severed and whether he did so willingly or was coerced into it.
There was an annoying bit of paperwork to be filled out and signed by the one to receive the magical device, then it was to be signed by a senior enchanter for verification. She didn't exactly know any of the senior enchanters. And as the mage walked through the hall she thought of the two mages that have already refused to sign the verification form. Biting her bottom lip she racked her mind for some kind of solution.
It was then, as she passed by an open door she heard a woman curse. Curiously, Aria turned back to peak her head through to spot middle aged woman is the crimson red robes that signified her status as a Senior Enchanter. She stood over a table while examining a stack of papers with a troubled expression. Bent on taking the chance with the distracted mage, Aria scampered into the room to stand across from the woman as she goes about her thoughts.
"Um…are you having difficulties with something?" she asked the mage, effectively snapping her out of her thoughts. Looking up to face the elf she seemed nervous.
"Er, no…I-I'm just taking stock is all." She tried to convince, without success. Raising a brow, Aria pointed a thin finger to the large, locked doors to their side.
"Then wouldn't you be in the stock room?"
"Ok, look, I was only appointed Senior Enchanter no more than a fortnight ago. But here I've gone and gotten the caves we store food and other valuable items infested with spiders the size of a small cow!" the mage cried in frustration.
"I have no clue how to handle this, I'm busy enough as it is with that Grey Warden here looking for mages to take to Ostagar. These apprentices and their fanciful idea of thinking they can catch his interest when they can hardly keep a good ward set up!" She muttered stressfully.
An idea struck the elf then and she smiled up at the woman, a thoughtful look in her eyes.
"Then how about this: if I help you with your infestation problem, would you sign this paper for me?" The Senior Enchanter took the paper and looked it over, a moment later she nodded.
"Yes, of course!"
Twenty minutes later, an exhausted Aria cracked open the doors of the store room. Oh how she loathed spiders…
Later that evening, after Aria met up with Jowan and Lily to report she succeeded in getting the Rod of Fire, they decided to meet up during dinner, when most of the Templars would be in the mess hall to guard the tightly packed bunch of magic users.
Quickly, but with as little noise as possible the three quickly walked to the ground floor of the tower. Neither of the three exchanged a word, no was the most important time, they couldn't waste it on idle chatter. Walking up to the engraved doors, Aria went first and peaked through to see if there were guards posted in the basement.
In the small room, where there was only a door at the other end the elf waved her companions over. As they shuffled into the empty space, she wondered if Jowan and Lily's heart was beating as fast as hers. Aria didn't want to admit she was nervous about this to them, what they needed right now was the hope that they would make it to freedom. She didn't want to ruin it with her negative personality.
Lily stepped up to the door.
"The Chantry calls this the 'Victims Door'." Lily breathed.
"Sounds violent." Aria pointed out offhandedly. "So how do we unlock it?"
"The door can only be opened by a Templar and mage together, the Chantry provides a password, then the mage must touch the door with mana in order for the wards sealing the door to become undone." The red haired initiate explained.
"Wait…Jowan's just as much mage as I am, so why can't he do it?"
"It…has to be a mage that has gone through the Harrowing…." Lily mumbled sheepishly. "Let's just focus here, I will speak the password: 'Sword of the Maker, Tears of the Fade'."
There was a sound of something passing by and markings etched across the door glowed pale blue light. Aria took this as her signal and walked up to the door. She set the tips of her fingers to its rough stone surface and raised her brows in surprise to discover the door was warm to the touch. Setting her palm down to lay her hand flat she let the pale blue-purple of arcane magic leave her and sent a weak pulse of magic throughout the obstruction. The magic shown was like rippled through a calm body of water and gently passed through, a moment later there was a click and the door pushed itself opened to let the three pass.
Through the next door was a longer hall that turned to the right. Lily lead the way to the door just in front of them and came to a halt.
"Ok…this is the door to the phylactery." Lily confirmed.
Excitedly, Jowan turned to Aria. "Hurry, use the rod!"
