CHAPTER 11

..x..

By midday, the group was nearing Sulcher's Pass, a small clearing on the way north to the Dwarven kingdom. The Grey Wardens and their party were focused on the road, listening to nature as they traveled through a patch of pine trees. Soon, ruins of stone emerged from behind the brush as the vegetation parted before them. Crumbling remains from a time when Tevinter ruled over all of Thedas.

A wagon with boxes laid out around it caught their attention as they entered the clearing, while near it stood a middle-aged man they assumed was the owner. He waved at them, calling for them as they approached, halting their horses. "Maker..." he said, seeing the emblem on their armor. "You're Grey Wardens?"

"We are, yes. Do you need help?" Everil answered with a slight smile.

He anxiously scratched the back of his head. "Sort of… Have the lot o' you seen a goat around 'ere? The old girl got spooked and ran off."

"I'm afraid we haven't, ser…"

"Ah, well, I didn't think you would've..." he sighed, briefly glancing at his wagon a few feet behind him. "Say… without that goat's help, I've a few too many things to carry on my own. There's something 'ere I don't have a use for that may just come in handy to you Wardens… with the Blight and all. Would you be interested in taking it off my shoulders?"

"Uhm…" Alistair gave him a scrutinizing stare. "That depends… What is it?"

The man gestured for them to follow and the pair exchanged a look before dismounting. "Wait for us here," Everil told the others.

Upon arriving at his merchandise, he produced a long, stone rod from one of the boxes, glowing blue symbols inscribed over it. He faced them, holding it with both hands. "This was given to me by a friend o' mine to the east. He said it can be used to control a golem. Only, I don't have the command phrase to use it."

Everil folded her arms, surprised by the offer. The Dwarves once used golems in their wars. They were said to be formidable fighters, hard to bring down and nearly immortal. But that was in ancient times when they ruled over a massive underground empire that once spanned all of Ferelden, and beyond. Before the darkspawn nearly annihilated them during the First Blight, massively shrinking their territory to just Orzammar. If there was a golem out there, anyone who owned it would have the advantage in any battle.

"Why is it you want to do away with it?" she asked. "Something like that would probably be useful to you."

"I'm just a merchant… it would go to waste in my hands. And I'm not chargin' you anything since this would be a favor to me." A grin spread over his chapped lips. "I read once that so long as you've the rod, it will be forced to obey you. It won't be able to hurt anyone… unless you tell it to."

"Well… I can't say it would be too terrible an idea to use such a weapon against the darkspawn…" Alistair said, hands on his hips. "Where would we find this golem?"

"It's been sitting in a little town called Honnleath, or at least that's what I was told."

"I would like to see it," Everil said to Alistair.

He nodded. "I know the place. Arl Eamon owns those lands."

She took the rod from the merchant, strapped it to her back, and gave him a quick thank you before both Wardens returned to their horses. They mounted before Everil regarded their companions. "Change of plans. We have a small errand to run."

"An errand?" Morrigan questioned with slight irritation. "Have we not wasted enough time as it is? Mostly thanks to Alistair's foolish encounter with a dragon's claws."

He sent a subtle glare her way. "A dragon we had to fight to save your skin, by the way. So I guess that makes it your fault too."

Morrigan glowered at him. "You—"

"Everil…" He ignored her, shifting his attention away from the witch. "Uhm… I'll lead the way this time. I know a shortcut to the village, so I can get us there faster."

She nodded, then watched him veer his horse towards another thicket ahead. Her eyes settled over his back as she and the others followed him. She couldn't quite place it, but lately, he seemed much more assertive and sure of himself. Perhaps due to their conversation after meeting his sister.

A smile tugged at her lips, realizing she liked this side of him.

They cut through the woods this time, occasionally ducking to avoid the hanging branches. The area was peacefully tranquil safe for the occasional chirping of the birds and the flapping of their wings. A shame such place would soon be overtaken by the Blight.

"My lady, I have a question, if you will indulge me," came Zevran's inquisitive voice.

