Thank you to everyone for your continued support and for sticking with my fic. I hope you are all enjoying it because I'm having a ton of fun writing it. Big thanks to my beta and to my loving wife for making sure I make my deadline even with my busy work schedule. Thanks to everyone who is leaving reviews and let me know what you think. It always brightens my day to hear from readers. Hope you all enjoy!
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The Spoiled Princess could not be called special in any way. It was the typical tavern with a few rooms upstairs and a small but rather noisy drinking area for passing merchants, off-duty Templars, and the occasional wandering band of misfits.
Damien breathed a sigh of relief as he looked out the window and rain started to fall. Merely an hour later and they would have been caught on the road in the down pour. He was glad to see the group laughing as they ate and drank in the warm firelight of the tavern's hearth.
However, the lack of off-duty Templars concerned him a little. It made him worry about the state of the Circle. The fewer off-duty Templars the more there would be in the tower itself, and if that was the case, why were so many in the tower to begin with?
"You look ears deep in thought," Alyssa said sitting down across from him and setting a pint of ale in front of him.
"As long as it doesn't mess up my hair," Damien responded adjusting his hood.
"What's on your mind?"
"A million and one things, chief among them, the tower and what to expect," Damien said looking back out the window. Even through the rain, he could still see the outline of the massive structure piercing the sky with its black form.
"I'm sure we can handle whatever they throw at us," Alyssa responded taking a drink from her cup. It appeared to be some kind of tea judging from the smell and steam.
Damien could feel an ominous presence if he concentrated, but since Flemeth had healed him. His ability to sense magic had been much weaker, but if his sensitivity ever got back up to the levels it had been at before, entering the tower could prove difficult. Although, even with his weakened senses, he could still feel something from the building, but it was not what he had expected. It felt darker, more like Morrigan's presence than the Circle mages back at Ostagar. He had a very bad feeling about what was to come.
"Alyssa, I want Alistair with me when I head across the lake. Morrigan will stay here to try to get Kallian back on her feet. She's looking better, but not quite 100%. Other than them, this mission is for volunteers only. Spread the word. Whomever is coming, have them meet me at the docks in an hour. Rain or shine. Oh, and get Brax to watch over the wagon. Tell him I'll get him a big steak bone when we get back if he's good," Damien said pulling scarf down far enough to take a few long drinks of his ale before standing, replacing the scarf, and heading out the door.
He needed to get closer and see what more he could feel. Maybe some of the locals would tell him some more. He was bound to find a carta dwarf skulking around and if anyone knew what was going on in the tower, it would be those lyrium smugglers. He spotted a man sitting on his front porch looking rather miffed about something, but Damien decided to leave him be. He would probably only get yelled at for butting in on the man's quiet time.
"If you're trying to get to the tower, you should give up now," the old man shouted. Damien stopped dead in his tracks. Turning slowly, he saw the old man rise from his chair and adjust his jacket.
"Why is that?" Damien inquired. Maybe he could get the information he needed from this man. It was worth a try.
"Damned Templars took away my boat. They aren't letting nobody across to the tower. Cocky bastards," the man swore spitting into the dirt as if getting rid of the taste of the Templars.
"Any idea why they're shutting everyone out?" Damien asked.
"Don't know. A messenger headed for Denerim passed through here this morning, I don't know why though," the man answered.
"I appreciate the help," Damien said waving and heading for the docks. He pulled his scarf up over his nose and mouth and pulled it tight. This time it was for the warmth, not to conceal his identity.
So, I was right. There's something going on at the tower. Could it be connected to the Blight…or Loghain? What about Howe? Could this be completely separate from everything else? No, the timing fits too well. This has something to do with either the archdemon or Loghain.
As Damien got closer to the docks, he spotted a young Templar standing guard over a single row boat. The man looked miserable and soaked to the bone. Damien smirked and made his way back to the wagon. They had extra cloaks and blankets for when theirs got too wet or dirty to use. They could spare a single cloak especially if it helped them get to the tower. After gathering up the spare cloak, he rummaged through the scrolls and papers form Ostagar and found the treaty relating to the mages and slipped it into his bag. He needed to be prepared in case he did not have the chance to come back to the cart before leaving. He headed back over to the soaked Templar keeping the spare cloak under his own.
