Disclaimer

I don't own Dragon Age or any of the mods mention on the first page.

Sacred Ashes: /ZyKhQ_o6dcw

Warden's Calling: /GoEol-5Epfg

I forgot these mods.

Wardens Burden Retexture by mguitar07 dragonage/mods/4230/

Grey Warden armours by tmp7704 project/4662/

Prologue Part 3

It seemed like any other night. All of the nocturnal creatures, minus darkspawn of course, were outside making noise as they always do. Malcolm was in his bed asleep, when all of a sudden… (Angry Barks, Growling). Malcolm sat up wiping sleep from his eyes. He knew something was wrong, Goliath barking angrily at the door, plus he could barely hear what sounds like screams. Malcolm could feel the hairs on his neck stand on end. His hound would never act like this, unless something was wrong. He went for his iron scale armor, after that was put on, he put his iron dagger on his hip and his iron longsword and shield on his back. As he finished that, he heard someone banging on his door. He drew his sword and walked to the door. When he reached it, he quickly opened it and was face-to-face with one of the elven servants.

"My lord, the castle is…" he was interrupted when an arrowhead stuck out of his chest. Malcolm quickly turned his head and brought up his left hand, but that did not stop blood getting on his face. When he turned his head back, he saw where the arrow originated from. He didn't have much time to look at the armor as another arrow caused him to bring his shield up. Goliath came out of nowhere as he jumped on the closest soldier, proving that no shield can prevent a mabari from overwhelming one and bringing them to the ground. Malcolm went for the archer that killed the servant, his shield blocking another arrow. By the time that the archer could get a fourth ready, Malcolm had already run his sword through the guy's stomach. Malcolm saw to his left that two more soldier were banging on his parent's bedroom door.

From this angle he could see their shields, and what he saw caused him to drop his sword. Why? Why would Howe do this? Unfortunately, when he dropped his sword the two soldiers heard the noise and turned around. They saw Malcolm standing over one of their fallen allies, and charged him asking, "Where's the Teyrn!? Tell us!" Malcolm quickly picked up his sword, gave a whistle for Goliath, and charge. Goliath went for the guy on the left's shin, getting in a quick but painful bite and quickly retreating, showing that a 3ft 8in tall dog can be almost as agile as a cat. Malcolm blocked an overhead strike from a mace, pushed it off, then did another thrust through the stomach. He then turned and delivered a downward diagonal slice.

As soon as the fighting has ended, Malcolm's mother came out of her room with leather armor. "Darling," Malcolm doesn't know which shocked him more, the fact that these are Howe's men or the fact that he sees his mother in leather armor. "I heard fighting and I feared the worse. Are you hurt?"

"I was just about to ask you that."

"They never got through the door, thanks to you. A scream woke me up. There were men in the hall so I barred the door. Did you see their shields? Those are Howe's men! Why would they attack us?"

"He betrayed Father. He attacks while our troops are gone!"

"You don't think Howe's men were delayed… on purpose? That bastard! I'll cut his lying throat myself. Have you seen your father? He never came to bed."

Malcolm's heart drops, when he hears this. "Stay here, Mother. I'll go find him, then the four of us can get out of here."

His mother crossed her arms in defiance, "I am no Orlesian wallflower. Give me a sword and I will use it. Speaking of which, just give me a minute," they went into the room, and the Teyrna grabbed a bow and some daggers from a chest.

A thought just dawned on Malcolm, "Oh Maker." He took off for his brother's room. The door was already open, when he walked in.

His mother and his hound followed, and walked in on a scene that made all of their hearts drop. "No! My little Oren! What type of fiend slaughters innocence?!"

Malcolm slams his fist into a wall. "I'll make them pay for this!" The sight of his sister-in-law and his nephew dead sends him off the edge. His eyes start glowing blue with magic.

The Teyrna kneels down by Oren's dead body, "Howe's not even taking hostages. He means to kill all of us. Oh, poor Fergus… let's go. I don't want to see this." She then gets up, goes over to Malcolm and notices his eyes. "Malcolm, what is with your eyes."