Everil glanced at him. "Yes?"

"We have fought our fair share of these... darkspawn. But I don't think I quite understand what it is that makes this a Blight. Is it that storm we saw on the way to Redcliffe?"

Before she could respond, Leliana cut in. "You've never heard the story behind the Blight? The Chantry speaks of it all the time."

He smirked, lifting his nose while riding. "I don't know if you've noticed, my dear, but religion is not my forte. In fact, I've never set foot in a Chantry my entire life." He paused and tapped his chin with a finger. "Oh, wait… Yes, I have. I killed a sister in one once."

"A sister?" she gasped. "Why would you do such a thing?"

The elf shrugged. "She'd been meddling in politics in Antiva... Sassing the wrong people. Your Chantry is not as pure as they pretend to be."

Leliana shot him a judgy look. "Still… you murdered someone in one of the Maker's homesteads..."

"Like I said... religion: Not my forte." He snickered wickedly, then returned his attention to his mistress. "At any rate… What makes this all so different? Don't darkspawn occasionally raid villages down here?"

"The difference is that a tainted god commands them during a Blight, turning small groups into a horde that tramples the lands." She spun her head to sullenly gaze at him. "The tainted god is called an Archdemon. And this one has gathered an army large enough to defeat the king's soldiers in Ostagar. If we don't stop it soon, the darkspawn and their taint will spread throughout all of Ferelden."

Bewildered eyes went from her to the other Warden, finally seeing the magnitude of their task. Just what had he gotten himself into? He was no hero. He did what he wanted and got what he wanted—of course within the constraints of his servitude to the Crows. Now, he was traveling with a group of people he barely knew, fighting creatures he knew close to nothing about. And he was free. Free to make that choice without following someone else's motivations. Yet it didn't feel wrong to help. It felt as if he had a purpose now. One greater than himself.

Zevran put on a lopsided smile. "I suppose it would feel better to die fighting for your little country than to die at the hands of a Crow."

"You know…" Alistair glanced over his shoulder at the elf. "I think that's the first time I didn't find something you said incredibly annoying."

"See? I told you making love to a ravaging woman would lighten your mood."

"Aaand here we go… I knew it wouldn't take long," Alistair sighed, hanging his head.

"Zevran…" Everil warned, a tint of red spreading over her cheeks.

"What? You two didn't seem to care about us hearing you last night, despite knowing we were all just down the hall. Don't you think it's a little late for modesty?"

She avoided his gaze in embarrassment, yet stubbornness remained on her face. Meanwhile, Wynne and Leliana sent them knowing smiles while Morrigan and Sten remained completely indifferent.

Alistair ran a hand over his face. "Maker…"

"Ah, yes, Him. Heard his name many times too." Zevran grinned wickedly at the female Warden. "I never thought you'd be the religious sort, my lady."

Everil released a frustrated breath, resisting the urge to reach out and smack the grin off the elf's face. "Could we change the subject, please?"

"You Fereldans are so finicky when it comes to such matters… So prudish." Zevran chuckled. "It's almost too easy to make you blush."

A rustle in the bushes ahead silenced them as their horses came to a stop. They were reaching for their weapons when a young boy stumbled out from the brush, his clothes torn and bloodied. "H-Help...!" he called in anguish.

Everil slid off her horse just as he fell to the ground, rushing to his side. "Hey!" She knelt over him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Who did this? What happened to you?"

"H-Help… the village…" he choked out through ragged coughs and she stared sadly as he stopped breathing. She clenched her teeth, anger rising within her. This boy was barely a man, his features still those of a child. Clicking her tongue, she quickly rose and ran for her horse, climbing it without a word.

As if knowing what she was thinking, Alistair immediately kicked his mount into motion, while she and the others followed suit. They moved fast through the woods and towards their destination, the trees a blur as familiar voices whispered in her mind.

There were darkspawn nearby.

.x.x.x.x.

