CHAPTER 21

..x..

After preparing for their trip, the Grey Wardens and their chosen party made their way to the side of Orzammar still connected to the old darkspawn-infected tunnels. A long trail stretched towards the cave's ominous gaping maw, which stood apart from the rest of the city, like an old scar—dark and ever-present. A constant reminder of the dwarven people's defeat against the darkspawn and the loss of their once massive kingdom.

Those same creatures still threatened them, sometimes invading through the very road that once led to the territories of their ancestors. Guards remained near the cave in continuous rotation, looking out for any signs of another invasion. Two of those guards saw them approach and met them halfway.

"Grey Wardens," one greeted them, dipping his head.

Everil returned the gesture, then gazed past them. "So this is the entrance to the Deep Roads."

"It is." He glanced over his shoulder. "There has been no activity as of late, but we like to—as you lot say—'stand vigilant'."

Alistair smiled a little at this. "That's smart."

"I don't know if you're aware, but we seek to enter the Deep Roads, per Lord Harrowmont's orders," Everil told the dwarf.

"Aye," he responded with a fist to his chest. "You have leave to depart at any time. Just be careful in there, not that I have to tell you that."

"All right. Thank you." Everil turned to her party, but before she could give the order to resume their trek, a voice called to them from behind.

"Oi!"

They all spun to see another dwarf heading their way, armored and with a great axe on his back. "If you're going into the Deep Roads, I think you could use a sodded guide."

"Hey, it's you!" Alistair's brows shot up in surprise, earning a curious glance from Everil and Wynne.

"Good to see you again, Warden," Oghren said with a wide grin, stopping before the two of them and reaching for a handshake.

Alistair shook his hand firmly and then glanced at his fellow Warden. "Everil, this is Oghren. We met in the stands, at the Proving."

"A pleasure to meet you." She also shook his hand.

"Sodded great work at the Proving, lass! I hear you're the boss lady around here?"

"You could say that." With a half-smile, Everil crossed her arms. "So you say you know someone who can guide us?"

"Yup, I'm the one who can help you through the Deep Roads." He snickered, a glint in his eye. "But… it depends on if you're willing to scratch my back too."

"Is that so?" She tilted her head in amusement. "What is it you want, exactly?"

He placed a hand on his hip and rubbed his thick, red mustache. "Ever heard of Paragon Branka?"

"Yes. She's the reason Lord Harrowmont sent us here. He wants us to find her and bring her back to help decide who will be your next king."

"Well, I'll be damned… Guess it's my lucky day." Oghren huffed sarcastically with a scowl. "Only it took those sodded dusters two years to send someone to search for her..."

"Two years…" Alistair echoed, slightly stunned. "Harrowmont didn't mention that little detail."

Oghren gave a derisive snort. "Of course he wouldn't, it would've made him look bad. That's politicians for ya. Sneaky bastards… They were quick to presume her dead when she went missing, but now they need her help, so they want her back. A Paragon holds a big deal of influence, you see. So they're less trouble when they're dead." He gave her an unwavering stare. "I want to come with you and help find her. If you let me go, I'll tell you what she was looking for and give you the map she left me."

"A map?" Everil frowned quizzically. "Harrrowmont gave us one already."

"That one's gotta be old," he said gruffly and produced a folded piece of paper from his side pouch. "This one is the most complete map of the Deep Roads. The last one drafted by the Paragon herself during her expeditions. I've been meaning to go look for her, but one man venturing through those ruins alone is damn suicide. Why I figured you lot can help me."

"Heh... Well, that explains why you were so interested in us at the Proving..." Alistair said dryly.

"That's right." He smirked up at him, unashamed, before reverting brown eyes to Everil. "So what'll be, Warden?"

The Grey Wardens exchanged a glance, then she nodded to the dwarf, offering him a hand. "Very well. You're welcome to come along. Just make sure you behave yourself and follow our commands."

"I know the rules, boss lady." Oghren shook on it and handed her his bargaining chip. "Here you have it."

"Thanks." She smiled and regarded her companions. "Let's get going."

.x.x.x.x.

The Deep Roads were predictably dark, dead, and filled with ancient dwarven architecture. Dust and humidity filled their nostrils, accompanied by the faint scent of decaying flesh they often smelled on the darkspawn themselves. After a few miles of walking on an ancient highway without incident, they reached a crossroad called Caridin's Cross, which connected Orzammar with several thaigs—a term used for underground settlements built by the dwarves. Chiseled stone pillars lined the walls, covered in carvings depicting dwarven lore, while the street lay covered in layers of rock and dust.