"Don't rush me, I'm doing this for you." She waved him off and bent down to lift up her robes. There she had the Rod safely tucked inside her boot until it was needed. With rod in hand, Aria pointed it towards the locks on the door. She waited a good three minutes before she scowled in confusion.
Once more she poured her manna into the rod to put it to work. But nothing happened.
"What's going on?" she whispered. "The rod isn't working?"
"It isn't just the rod," Jowan gasped. "None of my magic works in this room!"
"Oh, no…" Lily gasped. Her face stricken with shock. "How could I have been so stupid to believe they would only use a lock and key to protect such an important room! This whole area must have a magic warding hex around it."
Aria tsk-ed in response to the sudden discovery, they couldn't go back now. Looking down the hall to spot another door. Walking down the hall to it she discovered it to be unlocked.
"Why not see if we can find a way through here?" she spoke up. The other two turned to her.
"Well, it's better than going back." They agreed. The two walked past a suit of armor that decorated the otherwise barren hall. The elf's sharp eyes noticed the twitch of a metal clad finger. Strange? Bodies of empty armor don't twitch, right? A gasp left her lips.
"Both of you, move out of the way!" She cried, fire engulfed her hand and she shot it behind her companions. Jowan and Lily dived for the floor just as the fireball flew by. Looking back, Jowan gave a start as a sword was thrust downwards, the magic causing only minimal damage to the armor. Rolling on the ground the mage faced the opponent and let cold wisps of ice freeze around the feet, sealing the armors movements. Lily then unlatched a mace she had buckled to her belt to defend herself with and proceeded to bludgeon the creatures body, effectively killing it.
The three breathed deeply as they helped each other back to their feet. The moving armor had been unexpected, but the thought of no form of security had never reached their thoughts.
"What in flaming hell was that?!" Jowan asked, throwing his arms in the air for effect. Aria looked from the corpse to him and shrugged. a harred look in her wide eyes
"Don't know, don't care. It's dead now, but we should be on guard in case his friends show up. Let's just hurry and find another entrance to the phylactery." The elf commented as she started towards the next room calmly.
"Maker's breath Aria, you adapt to your surroundings way too quickly." The man sighed.
"Jowan, I am helping you break so many laws, I'm terrified. This is me terrified" she pointedly looked away at the dead thing at their feet. A sick hue to her complexion. Jowan looked momentarily guilty, coming up to her to bring a hand to her head and rub at it until the younger mage huffed.
"Sorry, I'm pretty shaken from that too. And you've never been one to pick a fight-despite that creepy death magic you're so keen on studying."
"Oh shut up you…" Aria conceded to his apology and pushed his head off her head to fix the messy strands back into some semblance of order.
Lily's nervous giggles erupted from behind the two and they turned to look her way.
"The two of you are so close, aren't you? I'm almost jealous."
"Oh Lily~" Jowan sighed happily as he couldn't help but hug her tight. Aria felt her cheeks heat up and waved her unused staff between the two.
"Ok, ok, ok…let's get out of here before the two of you need a room!"
Lily laughed at her reaction.
Turning the corner the mage narrowed her eyes, her companions did the same as Jowan gripped his own staff and Lily held up her dagger. The three looked up towards the stairs as a group of moving armor charged towards them with swords drawn. Looks like they would have to fight for the phylactery.
Through the halls and corridors of the underground labyrinth, passed dust covered room and more enemies. The three escape artists found themselves deeper into the basement, the temperature had dropped lower and lower until each breath released left a puff of condensation. A thin layer of fog curled around their feet as the short clicks of their heels became the only sound echoing throughout the tunnels.
It has been hours since the three had come down here in search of a second entrance to the room that stored the mage's blood vials. By now the towers residence should be sound asleep, hopefully, no one has noticed either of the three's absence. She and Jowan typically kept to themselves though, so if anyone had really noticed Aria would be surprised. Lily, she didn't know much about, but she hoped someone was at least covering for the disappearance of a chantry sister with responsibilities. Or whatever it was sisters do.