A small village nestled atop a hill past the tree line came into view, its huts ablaze as a cloud of ash and smoke darkened the skies. The group hurried to the gates and dismounted, arming themselves as darkspawn came charging. A genlock screeched, swinging at Everil. She deflected the attack with her blade, then slashed open its neck with her dagger. It fell, spraying blood into the air as the Warden engaged another.

More enemies came at them as they made their way up the slope. Alistair's sword pierced a hurlock's chest, then cut another's leg, dropping it on its knees before swinging at its head. A few steps beside him, Leliana released a string of arrows, downing three creatures while Sten rushed a group with a mighty swipe of his sword.

"Why are they running towards us?" Wynne shouted above the gurgling cries of the monsters being cut down.

Everil plucked her weapon from a hurlock's torso and gazed ahead, seeing a few more running in their direction. Though instead of attacking them, they seemed to be fleeing from something. She fell another that got too close and shouted at the others, "Something is driving them away! Come on!"

They dashed up the rest of the way, through flaming rubble, turning a corner into the village square. The coppery scent of blood mixed with burning wood and smoke as human corpses lay scattered all around them, torn to pieces to the point it was hard to tell which body part was what. Darkspawn bodies also peppered the streets, twisted and torn apart as stragglers continued their retreat from whatever spooked them.

In the middle of all the death was a little girl, seemingly unscathed safe for the soot staining her brown dress. A cat was held securely in her arms, also unharmed, staring at them with bright yellow eyes. There were more people behind her, huddled in some sort of magical protection. Darkspawn lay dead in a heap at the foot of their shield, appearing to have been thrown against it.

"Kill the rest!" Everil commanded the others as she ran to her, dropping on a knee. "Are you all right?"

The girl nodded blankly.

"Grey Warden!"

She looked past her to a man behind the barrier. His hands were up against it as the power flowed through him, which told her he was the mage casting it. "Back away from her! Quickly!" he said in alarm.

Puzzled, the Warden stood as her companions came to stand near her, having defeated the few darkspawn trying to escape. She turned to their healer. "Wynne, see to the child."

"Understood." The old mage knelt next to the girl, gently taking her hand. "It's all right now, darling. We are here to help."

Stepping around the two, Everil and the rest of the party neared the barrier. "What's happening here? Why did the darkspawn flee?"

"M-My name is Matthias… And that's my daughter... Amelia," he replied shakily. "She's not what she appears... I beg you… Please help her!"

"What are you talking about?" She glanced briefly at the child as Wynne gently stroked her arm, reassuring her. "She seems fine to me. Why don't you lower your shields so that we may talk?"

"You don't understand! That cat's a demon that has my daughter under some spell! It will try to kill my people if I do that!"

A scream caused them to spin about as Wynne was lifted and paralyzed by a purple bolt of light. It shook her violently, overtaking her body from within. And very slowly, she cast her once clear-blue eyes upon them, now devoid of the warmth they once carried.

"Wynne!" Everil made to run to them but was stopped by a woman's voice.

"I wouldn't get closer if I were you, mortal." The cat's eyes glowed red, piercing into their very souls.

"So you're the reason the darkspawn were fleeing the village…" Alistair muttered from beside her, glaring at the animal.

"What's a demon doing here? Is that girl a mage?" Everil asked over her shoulder at the child's father.

He shook his head. "No! She—"

The demon chuckled darkly. "Foolish mortals... I have been here all along! Summoned and chained by Willhem the mage, the long-dead grandfather of this brat! Amelia simply awoke me from my slumber and begged me to save her little village." The cat's face twisted into a distorted snarl. "And now it is done. And now she is mine."

Everil scowled, her gaze meeting its crimson stare. "Let them go."

"No," it quipped. "I am still tied to this village. This woman will help me break the seal and then I will use the child's body to roam your world free of these shackles! And there is nothing you can do to stop me!"