They eventually ran into a pile of rubble that blocked their path, forcing them to use a detour through a narrow passage beside it. The map thankfully had the alternate route drawn over it, showing it would circle around the cave in and bring to the other side. Shale's massive footsteps echoed in the tunnel, drowning theirs along with the pitter-patter of trickling water. Everil led the way, as usual, a torch in one hand and her guard up. She listened for anything resembling the sinister voices when darkspawn came close. Felt for the pull of the taint when they gathered in large numbers. But while she and Alistair could detect them from afar, what made traveling through these dark, claustrophobic spaces even more unnerving, was that the darkspawn could detect them too.

"Impressive golem you have here," Oghren commented quietly, gazing up at Shale. "I didn't think these things existed anymore."

"How rude… It can speak to me directly," Shale retorted in annoyance.

"Oh, so you have a temper!" He let out a rough chuckle. "You almost sound like a woman."

Shale glared down at him. "That's because I am… female."

"Ooh… nice… Plump and powerful. Just the way I like 'em." Oghren gave her a flirtatious smirk, unaffected by the golems towering height when compared to his. "Nothing like being thrown around in the sack by a strong woman."

"Disgusting…" Shale's expression darkened further, her eyes glowing menacingly in the dark. "It surely must not have much luck with the females of its kind."

"Oh, I have had luck. If you were a dwarf I could show you why." He snickered mischievously, licking his lips. "But just as a quick reference… It's like sticking your stone fist through a bronto's arse."

"By Andraste… Another one," Alistair groaned as he tried to block out the mental pictures. For once, he could appreciate Sten's silence, for every other man they brought along had the subtlety of an ogre in every conversation.

"That is no way to speak to a lady, ser," Wynne chastised gently, her firm, motherly tone leaving no room for argument.

"Sorry..." Oghren grumbled, sending her an awkward sideward glance. He looked on at the two Wardens walking side by side ahead of them, wondering about why the female was leading. What little he knew of human society included the lesser status of their women, some even refusing to allow them to take part in their military. He hadn't heard of many female Grey Wardens either, despite the order's occasional visits when they neared the end of their lives. "So… how come you're the only two Wardens left?" he asked, curiosity getting the best of him. "I thought you lot were relevant."

Everil glanced over her shoulder. "We still are. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here doing the bidding of one of your lords."

"I get the point there. But that still doesn't explain the rest."

Alistair released a breath at having to repeat the story. "We're the only remaining Grey Wardens in Ferelden because the rest of us were killed."

"Killed…?" Oghren uttered in disbelief.

Anger painted Alistair's voice at the memories. "It was all thanks to a bloody bastard who betrayed us at the battle of Ostagar—which, by the way, was a great battle meant to stop the darkspawn from spreading north. Now, we're here, trying to end the Blight on our own because the Grey Wardens stationed elsewhere are too far away to help."

"There's a Blight?" Oghren gave their backs a surprised look. "That's why you're here?"

His question made the Wardens pause and send him incredulous stares. Alistair blinked at him. "You dwarves don't hear much from the surface, do you?"

Oghren let out a dry chuckle. "Nope. Can't say we give a rat's ass about it. Besides… a Blight just means we have darkspawn to kill, which is nothing new to us."

"So we've heard." He frowned, gazing down at him as they resumed walking. "But yes… That's why we're here. Seeking help from the dwarves in the war."

"Ah… Now I understand why you're both running errands for that Harrowmont."

"Yes… I suppose you can call it that," Everil muttered with a sigh. "At any rate… when are you going to tell us what Branka was searching for? What was so important that she risked going so deep into these ruins?"

Oghren hesitated for a moment before giving in to his promise. "She was searching for something called… The Anvil of the Void."

"The Anvil of the Void?" Everil repeated in puzzlement.

"A legendary artifact used by Paragon Caridin to create our golems during the First Blight. They say the Anvil still exists. In an ancient thaig that was taken over by the darkspawn."

"Wait…" Shale jumped in with piqued interest as they neared a corner. "Was that what was used to create me?"