The smallest in the group set a hand on the nearest wall and leaned tiredly on it. Aria had never fought so many opponents before, she was exhausted and unused to this. Her mind reeled with strange thoughts and her heartbeat was heavy and strong, fast as a hummingbird. She felt like it would burst should she continue on like this.
She wondered if this was an adrenaline rush.
Jowan had noticed he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore and backtracked to see if the girl was alright.
"Aria?"
Looking up, the elf smiled weakly. "Sorry…I just need to catch my breath, I've never-this is all a bit much to take. I can't tell whether the adrenaline is wearing off or if I'm sick with worry about the thought of being caught." She admitted. A hand found its way to her small back. Aria, being as thin as she was, felt the humans large hands over her spin as he rubbed gently. It was comforting, she just wished it was under different circumstances.
"I'm so sorry Aria, I dragged you into this. Now you're as likely to be killed as I am if we're caught." He pursed his lips as she felt his hand fist in her robes.
"But I'd sooner die than leave you to the wolves those Templars are."
She shook her head. "I told you before Jowan…you're family, I'd do anything to make you happy." Finding a second wind then, she straightened up and gave him a determined look.
"I'm ready, let's finish this."
What was she thinking letting her fear grip her like this? Her friend needed her, and no matter the consequences, what was done is done and she was now an accomplice. The little elf wouldn't have it any other way.
Making progress, it was Lily first who came upon the next door at the end of the corridor. Like the rest it was unlocked so the initiate easily pushed it open. Inside torches of fire were lit as if on cue, the room illuminated it bright red-orange light while the faint shadows danced along with the flames. At first they thought maybe someone was inside, but upon further inspection they were the only ones. Aria couldn't help but gawk at the selves of literature that lined the walls of the room, tables and shelves were lined with knickknacks and clearly magical relics she had never seen before in her studies. Looking up in curiosity she found that ancient tapestries hung with care, breathtaking stories drawn out by stunning embroider, unique to each cloth.
Aria would admit, she loved mysteries, she loved the unknown. The craving she got, to learn about something others rather leave very well alone sent waves of pleasure through her body. She liked to seek the truth of matters, because ignorance and fear was no excuse to keep things away is what she believed. Mage's like she and Jowan were similar to these hidden treasures and mysteries she loved so much. Both her kept away from the world, stories created and told to keep the curious at bay and the fearful never curious about understanding. She hated such a way of thinking, and so, this room was like her own personal heaven.
The three of them split around the room in search of another exit, but in all honesty, the elven mage was far too distracted to care about leaving. Picking up a hand sized gem she held it up to the fires light and watched as shots of royal blue and purple colored light die the room with dots as pretty as stars. Brown orbs widened in child-like wonder at discovering something new. Something so beautiful, why was it hidden away like some horrible secret?
"Oh Lily, Jowan…this place is wonderful." Lily poked her head between a shelf of odd relics to see what the mage was gasping about. Her fiery eyebrows shot up and she waved her hands in a panic.
"Hey, put that down, don't touch anything in here! Who knows what it will do, everything in this room is some kind of forbidden magical artifact and I don't want something freaky to follow us." She lectured the young woman. Aria gave her a skeptical look and refused to set the gem down, it was just so precious; something that made such pure stars on the walls couldn't be evil. She waited until Lily turned her back to her that she glanced around to make sure Jowan wouldn't see, and silently slipped the relic into a pouch attached to her robes' belt. She felt a rush, disobeying another like that. She's disobeying a lot today she's noticed.
Aria wonders if she should be concerned with the growing list of trouble she's causing now with making the choice to help her friend in doing this.
"Oh hey, guys, I think I found something we could use as an exit." Jowan spoke up. Starting for a moment at the volume of his voice, Aria calmed down enough to give her pouch a reassuring pat before passing a statue of a woman before coming to join Lily and Jowan by a marble statue of a Mabari hound. She couldn't help but notice the chin held high in an almost regal manor, what a proud statue, is what she thought. But it wasn't the hound statue that the only man in the group pointed at, it was a worn wall that was cracked and crumbling.