A surge of power erupted from the cat, enveloping Amelia and shooting outwards. The group shielded their eyes from it as it traveled through the village, seeking the bodies of both humans and darkspawn. It hopped from corpse to corpse, mending the broken limbs as the sickening sound of wet flesh joined in the demon's laughter. Moans came from the ghouls as one by one they rose, their empty eyes set on them.

What… Everil pressed her lips into a line, gaze shifting over them, witnessing as their ashen hands picked up any weapon they could find. They carried swords, hammers, knives, axes, and wood, slowly crowding the area as they shambled towards them.

The demon laughed maniacally before Amelia grabbed Wynne's wrist and ran, dragging her away towards one of the few huts not aflame.

"Wait!" Everil ran a few steps, only to be blocked by one of the undead. She backed away, eyes shifting between the enemies which were once the town's people. Her heart ached with pity for them. They'd been killed by a darkspawn raid and now they were being used as pawns by a demon. Why is it we're always too late to save them?

One tried to swing at her with its sword, completely missing her. She decapitated it, then deflected an axe from another coming at her from the side. She kicked its knee and it buckled before she struck in a diagonal, slicing off part of its head. It fell, but their numbers rapidly increased, emerging from fallen houses and adjacent streets, their ghastly groans and moans accompanied by the shuffling of their feet.

Their unsteady walk soon turned into a trot as they charged, closing in on them from all sides. The Wardens and their companions engaged them, their blades sinking into flesh and clashing against theirs as the creatures clumsily struck at them.

It's like Redcliffe all over again… Everil gritted her teeth and brought down another ghoul before craning her head to the hut where Wynne was taken. She turned to Matthias. "Where's the demon headed? Tell me quickly!"

"Underground!" he replied, too afraid still to put down the shield. "There's a passage in the cellar that leads to my father's laboratory!"

"Leliana, Bjorn! Come with me!" she called over the sounds of battle, then addressed her fellow Warden as he hit a corpse with his shield. "Alistair, you and the others stay here and help fend off these things! I'm going after Wynne!"

He nodded. "Got it! Just watch yourself!"

"Right!" A corner of her lips curled up and she spun on her heel and made haste to the hut. Leliana and the hound followed.

Alistair watched them go, then blocked a blade and parried it to the side. The edge of his shield hit the corpse's face, but it only made it stumble. A hurlock and another villager shuffled to him, weapons raised. One hit his shield as he cut off the other's arm, disarming it before shoving them off. He stabbed through one's gut, but it didn't even flinch, instead, grabbing for him. He grimaced and kicked it, retrieving his weapon before slicing off its head.

The people behind them were the only ones left in the village, and he didn't know how long their mage could hold up that barrier. They had to protect them until the demon controlling the corpses lay dead. He blocked another hit as two more undead tried to flank him. Using his shield, he hit one and stunned it, before his sword met its neck. Then he whirled around, using his gauntlet to punch the other.

"All right, everyone!" Alistair yelled to the others in his party. "No matter what happens, let's keep these things away from the villagers! Morrigan!"

The witch's eyes switched from a burning ghoul over to him.

"Ice them as they come in! We have to slow their advance as much as possible!"

Morrigan paused, slightly surprised by his commanding tone, then gave him a brief nod. She gripped her staff with both hands and faced the bulk of the horde of undead, summoning a freezing wave that swept over the first row of enemies. The ice encrusted their bodies, holding them in place as her companions ran in.

"Never thought I would see the dead come back to life!" Zevran shouted from his side of the battlefield, swinging and breaking through their bodies with ease. One of those not frozen charged at the elf, attacking with its blade. Zevran dodged, sliced its head off, then kicked its body onto the ground. "Ten down!" he shouted, grinning towards the Grey Warden.

Alistair gazed his way with a quirked brow, retrieving his blade from a ghoul's chest. Movement from the corner of his eye prompted him to strike at another, severing its head. "Twelve!" he shouted.

Zevran downed a few more, weaving his way through a group. "Thirteen!"

"Fourteen!" Alistair shouted after falling two more.

