Here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
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The girl's father had been good enough to supply Damien and his group with food, water, and the activation phrase for the golem, Shale, in return for his daughter's rescue. On the way out of the demon's lair, Damien had even discovered some notes on how the golem's original master had made modifications and strengthened the stone behemoth.
Shale was not exactly what Damien had expected from a golem to say the least. It was completely autonomous with free will and a surprisingly violent hatred of birds, pigeons in particular. But after some negotiation, Damien had convinced Shale to accompany them, as long as he did not treat it like a pack mule or a servant.
Back on the road, Damien hoped that they would reach Redcliffe soon. He needed rest, a hot meal, and a day or two of figure out where he needed to go next .
Luckily, they would arrive in Redcliffe the next evening thanks to Honnleath's proximity to the castle. Of course, that was if they were not surprised by anything on the road like they were on the way to the village.
He wondered what the others would think of the new recruits. Damien got the impression that Shale and Sten would get along well, but everyone else, he wasn't so sure. Zevran, on the other hand, seemed to be able to get people to like him easy enough, but Damien still didn't trust him yet. He appeared solid in combat back in Honnleath, but Damien wasn't sure if he should or could trust him to have his back in a fight.
As the sun settled behind the Frostbacks, Damien and his company settled in just off the highway to make camp for the night. It was nothing like the camp they had when they had the wagons. No tents, no extra bedding, only the rations the brought rather than a cart full of supplies, and not to mention the others being with them.
"It seems quiet without Alistair and Alyssa, and the others," Lyna stated giving voice to Damien's thoughts.
"True. Is it odd that I miss Morrigan's teasing of Alistair?" Daylen asked taking a bite out of his food.
"Is it odd that I miss teasing Alistair?" Damien jested.
" A little," Lyna replied giggling.
Damien chuckled to himself before making his way over to Shale. The golem stood sentinel watching the road, its glowing eyes fixed on the horizon.
"Hey there," Damien announced. "I'll make sure to trade off watch after I get some sleep."
"No need. I do not require sleep such as it does," Shale responded in a dismissive tone. Damien sighed and sat down under a tree nearby.
"I guess you don't sleep or get tired. What about food?" Damien asked. All he knew about golem's were that the dwarves made them a long time ago and they were powerful weapons. He should probably have thought through bringing Shale with them a little more. He knew even less about this behemoth than about Zevran.
"I do not require food, sleep, or this conversation," Shale responded.
"Understood," Damien replied leaning back against the tree and closing his eyes. Judging from the sigh that escaped the golem, it was bored, or maybe irritated. Who knew?
What Damien needed most was sleep and that tree made a perfect support for his back, but sleep eluded him. The memory of his fight with the demon remained in his mind. Mostly, the moment his power manifested in that completely different way from the norm. He wondered if he could recreate that ability. If he could master a skill like that, no darkspawn, not even an ogre could stand against him.
Yet, as he started trying to explore the newly discovered skill, his mind wandered and the memory of his encounter with the pride demon in the passage leading to the Urn surfaced in his mind. It had called him 'different' for its usual prey. The demon in the basement had said something similar to that as well. What is anything was different about him and why were demons making note of it when others weren't? Come to think of it, Flemeth had avoided talking about his power, only referring to the magic that had built up in his muscles and bones. Could it have something to do with his blood like the passion demon in the basement had said when it asked if its blood called to his like his did to it?
For all he knew it was the taint in his blood that the demons felt. But then, why had Lyna not been mentioned in the basement? And what about this mental barrier he had broken through? Who or what had put that there?
Damn it! He did not have to think about this now. All he would do is come up with more questions with no one to answer them. For the moment, he needed to learn how to access this new power at will. That needed to be his only focus.
He sighed and got up, making his way back over to the fire with the others.
"You must tell us, how did you beat that demon?" Zevran asked as Damien sat down.
"Yes, I was curious as well," Leli added, but judging from the looks around the fire, they were all curious.
"Honestly, I haven't figured it out yet," Damien replied looking into the fire. "I focused on pushing the demon's influence out and something just… changed."
Saying he had felt something break in his mind probably would have worried the others. It worried him just thinking of that sentence.
"Whatever it was, it was awesome. I don't remember much about where I was, but I know that the demon had a firm hold on my conscious mind. I knew it was the demon so I resisted, but I couldn't get away," Daylen reported resting his elbows on his knees.
"Demons seem to come after you a lot," Neria said. "First with the sloth demon, then pride, now a passion demon, and you beat them all without Circle training."
"Only by the skin of my teeth," Damien confessed. "That passion demon did say something about my blood, but it was probably sensing the taint or something."
"Well, you do… feel a little different," Daylen said looking Damien up and down.
"Different how?" Damien asked.
"I'm not sure. Usually, I can't feel any magic coming from you unless you are actively using it. Now, I can feel power coming from you when I'm close by," Daylen explained.
Pinching his chin, Damien considered his words. Could the barrier that had cracked in his mind have been a way of hiding his magic from Templars and the Chantry? If so, who put it there? If not, then what was it and why was it in his head?