"This wall seems so old it looks about to crumble. Maybe if we attack it we can gain a way out." He suggested.
"But none of my fire element spells are powerful to break a stone wall, official mage status be damned." Aria pointed out. Lily cleared her throat to catch the mage's attention.
"While I don't approve of touching these Tevintor relics in this room, I should point out that this statue can help us with that little problem."
"How so?"
"Ah, I've seen pictures of things like this, they amplify magic that's cast into them." Jowan spoke up. "I bet we could use this to break into the phylactery chamber."
"Hmm, well I suppose we could try with the Rod of Fire?" Aria thought out loud and removed it from her boot.
"Ok…since I don't have a clue as to how powerful this will become, I suggest you stay behind me." She took a breath and set the tip of the rod against the back of the Mabari statues head. Concentrating her manna into the rod there was a minute vibration in her hand before a burst of hot fire came out of the statues mouth like a flamethrower and pummeled through the decaying stone. There was the sound of crumbling debris, when the flames stopped a breeze of frigid air whispered across the mage's face. Her brown lock shifted in the breeze as calm as a stream. What stood before them was a secret entrance, Jowan ran forward with a grin so big his white teeth flashed.
"This is it, this is the phylactery chamber!"
"Ah, wait Jowan, don't run there might be—"
A sudden shriek interrupted the girl and she sighed. Grabbing her staff, she ran inside in time to see a ghostly figure locked in a stalemate with Jowan as more empty, moving armor and animated skeletons surrounded Lily. Aria shook her head at her friends impatience and slammed the end of her staff on the ground harshly. The opponents faced her as she eyed them calmly and without a second thought send a mind blast of unseen manna through the enemies, paralyzing them all.
Let the fight begin.
With the final blow being struck, the metal armors fell to the stone floor with a cacophony of clunks and bangs. Lily helped her love to his feet as Aria shivered in the chilled air, she did not like cold places one bit.
"We must find your phylactery." Lily reminded them.
"Where would it even be in this place?" the female mage muttered under her breath and glanced around at random. Jowan and Lily searched too as Aria made her way up the small flight of stairs and spotted a rack of viles.
"I found the phylacteries." She reported and waited for the other two to make their way up the stairs. Jowan scanned through the different labeled ones.
"Let's see…Jowan, Jowan…ah, here it is." The mage lifted the glass up to his eyes and studied his trapped blood.
"…I can't believe this tiny vile stands between me and freedom!" the man gazed in amazement. "So fragile…so easy to just be rid of it, to end its hold over me."
Then there was the sound of breaking glass, Jowan's blood, free from its hold splattered to the rug on the floor. Droplets of dark burgundy blood stain the ends of his apprentice robes. Without a word Aria watched, the knot in her throat loosening in finally accomplishing part one of their goals.
Jowan was free.
"Come on, we're done here and should leave." He murmured in relief.
Three pairs of footsteps ran down the stone hall, the cry of their enemy close behind. Short brown hair brushed past fierce earthen orbs as flames erupted from Aria's palms. The brutal flames sent a trail of heat down the hall and caught her enemy on fire as the other two ran ahead.
"Aria, hurry!" the only man in the group howled as he pushed his love farther ahead. The metal staff the elven mage had strapped to her back came free as the woman jumped out of the way of yet another skeleton creature. The creature's sword bared down on her, but thinking quickly she threw the metal staff out in front of her just in time. The strength of the cursed bones was hard to deal with. A bead of sweat ran down her flushed cheek. Chancing a glance back at her companions she saw her friend stop in his tracks, waiting for her.
"Go, Jowan! I can take care of myself; you and Lily get out of here!"
Another moment later the man pursed his lips and turned away.
With her attention back on her enemy the elf cried in frustration as she sent a powerful blast of magic she had gathered in her mind and blasted it forward. It knocked her opponent back as it fell to its knees stunned.
Suddenly, cold white-blue electricity arched over her head and right into the downed skeleton. Aria's hair fanned around her as she swiftly turned her surprised stare onto Jowan. His hands lowered as he breathed heavily, Lily by his side at the ready.