Eventually, the two of them were fighting near each other, leaving a trail of bodies where they went. Alistair hit another ghoul with the pommel of his sword, shattering its skull before slashing through another one attacking from the side. And then the sound of crushing bones and shattering ice made the two look in Sten's direction.

Like a mighty twister of muscle and metal, the qunari swung his greatsword, releasing a savage roar. He took out multiple corpses at once, sending body parts flying and scattering everywhere. His piercing gray eyes went to another group and he rushed in, swinging and slicing through multiple more. Both Alistair and Zevran watched in awe as he easily decimated a portion of their opposition, completely unhindered by their numbers.

"How many was that?" Zevran asked numbly.

"Enough to make me want to stop counting," Alistair replied while Sten sent the pair a severe glare, rotating his shoulders before resuming his killing spree. But no matter how many they killed, the ghouls kept coming. The demon's sorcery returned, mending the undead and unleashing them upon them again and again.

"Seems like they enjoy punishment…" muttered the assassin, twirling his daggers as the enemies quickly surrounded them.

"Yeah…" Alistair agreed, also readying his sword for another round. "I hope Everil and Leliana kill that demon… and soon."

.x.x.x.x.

The two women hurried through the underground tunnel along with the hound. It was dark and quiet, with a few torches as their only source of light. They passed by empty, open cells, the floor covered in a thick layer of dust. Everil found herself wondering just what sort of man would have something like this hiding away in his cellar. But the name Willhem refreshed her memory.

He'd been a mage in service of the crown when Prince Maric took back Ferelden's throne from the Orlesian Empire. It was known he had a short temper and an ego the size of a mountain. But he'd helped their king free the country, so he was respected across all circles of nobility in spite of his many flaws.

Soon they made it through the dark to a door and Everil carefully opened it, sword already in hand. On the other side was a large chamber, well lit by hearths of an unnatural source. They entered and the Warden's eyes narrowed upon spotting the child at the center. Wynne was beside her, barely able to stand and with injuries over her body. Bjorn snarled at the cat, growling menacingly.

"So you followed me... How convenient." The feline's gaze focused on its new guests. "This woman is too frail to work the mechanisms in the seal that traps me. Here. You may have the useless wretch." An invisible force flung its captive, sending her flying across the room towards them. Everil quickly spread her arms, catching her and falling on her rear with a grunt.

"Wynne!" Leliana got on her knees beside them.

Carefully, Everil laid the unconscious mage on her back, inspecting her worriedly. She placed a hand on her cheek, noticing the burns now marring her pale skin. Thankfully the injuries weren't severe.

"You will pay for this, you foul creature!" Leliana snapped at it.

It only chuckled. "Come now. Perhaps we can reach an agreement without resorting to violence."

"An agreement, you say?" The Warden pushed herself to her feet, then took a step, angrily aiming her sword at the creature. "You are way past the bargaining point, demon."

"What's this? You wouldn't kill the child, now would you?"

"The girl isn't possessed yet. All I have to do is kill the cat… or rather, kill you," Everil threatened coolly.

The demon's eyes flashed bright red at her words. "I still have control over her mind, mortal. She won't let you near me. Which means you will have to kill her to get to me or listen to what I offer."

"Tch…" Everil slowly lowered her weapon. "Fine. What is it you want?"

Leliana's head shot up. "Evy, you couldn't possibly—"

She raised a hand, effectively silencing her.

"I knew you would understand. You seem like a smart human. Here is what I offer: Release my shackles and allow me to possess this child. She and the other villagers will live, her father will not notice the change. And I will be able to live among you and finally see the world through her eyes." It snarled, as if attempting to smile. "We all win."

Everil raised an eyebrow. "And the alternative?"

"How long do you think your friends will last up there? I can mend the undead on a whim, making them practically invincible. And they will not stop until you kill both Amelia and me or take my offer." A mirthful giggle escaped it. "Or you could flee and leave the village at my mercy, though I highly doubt you would do such a thing, Grey Warden."