"Obviously," Oghren answered. "Which means you're pretty old, lady. That thing's been missing for centuries. Branka wanted to build more golems. Said it would help protect the city from more darkspawn atta—"

The snap of several bowstrings reverberated from the darkness before them.

"Look out!" Alistair grabbed Everil and pulled her to him, causing her to drop the torch as he used his shield to protect them both from flying arrows. Shale moved in front of Wynne to shield her as Bjorn also took cover behind the golem. Oghren swung his axe to deflect the attacks, knocking them out of the air.

After the wave of arrows subsided, Everil withdrew just enough to gaze up at Alistair. But he wasn't looking at her, instead, his glare was set on the shadows. She followed his line of vision as the still-lit torch rolled over the ground, revealing a group of armed dwarves charging at them. "Kill the Wardens!" one cried out. "Don't let them through!"

Releasing his hold on her, Alistair took a step forward and engaged one of them, locking blades with him. She drew her weapons, running up to dodge an axe and slash another dwarf's throat.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Oghren shouted as he downed one.

"My guess is they're Prince Bhelen's men!" Everil shouted, sidestepping to evade a hit, then bringing her dagger around, stabbing its wielder on the nape. She pulled the blade out, blood spurting out of him as he fell.

Shale swooped down, taking out multiple enemies and sending their crushed bodies flying while Wynne froze several others. Oghren and Bjorn took the opportunity, shattering their bodies into a hundred pieces. Alistair deflected a sword with his shield, and slashed downward, stabbing through the dwarf's chest before kicking him off.

Once the battle was over, Everil surveyed the area, then gazed at her companions. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're well, and certainly grateful Shale was here," Wynne said, giving the golem a smile.

"My pleasure." Shale offered her a friendly nod. Despite her prior attitude towards them, she seemed to get along well with the old mage.

"All good here too," Oghren said, swinging his axe clean before putting it away at his back.

Letting out a breath, Alistair dropped onto a knee to wipe his sword on a body's gambeson. "I have the feeling that these idiots were looking for the Paragon too."

"I doubt we'll encounter more of them further in, but let's keep our eyes open regardless," Everil said as she sheathed her weapons.

They kept moving through the cave until they were back to the underground highway, where crumbling columns at each side held oil lamps for light. Everil put out their torch and strapped it to her hip for later use before leading again, gazing up and around the ruins. It was both impressive and sad how widespread the dwarves had once been before the darkspawn nearly wiped them out. She had to admire their resilience and stubbornness to keep traditions that were older than even Andrastian faith.

But through the quiet wonder, the evil voices whispered in her mind, a sign of what was to come.

"There are darkspawn ahead," she told her companions as they neared the other side of Caridin's Cross, the familiar pull of the taint tugging at her blood.

"A large group of them," Alistair added with a frown.

"Took long enough to run into those sodded things," Oghren grumbled, rolling his neck and shoulders. "Let's have at 'em."

They approached a corner and Everil motioned for them to press against the wall, low growls reaching their ears. She dropped on a knee and slowly stuck her head out to survey the battleground. A small fort blocked their way, protected by three ballistae aimed towards any incoming intruders.

"I'm surprised they haven't noticed we're here," Alistair whispered next to her, peeking from above her.

"I don't believe they're as smart in smaller numbers… They probably operate in a sort of hive mind," Everil whispered back. "We have to destroy the ballistae before we charge." She rose and addressed each of her companions. "Wynne, I want you to aim one of your strongest fire spells between the ballistae. I will take care of the genlocks operating them first and keep any others from replacing them while you cast. Shale, I want you to protect Wynne against any long-range weapons, as she will be defenseless while casting. Alistair, Oghren, and Bjorn will charge and help eliminate the rest."

Shale nodded. "Understood."

"Got it," said Wynne.

Drawing her bow, Everil once again moved closer to the edge of the wall and readied her weapon. She didn't have a clear shot to the genlocks, but all she needed was to take one out before they could all fire at once.

She inhaled a breath, then ran out of cover.

One of them spotted her first, but by the time it prepared to fire, she'd already shot an arrow. It hit it square in the forehead, downing it. The ones next to it released their spears, but she was one step ahead, rolling onto a knee as they flew over her. Everil shot again, killing the next one. Then another arrow got the third just before it could reload. "Now!" she cried out.