The elf breathed out, shaking her head before sending a grateful smile towards her friend.
Funny how today was supposed to be a time of celebration for her. She had become an official mage of the Circle of Magi-Not really something she was particularly excited about. But it was the natural course of life in the tower. It was expected.
And yet, here she was. Deep under the Circle in a dank hall filled with cursed skeletons and busting her closest friend and his lover out of their lives of bondage to live on the outside. Aria would be jealous of the idea of making a life outside the tower if she hadn't long accepted she had lost any reason to leave beyond her desire to have at least a consistent quality of life the Circle at least provides for its residents.
When this was over and if they all survived this escape, Aria was sure as hell never letting the older man convince her to do something as crazy as this ever again.
Of course, chances are she'd never see her dear friend again as he left to go live his life and start a family. But Aria pushed that train of thought away to cry about for another time.
Setting her weapon on her back once more, the mage quickened her pace to catch up with her partners in crime. The door she could only assume lead to the outside world closing in on them. Aria wondered what it was like to be bathed in the moonlight then, was it as serene or wistful as described in stories? What about sunlight, would it feel warm, make one feel alive? Jowan and Lily pushed open the doors to freedom, with an excited smile on Aria's she ran forward.
Abruptly, the three came to a halt. The smile faded from her features as she realized they were back in the tower, in the room they started in. In the heat of excitement she hadn't even looked at her surroundings.
Now they had to figure out how Jowan and Lily were going to get out without anyone notice. Their job was not done.
Heavy footsteps then made their presence known and a cold chill ran down Aria's spin as Knight-Commander Greagoir and First Enchanter Irving walked out of the shadows with a group of Templars. Her face paled.
"So what you said was true." Greagoir spoke to Irving as they stopped, surrounding the three. She gulped.
"This…looks bad…"
"G-Greagoir?" Lily gasped in horror.
"An initiate conspiring with a Bloodmage, I'm disappointed Lily." Greagoir sneered and walked up to the frightened woman.
"She seems shocked and fully in control of her own mind. Not a thrall of the Bloodmage then…" the commander spoke off-handedly.
"The initiate has betrayed us, the Chantry will not let this go unpunished." Then his cold glare turned to Aria and she felt frozen in place, unable to move, or even breath.
"And this one, fully a mage and already flouting the rules of the Circle."
Though she knew this was true, the way the man said it caused her to flinch unconsciously. Irving shook his head, his disappointment clear in his coal black eyes.
"I am disappointed in you, you could have told me what you knew of this plan…and you didn't."
Aria pursed her lips. A small flare of that rebellious energy that had been keeping her heart hummingbird fast burned in her eyes.
Of course she wouldn't, Jowan had asked her for help, she wouldn't abandon her friend because of a rumor. Jowan growled, his face contorted in rage.
"You don't care about mages!" He accused, "You just bow to the Chantries every whim!"
Jowan turns to her and catches her lowered head and burning eyes.
"And you want Aria to be a perfect pet, don't you? A right hand man to a mage wrapped in the chantry's control.I won't let that happen!"
"She doesn't even follow your skewed teachings!"
Oh Jowan you dolt, don't do this! Causing a fight while outnumbered in both bodies and power was foolish! Aria squared her shoulders and looked to Jowan.
"Jowan…don't make this worse!" she hissed.
"Enough, as Knight-Commander of the Templars here assembled I sentence this Bloodmage to death, and this initiate has scorned the Chantry and her vows…take her to Aeonar." Greagoir demanded.
Lily stepped back in disbelief. "T-The mages prison,?! No, please, not there!" she begged as the Templars closed in on her. Jowan, consumed by rage pulled out a previously concealed dagger.
"No, I won't let you touch her!"
Aria watched in horror as her dear friend drove the blade into his hand. He heard the sickening sound of metal going straight through to the other side of his hand.
As if in slow motion the blood spilled and splattered into the air-not even making it to the ground, controlled by this man's' raging emotions. The elf stood in shock and felt something warm hit her face, her hand shook.