Silence stretched out as Everil clenched her jaw, weighing their options.

The demon waited patiently for her answer.

"Very well... I will set you free."

"Evy…" Leliana uttered uncomfortably.

The Grey Warden gazed at her from the corner of her eye. "We don't have much of a choice, Leliana."

The demon let out a laugh, casting its eyes over the metal patterns on the ground behind it. "This is the seal Willhem kindly built for me. One of the moving pieces has to be placed on the slot at the end of the puzzle to break it. However, if you get it wrong, you will end up like your friend there."

With a confident look, Everil sheathed her sword and strode towards the platform. She climbed onto it, scrutinizing it. There were metal squares that were movable, each with a pentagram drawn over it. The design reminded her much of a sliding puzzle, only this one was a seemingly dangerous version of one. Her sharp eyes traveled the mechanisms underneath, trying to map the paths for all the pieces in her mind. She could feel the heat radiating from some of the slots where the squares fit in, which told her that perhaps it would be a good idea to avoid them.

Taking a breath, she approached the first piece and lowered herself onto one knee. She slid it along the metal railing, hitting a corner when it bent downwards across the platform. More squares were rearranged while Leliana worriedly watched her work from afar.

Then one fell into a hot slot.

Everil jumped, narrowly avoiding the flames bursting up. "Blast it…" she hissed as the fire slowly died down.

"Nice reflexes," the demon mocked her.

She shot it a dirty look and pushed herself back up, returning to the last piece she tried to move. Everil breathed a sigh of relief when it made it to the end of the puzzle, clicking still and lighting up a cool blue.

The demon moaned in response and the cat's body glowed, dropping from the little girl's arms and landing gracefully on the floor. The shape of a woman emerged from the animal, sensual curves rounding a naked, purple body. She hovered gracefully over the ground, a crown of blue fire decorating her head and full lips spreading into a fanged smile. Everil kept her sights on her as she turned to face her.

"A deal is a deal, mortal." Like a predator honing down on its prey, the demon's gaze went to Amelia. Yellow eyes glowed red as she approached the frightened child.

"Kitty?" whimpered Amelia, now fully awake. All color drained from her face as she stared at the demon, seeing its true form for the first time.

"Yes…" she chuckled, reaching out to her with a clawed hand. "We can be together forever now, Amelia."

Gushing blood blocked the demon's vision, surprising it and causing the child to faint from shock. She blinked her cat-like eyes, withdrawing her arm to find half of her forearm was now missing. Bewilderment dawned on her face upon seeing red flowing freely from the stump.

"Sorry…" Everil stepped between her and the child, wielding a bloodied blade. "But I can't keep my word."

Leliana stood, drawing her daggers while Bjorn also dropped into a battle stance, growling viciously.

"You tricked me…" the demon gasped in disbelief, anger quickly bubbling up as it bore its fangs. "You bitch!" And she flew forth with super-human speed, screeching angrily.

Everil deflected her sharp claws, but she was faster than her, striking again and again with her one arm as the Warden struggled to time the hits. She backed away one step at a time as sparks flew every time claws and steel connected, slowly drawing her away from the unconscious girl. Meanwhile, Leliana broke into a dash, going for the demon's back.

"Damn you!" cried the creature, whirling about to block the other woman, while Bjorn latched on to her leg. She screamed and released a powerful shockwave that sent all three hurtling away from her.

With a huff, Everil rolled onto her feet, bringing her sword up just in time to guard against another strike. Her jaw tensed as the demon applied pressure on her, rage twisting its beautiful face to show its true, bestial form. "I will tear you to shreds!" she roared as blue sparks crackled and popped over her body.

Everil gasped and rolled aside just as a stream of electricity shot straight through where she once stood. But she didn't stop, kicking forth and closing the distance with a battlecry. The demon slashed again and she evaded, swinging upwards. It deflected the attack, breaking the Warden's stance before blocking another hit from Leliana. It whirled about, slashing at both women. Everil pivoted out of the way, earning a small scratch on the arm while bringing Elethea around with her.