"You must have drawn the short straw," Damien said though his scarf.
"I suppose I did," the man responded. Damien could tell from the tone in the man's voice, he would not be bribed with a dry cloak. He took his job far too seriously, but maybe that was something he could use.
"Here, you'll catch your death out here," Damien said handing the man the cloak. "Especially if you're the one taking me to the tower." The look that crossed the man's face was conflicted to say the least. He obviously wanted the cloak to stay dry but he would not allow himself to be bribed.
"I'm sorry, but by order of the Knight Commander, no one is to enter the tower until he gives the all clear," the man responded.
"I can help with whatever is going on, besides, neither you or the Commander have the authority to deny entry to a Grey Warden. By ancient treaty, the mages of any and all chantry circles are required to answer the call of the Wardens when a Blight comes," Damien stated crossing his arms.
"Oh, you're a Grey Warden are you. Right, let's see some righteous Grey-Warden-ing. Go one, slay some darkspawn, go on," the man teased. Damien could feel his blood starting to boil. This idiot was really poking fun at a Warden.
Damien reached into his tunic and produced the pendant around his neck and held it where the knight could see it. "This proof enough? Oh, and how's this for Grey-Warden-ing, I'm Warden Commander Damien of Fereldan. I order you to take me to your commander immediately, and if you're lucky, I won't report this harassment and demand compensation," Damien threatened shoving the cloak into his hand and stepping into the boat. True he was only the commander by popular vote within the group but he didn't mind throwing the title around a little. Besides, no one could contest his claim considering that as far as anyone outside his group knew, he was the only Warden left in Fereldan.
"Oh, um… I'm so sorry… Of course," the Templar stammered as the rest of his group appeared. Alistair looked rather nervous. Must have been because Damien had asked for him specifically and left the mission as a volunteer job to everyone else. Despite that, Leliana, Sten, Alyssa, and Lyna all stood ready. Damien looked back at them before realizing something. Every Warden was coming with him. If anything were to happen in the tower or to the boat on the crossing, they could all be wiped out. As much as he wanted to have as many of his people with him as he could, he needed to leave someone stay behind as a guaranteed survivor.
"Alyssa, don't be mad after you came out here and got all wet, but I need you to stay behind and keep an eye on Morrigan and Kallian. I get the feeling they might try to kill each other without someone to stop them," Damien said standing up in the boat.
"Babysitting? Really?" Alyssa snarled.
"I also need you to be ready to take command if none of us return," Damien stated. He knew that was a grim thing to say and would probably scare her to no end, especially considering the loss of her family, but he needed someone with the ability to lead. Alyssa was the only one really bred to be a leader out of all of them.
The young, former-noble looked around the group in silence before looking back to Damien. "Just promise me you'll come back. All of you," Alyssa said taking her sword and shield off her back.
"No promises, but we'll give it our best shot," Damien answered.
"We're gonna be fine, you'll see," Alistair assured her. Damien smiled, trying very hard not to look worried, but the feeling he was getting from the tower made his blood run cold. Nothing showed any signs of darkspawn, so it had to be something else.
"Let's go," Damien ordered returning to his seat. The sooner they could get to the tower, the sooner they could get a handle on the situation and figure out their next move.
000
The tower's size was even more staggering up close. The rain pelted the stone walls and massive windows. Damien could see flashes and in some of the upper floors as if lightning was striking inside the building. Surely that was possible. He had seen plenty of mages using lightning at Ostagar and that was what the tower was for, right? For mages to study how to control and use their magic?
"So, why did the ferryman lose his position and his boat? Things at the tower must be pretty nasty if your commander restricted access," Damien asked pulling the front of his cloak closed, trying to keep the rain from filling his boots.
"I haven't heard much, but the commander said there had been some kind of outbreak and he was closing the tower. I really didn't get all the details," the Templar answered.
"An outbreak wouldn't include lightning up there," Damien responded pointing the windows as the dim flash mimicked the deadly force of nature.
"That's why you left Alyssa and the others behind. You think there's going to be fighting," Lyna said softly looking back at him.
"Would you rather I have left you? I need Alistair and his training if we have to deal with mages, and I'm not about to volunteer to stay behind and force others to go in my stead," Damien answered.