This couldn't be happening..Jowan would never…
A shaking hand touched her cheek, looking down at her palm with wide eyes her disbelief grew as she watched the crimson blood from a cut on her cheek pull away from her fingers and into the air.
No!
The rumors, they were only rumors!
No!
Jowan was a reckless fool at times, but he knew never to delve into something he couldn't possible control?
No!
An image of the Jowan she knew as her closest friend became dark against the form she saw now, right in front of her. The man who taught her to grow up honest, to always help her friends stood before her with his own blood staining his clothes as he let his blood overwhelm the Templars about to grab Lily. This man…no, this fool before her was not her friend. This was not the Jowan she remembered.
There were just too many cons to knowing blood magic, he knew this. They had talked about this!
"N-No…." her voice quivered. She watched as all the people, mage and Templar alike crashed to the ground. Jowan straightened up and turned towards Lily to check her condition, Aria too turned to see what the woman's reaction was to such a reveal.
The pretty woman stepped away from the man as if in denial. But her eyes were wide, she had seen it all, and she was disgusted.
Aria was horrified. Her heart broke.
"By the gods…blood magic." She spat, then, helplessly she cried. "How could you? You said you'd never-"
"I-I just dabbled, I thought it would make me a better mage!" he tried to explain.
"We talked about this, Jowan!" Aria suddenly found her voice, thick with tears. "You promised you'd never-you were too good for such a-there were too many consequences!"
"Blood magic is evil Jowan, it corrupts people, changes them." She whispered horrified. Aria nodded her head, agreeing with the red head, words lost to the lump threatening to choke her.
"I'm going to give it up, all magic! I just wanted to be with you Lily, please come with me" this Bloodmage begged. But there was no trace of love left in Lily's eyes, only betrayal.
"I trusted you, I was ready to sacrifice everything for you…" she cried, "I don't know who you are Bloodmage, stay away from me."
Jowan's shoulders dropped in sorrow, but there was a shutter as a sob broke out of his mouth. He turned to Aria, a hand outstretched. But all she could do was stare at it in pain. She looked up at him with could tears streaming down her face. Despite everything she wanted to say on the tip of her tongue, the pain of finding out her trust was ripped away from her choked her words.
Her best friend had betrayed all she knew of him.
"….No….no…." was the only word she found strength for, her shoulders shook as her words were lost and became a garbled sob. Even then he had to strain his ears for the impossibly tiny sound. She watched his adam's apple choked on a sob. Slowly, he took a step away from the women, a tear down each eye for the two of them, until without another word he raised a hand towards her.
Aria's brown eyes widened, he wouldn't-
A blast that smelled of blood pushed her back hard. Her feet left the floor as she tumbled to the stones. Stunned, she could only watch as her childhood friend ran past her and towards what would be freedom.
Lily ran to her side, checking if she was hurt from the sudden attack. She helped the elf back to shaky feet.
How had things gone sideways so fast?
The two women stood there together, broken and confused. As they silently kept their eyes to one another, like they needed another to verify this really just happened. Finally, it was Aria who broke the stillness and turned to kneel down by the First Enchanter to see if he was all right. The old man lifted his head slowly and looked her over worriedly.
"Are you alright? Where's Greagoir?" he murmured. There were some grunts and sighs of pain on the other side of him as the Knight-Commander and his men recovered from the attack.
His eyes immediately sought Aria's form and ordered his men to grab her. She did not fight back as she felt the rough tug on her limbs and cold metal poke into her sides. Was she to be sent to death in Jowan's place? She wouldn't put it passed the cruel man to do just that, she helped a Bloodmage that she thought was a good man, she lost her only family in this place and was now surely to be killed as an accessory of whatever this kind of crime was called. There was no point in really doing anything about it now. The sapphire colored gem she took from inside the basement weighted heavily in her pouch, was everything worth it now? This little rebellion. She did not know, not anymore at least.