He ignores her and goes almost into a full berserker's rage. He goes to the hall, draws his sword and shield, and stand in front of the door that goes into the next hall. He kicks it open, and gets an arrow in his shoulder and an arrow in his leg, but all he feels is rage. To his left is one of Howe's men with a dagger and an axe, to his right is one carrying a greatsword. Malcolm blocks a double overhead strike from his left, the greatsword user comes in for a thrust but he pushes the rogue off and rolls for the archer on the left causing the greatsword user to kill the rogue, Malcolm comes out of the roll, slices the archer's leg then his neck, spins and throws his sword at the other archer, getting him in the chest. Out of the corner of his eyes he sees the last warrior come after him. Malcolm tries to cover up with his shield but his opponent knocks his shield away resulting in a small cut on his arm. As his left hand went to his side, his right hand came up with ball of lightning causing his opponent to get launched through the open door.

He recovers his sword and shield and then marches out into the outside hall. His mother and hound finally catch up, "Malcolm!" He turns and she sees the rage. "We need to find your father, not go on a rampage. We need to get to the front gates."

"We can't just let Howe get away with this."

"Listen, darling, we haven't much time. If we can't find your father, you must get out of here alive. Without you and Fergus, the entire Cousland line dies here! If Howe's men are inside, then they must already control the castle. We must use the servants' entry in the larder to escape. Do you understand?"

"But I want Howe dead!"

"Then survive, and bring vengeance on him!"

They continued on their way eventually running into servant screaming, "The castle has fallen! I'm getting out of here!"

Malcolm angrily replied, "Run, if you're a coward!"

"M-My lord?! What…" the servant clutches his neck, as an arrow protrudes from the side. He falls dead, as more of Howe's troops engage the trio. Malcolm goes on the defensive, blocking and parrying blows, as his mother rain arrows down, and Goliath acts as calvary, hitting them hard and fast.

Then near a corner Teyrna Cousland spoke up, "We getting close to the treasury. The Cousland family blade lies inside. Take my key. That sword must not fall into Howe's hands; it should sever his treacherous head!" They went inside the first room seeing the guards dead but the door to the actual treasury hasn't been kicked open. Malcolm uses the key to open the door, and once inside he goes for the chest on the far wall. He dumps his sword and shield, opens the chest, and grabs the Cousland Family Blade and the Shield of Highever.

They then went back out to the halls, and after dispatching a more few of Howe's goons they made their way to the throne room. Inside, they saw Ser Gilmore and a handful of guards against more of Howe's men and one of Howe's mages. Shouting a battle cry, Malcolm rushes in, toppling any of Howe's men that's in the way of the mage. When he got to the mage, he did a downward strike, which the mage blocked and countered with a right-to-left strike across the cheek, follow by an upward strike on his chin. But before the mage could follow up with a third strike, Malcolm bashed her with his shield followed by a slash across the chest. A light cut on his arm causes him to drop his sword, he spins, drops his shield, and takes a few steps back. Electricity starts to coil up his arms, as he starts to let his rage take over. With a yell full of rage, he throws his arms forward as lightning shoots out of his fingertips, making contact with all of Howe's men, frying the ones in metal armor and setting the leather armor on fire. Everyone just watched him, and soon he was feeling a bit lightheaded. His rage was still there, but using his magic had clearly worn his body out.

As Malcolm walked up to Ser Gilmore, he heard the man say, "Go! Man the gates! Keep those bastards out as long as you can!" He walked up to Malcolm and his mother. "Your Ladyship! My lord! You're both alive! I was certain Howe's men had gotten through!"

Malcolm replied with anger, "They did get through!"

Gilmore continued, "When I realized what was happening, it was all I could do to shut the gates. But they won't keep Howe's men out long! If you've another way out of the castle, use it quickly!"

Malcolm had not seen the Grey Warden since the afternoon and a thought dawned on him, so he asks, "Where is the Grey Warden?"

Gilmore replied, "I've no idea!" He asks slowly, "You don't think he's involved in this, do you?"

The Teyrna commented, "Perhaps he… was sent to kill Bryce? Oh dear… have you seen him?"

"When I last saw the Teyrn, he'd been badly wounded. I urged him not to go, but he was determined to find you. He went towards the kitchen. I believe he thought to find you at the servants' exit in the larder."

"Bless you, Ser Gilmore. Maker watch over you!"