"A leader should always lead from the front," Sten added with a nod.
"Figured you'd get it, big guy," Damien said nodding.
"Still, this is a bit reckless, no? We know nothing of the situation or what's going on with the tower," Leliana stated.
"That's why I only wanted volunteers… Did I not mention that?" Damien said smirking beneath his scarf.
"Considering we all heard about this mission from Alyssa who's back on shore, I'd wager 'no', you didn't," Lyna responded before chuckling.
"Well, I'm mentioning it now. Anyone that wants to go back can take the boat back to the tavern and enjoy Alyssa trying to keep the peace between Kallian and Morrigan. You'll probably want some snacks," Damien responded before clearing his throat. "But in all seriousness, this is probably going to get pretty dangerous, so if you would like to unvolunteer and you're not Alistair, you can go back. Be warned, once you are on the island, you're in. No backing out later."
"Singled out again? Why do these things happen to me?" Alistair complained jokingly.
"Because you make for such a pretty distraction while I'm escaping," Damien retorted causing Leliana and Lyna to burst out laughing.
"I have to admit it, Alistair, Damien's got you pegged," Lyna stammered between gasps for air.
"Though I have not seen the Commander run away yet," Leliana added looking back at Damien.
"Well, there was Ostagar, both times. Hey Lyna, would first battle count as running away since Brax carried me on his back after I was wounded?" Damien asked.
"We were running for our lives, so I think it counts," Lyna responded.
"You were wounded at Ostagar?" Leliana asked.
"Yeah, broke my skull on an ogre horn during the fight. Morrigan's mother fixed me up. It was a bit of a headache," Damien jested tapping his forehead with his index finger.
"He did get pretty banged up," Lyna added.
Damien chuckled. 'Banged up' was certainly an understatement. If Flemeth had not healed him, he would have died.
The boat pulled up to the dock with the Tower looming overhead like a dark cloud. Five man squads of Templars were patrolling the perimeter on high alert. He had scouted enough warehouses and royal storage areas to know when guards were trying to keep people out, or something in. In this case, it was both.
"Let's head inside and see what's going on for ourselves," Damien said climbing out and waving for everyone else to follow.
"What do you think is going on?" Alistair asked.
"I have a theory. I just hope I'm wrong," Damien answered. The only reason he could think of for the Templars to lock down the tower like this was demons or a rebellion. Either way, they were about to wade into a warzone the likes of which none of them had ever seen.
000
Templars were hustling about right and left carrying timber, weapons, and wounded every which way. To call it chaos would have been complimentary. Damien had to admire whoever was in command if they were managing to keep their wits in all the commotion.
"Knight Commander, we have incoming!" a Templar shouted from the doors leading to the tower. Damien watched a gray-haired man with no helmet step forward to take charge. He carried the weight of a veteran on his shoulders and everyone could see it. Damien assumed he and the others had similar looks about them.
"Close and bar the doors. Hopefully those reinforcements will be here soon," the man ordered turning and seeing Damien. "What is this? I said no one was to enter the tower without my express permission."
"I'm afraid your man at the docks didn't have much of a choice," Damien said producing his pendant.
"I grow tired of the demands of Wardens. We gave you hundreds of my men and dozens of mages for your battles in the south. We have nothing more to give," the commander snarled.
"We're not here to make demands of you or your men, but we are trying to stop a Blight so I do need to talk to the mages. They are bound by this treaty to aid us," Damien said showing the man the treaty.
"I'm afraid that is impossible. The tower has been overrun with demons and abominations. I doubt there is anyone left alive," the Templar stated looking over at the door.
"Mages are tougher than you think. They can't all be dead. Besides, I saw lightning in the windows on the way across the lake. There's at least a few in there that are still fighting," Damien snapped.
"Most likely abominations finishing off what was left of my men," the commander said hanging his head.
"You've lost all faith in both your men and the mages, haven't you?" Leliana cut in.
"Quiet girl, I have every confidence in my men, but the overwhelming numbers of demons and abominations pushed everyone else back, cutting them off from us," the man argued.
"Everyone calm down. Let's try this again," Damien said raising a hand to silence Leliana and anyone else that might try to talk. "I'm Warden Commander Damien." He extended his hand hoping that they might be able to talk more civilly.