Wynne ran forth and summoned her magic, while Shale moved to stand beside her. Alistair, Oghren, and Bjorn rushed downhill to the incoming darkspawn, killing several of them as they came. Preparing her bow again, Everil climbed onto a boulder for higher ground, raining arrows over any enemies attempting to reclaim their heavy weapons. One of them pulled a bow of its own, trying to shoot back at her, only for her hound to tackle and maul it to death.

Tapping deep into her mana, Wynne called upon a whirlwind of flames, enveloping all ballistae. She moved her arms, twisting and molding the fire as it grew hotter and hotter. They turned to ash, while also incinerating any darkspawn within range.

Moments later the creatures lay dead, burnt bodies and severed limbs bleeding over the road. With a huff, Everil hopped off her perch and put away her bow. "That went well. Good work."

Oghren grinned wickedly. "There'll be more soon, I'm sure..."

"And we'll be ready for them," she replied before pulling the map from her bag, unrolling it to look at their location. "This path leads to one of the thaigs… Ortan Thaig."

"That's where Branka took her whole House on the expedition," Oghren said as he wiped darkspawn blood off his beard, a hint of longing flashing over his eyes. "With luck, that's where we'll find her…"

Everil cast him a curious glance. "You speak as if you two were close."

"She was my wife," he grunted, producing a flask from his waist pouch and taking a long swig. He belched. "Things didn't work out."

"Oh, I wonder why…?" Shale uttered in mild amusement.

He shrugged, brushing off the golem's words. "At any rate, we should keep moving before more of these sodded things come to check on their buddies."

Everil gave him a firm nod. "Agreed. Let's go."

.x.x.x.x.

Their feet ground over small rocks and dirt as they trekked through another dark tunnel. Gone were the oil lamps that once illuminated their path. Now everything left were the shadows Everil's torch created as they moved past crumbled columns and boulders. The path twisted and turned, empty and as icy as death's fingers. None of them dared speak for a while, hesitant to draw any attention to themselves.

They were nearing Ortan Thaig, one of the old settlements once built by dwarves in ancient days before the First Blight.

After what felt like hours, they finally saw a light at the end of their path. A strange, blue hue that didn't seem natural. They neared the exit with caution in their step, trying to see past the darkness until they emerged into what appeared to be a massive chamber with dwarven buildings. The blue glow became brighter, originating from spectral blue flames on ancient hearths that cast ominous shadows over the ruins.

There was a shaky breath as Wynne shuddered, her voice coming as nearly a whisper. "It feels… as if there's magic in this place..."

"How?" Oghren muttered beside her. "We dwarves don't have those gifts of yours…"

"No… this feels different… Cold. Like at the Circle of Magi when blood mages tore the veil to the Fade."

"Well… there was a lot of death here when the First Blight hit," Alistair said as they wandered into the desolate roads. "Doesn't the veil get weaker when too many souls press against it? Maybe that's where these blue fires are coming from..."

"I don't think that's it…" she sighed and shook her head. "Dwarves have no connection to the Fade… They can't dream. That's why they can't use magic and why they won't cross the veil."

"We return to the Stone when we die," Oghren added. "Our souls don't go into some magical land, like the lot of you. That feeling you're having's probably some lingering darkspawn curse or something... I'm even getting the chills right now."

They passed deserted stone houses as they went, dwarven statues posted in every corner, holding hammers and other tools of their trade. After trekking for another mile or so, they crossed over a long bridge that extended through a wide chasm, connecting another part of the thaig into what appeared to have been a town square. Skeletons lay in the dust where they walked, some still wearing pieces of armor or scraps of clothing. Forgotten remnants of those who used to live there before the darkspawn massacred everyone therein.

Everil's heart twisted uncomfortably at the scenery, her lips pressed into a tense line. A sobering realization dawned on her. This is what Ferelden will look like if we fail… Maker, we can't—

Whispers invaded her mind, cutting her contemplation short and causing her to whip her head in the taint's direction. The sound of running steps tore through the eerie quiet, joined by the growls and the familiar stench of the darkspawn. "They're coming!" Everil alerted her party, dropping her torch and drawing her sword.

A large group of hurlocks and genlocks stormed the square, one of them wielding a staff. They clashed with them, quickly surrounding them and cutting off any escape routes.