The demon's hand caught her wrist before she could cut her, grabbing on to her sword arm. Everil grunted as it squeezed and shoved her down, its raw strength making her bend the knees.

"You're mine!" the demon roared, sparks once again crackling over her.

"Not happening!" Leliana cried out just before she buried her daggers into the demon's back, instantly dispelling the power surging through her. She screamed in agony, but held on to the Warden until Bjorn's powerful jaws clamped onto her arm. The demon screamed again and released her hold on her, trying to shake the beast off. Everil took the opening, thrusting through her chest.

"This is for Wynne!" she roared, and the demon's eyes went wide before the Warden's dagger sliced open her neck. Crimson sprayed over her as the body sank, then she shoved it off with one foot, letting her drop to the ground. "I hope you enjoyed your moment of freedom..." she whispered cooly.

"Are you all right, Evy?" asked Leliana as she approached her.

"Yes. Thanks for the help." Everil swooshed her weapons clean and sheathed them, then petted her hound. "You too, boy."

Bjorn whined a little, his tongue hanging off the side of his mouth.

"We should hurry back now…" she said, eyes going to the child they'd rescued, seeing her still asleep where she'd fallen.

.x.x.x.x.

Alistair sliced through one of the corpses before breathlessly surveying his companions. Zevran seemed all right despite minor cuts. Morrigan was out of breath but had managed to remain untouched. While Sten seemed tired but continued to fight through the exhaustion. He dodged another blade, stabbed into his attacker's gut, then swung his shield, breaking its brittle neck.

"Why won't they stay down!" Zevran shouted from his spot on the field, irritation in his voice as the one he'd just killed put itself back together.

"It's the demon's powers! Until it lies dead I fear they will keep coming back!" shouted Matthias, sweat sliding down his brow as he cast a wave of flames over those approaching him. They'd managed to keep the ghouls from reaching the innocents behind them, which was good considering Matthias had to drop his barrier to help them.

And then, just as they came, the corpses stopped moving and began to drop one by one. The group of warriors stared in puzzlement, lowering their weapons as the last enemy fell. The demon's influence over the village slowly faded, lifting from it like a curtain. A cool breeze flowed into the streets, blowing up dust as it grazed over the bodies now finally dead for good.

The sound of a door being kicked open drew their attention to Everil as she stepped into the square, carefully carrying the sleeping Amelia in her arms. She calmly made her way to them, unconcerned by the blood on her body, her hair swaying with each confident step. Leliana came out after her, with Wynne resting on her back while Bjorn followed behind them.

Matthias ran to them, meeting them halfway. "Amelia!"

"She's fine, only sleeping," Everil said with a small smile, handing the child over to her father.

"Thank you! I… thank you!" he uttered with great relief, tears welling up in his eyes as he held the child tightly.

"Once you're done tending to her and your people, I need to talk to you."

"Of course," he replied, watching her walk past him to meet with the others of their group.

Everil stopped next to Alistair as Leliana carefully leaned a slowly awakening Wynne against one of the few huts still standing. She produced a balm from her pouch and began treating her wounds while uttering reassuring words.

"How is she?" Alistair sent her a worried glance.

Everil folded her arms. "Minor burns and bruises…"

"She's tougher than she looks."

She sighed. "Yes… Yes, she is."

Steps from behind them had the two Wardens turning to Matthias. He approached them, shoulders slouched from exhaustion. "I thank you again for saving the village. If you hadn't come when you did…" He shuddered and swallowed nervously. "I don't really want to think about it. Uh… At any rate, what is it you needed to talk about, Warden?"

"I have a question for you." Everil pulled the rod from behind her back. "That golem over there." She pointed to the rock statue standing in the middle of the square. "How do you awaken it with this?"

"Shale?" His eyes darkened. "That thing killed my father… Why would you want it?"