"Maker watch over us all," he said, then he went to go help keep the gates closed.

His mother and hound started to go to the northern door, but saw that he didn't move. Malcolm just stood there. His mother walked up to him, "Son… we need to go. Look, I don't care right now if you have magic. We'll worry about that later. Malcolm, come on." Malcolm reluctantly followed, ashamed that he had let his rage take control, ashamed that all of his work to hide his magic was for nothing. They made their way through more enemies finally to the kitchen.

Malcolm busted the door to the larder open, saw his father on the ground bleeding, and ran to him with his mother and hound close behind.

"Maker's blood, what's happened? You're bleeding!"

"Howe's men… found me first," he says with pain, "Almost… did me in right there."

Anger starts to rise again at the mention of Howe's men. "I'll gut the bastard!"

Malcolm's mother says with worry, "Bryce! We must get you out of here!"

"I… I won't survive the standing, I think."

Malcolm replies as he starts to stand up, "Then I will drag you out!"

"Once Howe's men breach the gates, they will find us. We must go!"

"Someone… must reach Fergus… tell him what has happened."

Malcolm clenched his fist in anger, "And take vengeance."

"Yes… vengeance."

"Bryce, no! The servant's passage is right here! We can flee together, find you healing magic!"

"The castle is surrounded… I cannot make it."

A gruff voice came from behind making Malcolm spin and draw his sword, "I'm afraid the teyrn is correct." Duncan walks in sheathing his sword. "Howe's men have not yet discovered this exit, but they surround the castle." He walks up. "Getting past them will be difficult."

Malcolm put his sword up as his mother speaks up, "You are… Duncan, then? The Grey Warden?"

"Yes, your Ladyship. The teyrn and I tried to reach you sooner."

"My younger son helped me get here, Maker be praised."

Duncan turns his head towards Malcolm, simply saying, "I am not surprised."

Malcolm tells him, "Thank you, for saving my father, but what are we going to do about Howe?"

"Nothing here, we must get out of here and tell the king, then Howe will be punished."

The teyrna says quickly, "Whatever is to be done now, it must be quick! They are coming!"

"Duncan… you are under no oblication to me, but I beg you… take my wife and son to safety!"

"I will, your Lordship. But… I fear I must ask for something in return."

"Anything!"

"What is happening here pales in comparison to the evil now loose in this world. I came to your castle seeking a recruit. The darkspawn threat demands that I leave with one."

"I… I understand."

"I will take the teyrna and your son to Ostagar to tell Fergus and the king what happened. Then, your son joins the Grey Wardens."

"So long as justice comes to Howe… I agree."

Duncan turns to Malcolm, "Then I offer you a place within the Grey Wardens. Fight with us."

"My duty is to take vengeance on Howe!"

"We will inform the king, and he will punish Howe. I am sorry, but a Grey Warden's duties take precedence even over vengeance."

Malcolm's father speaks up, "Our family… always does our duty first. The darkspawned must be defeated. You must go. For your own sake, and for Ferelden's."

Malcolm hangs his head in defeat, "I will, Father. For you."

Duncan walks over and puts a hand on Malcolm's shoulder. "We must leave quickly."

"Bryce, are you… sure?"

"Our son will not die of Howe's treachery. He will live, and make his mark on the world."

Malcolm's mother turns her head to her son, tears starting to form, "Darling, go with Duncan. You have a better chance to escape without me."

"Mother! I won't let you sacrifice yourself!"

"My place is with your father. At his side to death and beyond."

Malcolm kneels next to his parents and hugs them, crying out, "I love you. I love you both and I'll make you proud."

Duncan places a hand on Malcolm's shoulder, "We must go."

With that, the Warden and his new recruit, along with his hound, finds the entrance to the passage, ends up outside the castle and disappear into the night.

Finally. I'm finally done with prologue part 3. Sorry it took so long. I have a writer's block problem combine that with the fact that I have to make this game as believable as possible, and you have a writer that is gonna take forever to finish this story. I'm gonna endure it but don't expect a set schedule as this is very hard for me. And yeah I skipped some dialog but I was kinda in a rush to get this done. I know that my combat sequences could use some work but I'm doing my best. And I would like to mention EarthBorn93, as he has helped me on this since his review.