"I guess that's just something I'll have to deal with," Damien responded. "Let's get some sleep. Redcliffe is a long walk but I want to get there before nightfall tomorrow."
000
Damien and his party entered the Redcliffe Castle just as the sun was setting behind the foothills. All eyes seemed to be on Shale as it lumbered after Damien and the others. The young warden could not help but laugh at the bewildered looks the golem was getting. Most humans had probably only ever read about golems. In truth, if Damien had not had a run in with the Carta a few years back, he would not have even known they existed.
Alistair and Alyssa met them at the entrance to the castle with smiles on their faces as the welcomed their commander back.
"Judging by the way you two are acting, I'm assuming the ashes worked?" Damien asked looking between the two of them.
"They worked perfectly. The arl is awake and almost completely recovered. He wanted to meet with you as soon as you returned," Alistair reported looking past Damien at the two new members of his group.
"Oh right, intros. This guy over here is Zevran. Also known as the guy whole tried and failed to kill me. The other is Shale. Modified golem with a pension for smashing birds." The introductions seemed a bit on the nose but why pull punches? It would be best to be quick and get them ingratiated into the group as quickly as possible. Damien would need figure out a new formation as well as how the unit could work together even with the new members.
"He tried to kill you?" Alyssa exclaimed.
"Why birds?" Alistair added.
"Leave it to Alistair to focus on the important things," Lyna teased.
"Yes, Loghain hired him to kill me, but he failed. Since he failed, the Antivan Crows want him dead, so for his own safety, he is now loyal to me," Damien explained patting Zevran on the shoulder.
"As I have said, my dear warden, I am your man," Zevran responded leaning toward Damien a bit.
"Maker give me patience 'cause if you give me strength I might kill him," Damien spouted giving the elf a shove.
"Still, why birds?" Alistair asked.
"Why don't you go ask it and let me know how that goes?" Damien suggested before heading for the door.
The others were all having dinner in the great Hall, but stopped eating to acknowledge and welcome their leader and other companions back.
"Any injuries?" Wynne asked.
"A blister or two but nothing that needs attention. However, I'm think I'm going to find a bed and pass out for a week. I'm so tired," Damien stated looking around the hall.
"I would assume so," Bann Teagan said approaching with an elderly looking man behind him.
"Good to see everything is well here," Damien said shaking Teagan's hand. "I would assume that you are Arl Eamon, my lord?" Damien bowed deeply to the older man.
"There is no need for formalities, Warden Commander. You and your people not only saved my life but those of my family and people. You have my gratitude," Eamon replied.
"I'm afraid that gratitude might not be enough. Originally, I came here looking for men, supplies, and support for the fight against the darkspawn," Damien said standing up straight and looking the Arl in the eyes.
"You are certainly direct and exactly how my brother and Alistair described you. However, you need more than my knights and militia. You will need what is left of Fereldan's armies. For that to happen, Loghain must be removed," Arl Eamon responded.
"Removed? He has both the trust and respect of the people. I'm not sure how to even get close to him," Damien replied removing his hood and scratching his head.
"Loghain's influence comes from his daughter being queen and her appointing him as her regent. We need someone with a stronger claim to the throne," Eamon stated.
"Like you? You were Cailan's uncle," Damien suggested.
"My claim is no stronger than Loghain's. I would seem opportunistic if I made a claim to the throne," Eamon explained.
Damien rubbed his chin thinking about what the Arl could mean but the moment he heard Alistair laugh with the others, it hit him.
"You plan to put Alistair on the throne?" Damien whispered in a shocked tone. He did not want to cause a scene and embarrass Alistair.
"He is of the Theirin bloodline and Cailan's half brother. It is the strongest claim to the throne to be presented," Eamon responded looking over at Alistair.
"If this is the only option we have, then we will need to be quick about it, but only after we have gathered the rest of our army. I still need to speak with the dwarves and the dalish. I think if we show that we are still focused on fighting the darkspawn, it will help our case against Loghain and his propaganda," Damien stated.
"Leaving the human politics to the humans, escentially," Eamon added.
"If there is a way to help you without directly opposing Loghain, I'll do it. Unless Loghain is publicly called out as a hindrance to the eradication of the Blight, our hands are tied," Damien said with a sigh.
"I will gather all the members of the landsmeet that oppose Loghain so we may present a united front. If we have the grey wardens and the cause of defeating the darkspawn to rally behind, I believe it would aid you and protect you. At least some," Eamon said looking back at Alistair again.
Damien wet his lips as he lowered his gaze. The arl still cared about Alistair much as how a father would for his son. At least Damien assumed it was.
"Have you two had much time to talk?" Damien asked.
"Some but with everything that's been needed to be done, not as much as I would like."
"My group will be staying here for a few days or so. You should set aside some time to talk with him," Damien suggested before shaking the Arl's hand and collecting a large bowl of soup and a plate of meat and potatoes.
Once everyone was rested and healed, he would need to figure out where to head next. Part of him wanted to go see the dalish because he thought he could convince them to join the fight easier than the dwarves. However, the dwarves were experienced darkspawn fighters and he knew his group needed training, including him. He would need to discuss the choice with the others later, but for now his attention was on the feast before him.