Everil ignored the warning, refusing to back away from a potential resource. "We need it to help against the Blight."

"You'd be willing to risk the danger?"

"Yes."

He sighed helplessly. "Very well... I will show you how to awaken it."

.x.x.x.x.

Its eyes lit up a bright blue, the symbol on its forehead flaring as its joints began to pop and turn. It let out a groan as if yawning, then turned its gaze upon her, stone face twisting into a scowl.

"Hmph… I must admit I didn't expect the next one to be a female… and not a mage," it spoke, the deep vocals matching its massive body as it stood five heads taller than she.

Everil met its gaze, unfazed by its intimidating size. "My name is Everil Cousland. And we need your help."

"It speaks?" The golem's stone brows lifted in amazement. "And it asks for my assistance?"

"Y-yes…" Everil frowned at the way it was referring to her. "We need you to fight with us against the Blight."

"The rod allows it to command me. Surely it knew asking in such a way was not necessary." It placed its hand on its chin, giving her the closest expression of puzzlement it could muster. "Wait a moment… Something doesn't feel quite right here. I ask that it command me to perform an action using the rod."

"All right... I command you to walk over there." She awkwardly waved the rod to the side.

Shale gasped in surprise. "Nothing... No compelling feeling to obey."

Alistair stepped up next to her. "I don't like this..."

Everil gave him a quick glance, then spoke sternly to the golem. "Why is the rod not working?"

It shrugged. "Perhaps it's broken? Regardless, it seems I am free to make my own decisions now. And what an odd thing to say that is..."

Everil folded her arms. "So what does that mean? What will you do now?"

"I… I honestly don't know. I don't remember anything from my past or what I used to do before that pathetic little mage took control of me. So I suppose I have no plans for myself now." It tilted its head. "It said it wanted help defeating the darkspawn. I will help it, at least until I find a new purpose for myself."

She opened her mouth to talk, but Alistair spoke up first."Erm… Could you hold a moment, please?" He lifted an index finger to the golem and without waiting for a response, gently took Everil by the wrist. He led her to the side, seeking to keep the conversation just between them while the others in their group sent them curious stares.

"I know what you're about to do, and I don't think it's a good idea," he spoke under his breath. "The rod is supposed to be a means to protect yourself. If we take it with us, we'd be walking around with an unshackled golem, instead."

"Come on, Alistair," Everil chuckled, folding her arms. "Can you imagine the number of darkspawn Shale could take out at once?"

"Oh, I can. But I can also imagine how many of us it could kill if it turns on us. You heard Matthias. It murdered its prior owner. So what's to keep it from trying to do the same thing to us later?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "I think the gain is worth the risk. We could use another heavy hitter. Besides, we don't know if Willhem deserved what he got. He did have a reputation."

"That may be true…" He reached up to rub the back of his neck, shaking his head. "But it's still too dangerous."

"Don't worry so much." She grinned and playfully winked at him. "Just trust me."

"You know I always do…" Alistair couldn't help but smile hopelessly as he watched her spin around and head back to the group. In the end, she had proven to be a better judge of character than he. He had been adamant about having some of their companions around, seeing them as crazy or unworthy of trust.

A witch of the wilds with little to no social skills.

A former nun who could kill any man from the shadows, while reciting the Chant of Light.

An assassin who once tried to claim their lives, but was now willing to give up his for hers.

The sage mage who kept them all in line with her motherly words while healing their wounds.

A qunari who spoke little, constantly looking down on everyone, yet was as loyal as any soldier.

And then there was him. A broken man whose past turned him into a giant ball of insecurities, which she's had to slowly help him overcome.

They all had their faults, but each of them followed her without question.

From a distance, he observed her interaction with Shale, watching as she reached out for a handshake. Her small hand disappeared into the golem's much bigger one, one strong enough to crush hers into a paste. But while the thought made him slightly nervous, he felt a tug at the corner of his lips. If she had managed to keep their band of misfits working together this far, then perhaps there really was nothing to worry about.