"Tch, I knew it, Bloodmagic! Its overcome so many, I never thought him capable of such power." The Knight-Commander seethed.
"Jowan…said he wasn't a bloodmage…" she couldn't help but murmur brokenly to herself. She wished it wasn't so.
"None of us expected this. Are you alright Greagoir?" Irving asked as he brushed himself off.
"As good as can be expected given the circumstances, if you had let me act sooner this would not have happened! Now we have a bloodmage on the loose and no way to track him!" the man shouted crossly.
Yes…the image of Jowan's shattered phylactery popped into her mind. She had let such a thing happen. Her tears strengthened her agony, she had let him play with her trust in him.
"…Where is the girl?" Greagoir shouted. From her hold in the Templars arms she saw Lily jump.
"I-I am here ser." She answered
"You helped a bloodmage, look at all he's hurt." He accused.
"S-She didn't know!" Aria found herself shouting in her defense. "Both of us, we didn't know…"
Lily looked to Aria and stood taller, bracing herself for whatever punishment comes her way.
"You've been a friend, you needn't defend me any longer." She reassured bravely. "Knight-Commander I-I was wrong…I was an accomplice to a bloodmage. I will receive any punishment you seem fit…e-even Aeonar…"
Without a shred of mercy the Knight-Commander ordered her to be taken away. As that happened the human finally turned his sights on the captured elf. She was so small compared to the bulky Templars that held her in place.
"Now you, you know why the repository exists, some artifacts, some magic is locked away for a reason!" he shouted.
"Did you take anything from the repository?" Irving asked. With the gem still hidden away in her pouch she felt sad with parting with it, what was the harm?
"N-No First Enchanter." She answered with a lie.
"Hmph! Now what to do with you…" Greagoir snuffed.
"I didn't regret my actions until I found out he lied to me…but I have nothing of importance here now so I will take whatever punishment you give." Aria decided solemnly, coming to terms she was probably going to die now.
Fresh tears blurred her vision.
"Yes, and now because of you and your brainless actions all our defenses are for naught!"
"Erm, excuse me, Knight-Commander."
A voice unexpectedly enters into the conversation. Everyone turned to see the Grey Warden, Duncan stepped out from around the corner and to the group.
"If I may, I'm not only looking for mages to join the kings army, I'm also recruiting for the Grey Wardens." Duncan exposed.
"Irving spoke highly of this mage and would like them to join the Wardens ranks."
"Duncan, this mage has assisted a malificar, and shown a lack of regard for the Circles rules." Irving interjected.
"She is a danger!" Greagoir added, "To all of us."
Aria looked up at the human Warden like a kicked puppy, she pleaded he not make this worse.
"This girl is a rare person who risks it all for a friend in need, I stand by my decision. I will recruit this mage." The Warden stood firmly, without fear of rejection.
"No, I refuse!" The Knight-Commanders outburst made the elf flinch, "I refuse to let this go unpunished."
Behind the helplessness she felt, Aria stared at the Warden with the smallest of hope.
"I-Is it truly ok with you?"
Duncan caught her gaze and nodded.
"Greagoir, mages are needed, this mage is needed, there are worse things that plague this world than bloodmages. You know that…"
Feeling the Templars loosen their hold unsurely, Aria found herself weakly standing by herself as Duncans strong voice echoed through the room.
"I take this young mage under my wing and bare all responsibility for her actions. I will invoke the Rite of Conscription should there be anymore refusal."
"A bloodmage escapes and his accomplice is not only unpunished, but is rewarded by becoming a Grey Warden!? Do our rules mean nothing? Have we lost all authority over our mages—this does not bode well Irving." The Templar in command shouted in rage.
Does Aria sense the slightest bit of jealousy from the Knight-Commander?
"Enough," the wise mage sighed, " we have no more say in the matter."
"So…does this mean I will become a Grey Warden?" the elfs' weak voice intruded into the conversation meekly, was there no death in store for her? On the inside she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't want to die right yet, no matter how miserable she felt.
A hand pat the girls head and Duncan nodded to her.
"Come, we leave at daybreak."