"Knight Commander Greagoir," the commander replied shaking Damien's hand. "I must be honest, I had hoped that when I heard a Warden had survived Ostagar that it might have been Duncan."
"Trust me, Knight Commander, if I could trade places with him, I would," Damien replied lowering his head.
"I'm afraid that even with more pleasant introductions, the situation has not changed. The tower must be purged. I have already sent word to Denerim for reinforcements and the Right of Annulment," Greagoir stated crossing his arms.
"Right of Annulment?" Damien asked looking back at Alistair.
"He means he asked the Chantry for permission to completely wipe out all life in the tower. Every mage," the former Templar responded with a look of horror in his eyes.
Damien's eyes opened wide as he turned back to the commander. He couldn't be serious. There had to be people still alive in there. Mages and Templars still fighting to survive. If the Templars were going to abandon them, maybe he could step in. He had never fought a demon or abomination before but it couldn't be harder than fighting darkspawn, right?
"Commander, let us take care of this for you. In return, you pledge the men under your command to help me stop the Blight," Damien said. He didn't dare look back at his team considering he was volunteering them to run head long into a battle they knew very little about.
"I assure you, demons and malificar are not to be taken lightly," Greagoir stated.
"Neither am I. I was recruited to the Wardens because of my ability to fight and everyone with me is just as skilled as I am. Now, do we have a deal?" Damien stated.
"If you are able to clear the tower of demons and abominations before the reinforcements arrive with the Right, then you will have mine and my men's support against the darkspawn," Greagoir promised.
"That works for me," Damien replied drawing his daggers and leading everyone toward the door.
"I won't open these doors for anyone except the First Enchanter if there are still people alive in there besides you. Understand?" Greagoir stated as the guards removed the locks and peaked though the door to check to see if the coast was clear.
"So, either we kill everyone in here, or save the First Enchanter," Damien stated twirling his daggers as he looked back at the Knight Commander.
"Correct. If Irving is dead or turned, there is no hope for anyone beyond that door," Greagoir stated.
"Got it. We'll take care of this, just be ready to hold up your end of the bargain," Damien stated as the guards slowly closed the doors behind them.
Covered in a blanket of blood and corpses, the hall stretched out like a gruesome battleground. As he knelt to examine one of the bodies, Damien's stomach turned. He had seen animal attacks, sword wounds, broken bones, and nearly every disease in Thedas during his travels but this type of brutality was beyond compare. Claw marks and lacerations that cut down into the bone and the pure savagery of the attacks couldn't be matched by an animal on the hunt or defending its territory. No, whatever attacked these people was more savage than a rabid Blight Wolf and more ferocious than a dragonling.
"I have never seen anything like this," Lyna said holding her hand over her nose and mouth. Damien knew she smelled it just like he did, a foul odor on the air completely separate from the fresh corpses. They had a more metallic, sweet smell to them, but this scent was like ink covered in burning sugar and melting skin. There was something else here. Damien could feel the corrupted power in every fiber of his being. For the first time since Flemeth had healed him, he was very happy that his magic had been drained from his body. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to stand otherwise.
"Keep moving. If there are survivors, we need to clear them a path for when we find the First Enchanter. We check every room and every hiding place. Alistair, I'm counting on you if we run into abominations. You've got the training to fight them," Damien said gripping his daggers more tightly.
"It's all theory for me. I've never actually faced any," Alistair exclaimed.
"Well, let's apply that theory and kick some ass," Damien retorted standing and kicking open a door.
"Subtle, I like it," Alistair replied following Damien into the room.
The other three joined them quickly only to be met with more of the same scene they had found in the hallway. The room was a massive dormitory with hundreds of beds that had been turned over, stacked up, or broken. It looked like a storm or a tornado had smashed its way through, but being in the Circle Tower, that might have actually happened at some point.
"Clear each room carefully. If you find something or someone, call out, but stay within ear shot," Damien ordered signaling for everyone to move out. He didn't say it out loud, but seeing all the death around him was getting to him. The torn faces were turning into Heness, Griggs, and Lockey. Some were even Duncan, Teryn Cousland, Jory, and Daveth. It was really starting to get to him. No! Keep your head on straight. Don't freak yourself out. The demons might take advantage of that. Focus on the fight.