Oghren roared as he blocked and shoved off two enemies, swinging his massive axe again to slice open their middles. With a groan, Shale raised both her arms and slammed, crushing three darkspawn under her massive fists. Meanwhile, Wynne stood by the stone giant, flinging bolts of electricity towards a few others and shocking them fried.

One, two, three more fell as Everil weaved her way through three hurlocks, stopping to block a mace from a fourth. She parried and sliced its throat with her dagger, then spun about, flinging it at a fifth at her rear. Her hound then tackled a genlock, biting its face and crushing a corner of its skull under his powerful jaws.

With gritted teeth, Alistair knocked away the swing from a hurlock's blade and thrust, piercing its chest. Then came another, trying to get him from behind. The Warden whirled around with his blade flying in an arch, slashing open its neck. And then the spark of magic had his head snap towards the genlock with the staff. The darkspawn unleashed a stream of fire that scorched everything in its path, aimed directly at the party.

Shale stomped to it, standing in its way and using her immortal body to shield the others behind her. Arms crossed over her face, she blocked the flames until the genlock spent its spell. "Vermin…" she growled, her body glowing red where the attack had hit.

With eyes focused on his new target, Alistair ran around the golem and charged. The genlock cackled as he came. It attempted to summon another spell, but it stalled midway as if blocked by some unseen force. It took a step back, confused and surprised.

"No more magic for you!" taunted the Warden as he closed the distance, sword swinging and slicing its head clean off. Blood gushed out from the stump of a neck as the creature crumbled in a heap on the ground.

Silence returned once the battle was over. Blowing out a breath, Everil stepped up and retrieved her dagger from the hurlock's corpse, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. She glanced over the others, seeing them soiled with blood and dirt, but unharmed. "We should keep moving," she said, motioning for them to follow. Keeping quiet, they tiptoed through rubble and over more old remains, heading north of the ruins.

More emptiness greeted them when they exited the residential part of the thaig, walking out into another chamber, this one wide open. Only a sliver of sunshine peeked from the ceiling, giving the place just enough light to see.

"Are you sure Bianka and her House were coming here?" Everil asked Oghren as they walked.

"Aye…" he huffed, his face scrunched up. "Unless they moved on... "

"The map doesn't say where to go from here…" she said with a knitted brow.

Something shifting nearby made them halt and reach for their weapons, but whatever it was, scurried away before they could take a better look.

"Did you see that?" Wynne whispered, edging closer to her.

"I did..." replied Everil.

They neared the spot where they'd seen the movement, noticing the massive silk webs clinging to their surroundings. Everil gulped, recalling their visit to the elven temple and her encounter with its spiders.

Their stares went to the ground, where a dead genlock lay over a pool of its own blood, the nerves still twitching.

"I don't think we were the ones who killed this one…" Everil uttered uncomfortably, kneeling over it to inspect it. Small bite marks riddled its flesh while spiderweb partially wrapped its limbs as if it had been dug out from one of the cocoons on the walls.

"Mine!"

Everil's head snapped towards the angry voice as she instinctively swatted at an object thrown at her. The piece of metal clattered over the ground and away from her, while her aggressor stood a distance to the side. It was a dwarf whose clothes were in tatters and whose face was as pale as ash. And she didn't yet know why, but he looked more dead than alive.

Seeing he was unarmed, she raised a hand to keep her companions from attacking. "Who are you?" was her stern question as she pushed herself to her feet.

He shrunk away at her tone, fear etched over his pasty features as he gazed up at her through pitch-black eyes. "Please don't be angry, pretty lady... Ruck is sorry!" he pleaded, dirty hands frantically wiping dark blood from his mouth. "Ruck is just hungry!"

"Wait…" Alistair took a step and gave him a disturbed look. "Was he eating that darkspawn corpse just now?"

"Ruck, huh? I've heard that name before," Oghren said, unaffected by the gruesome scene. "Some kid who disappeared in the Deep Roads years ago. Not much food down here, so the poor sod's probably been eating these monsters to survive."

"Darkspawn blood is poisonous… I'm surprised he's even still alive..." Alistair muttered, his nose still curled in disgust.

Oghren huffed. "He's not the first dwarf to end up like this, either. My people call them ghouls—the living dead. Every once in a while one of them makes their way back to Orzammar. They rarely live this long."

"Ruck is your name then," Everil spoke to the boy, her words much softer after hearing Oghren's story.

An eerie grin tugged at his chapped lips. "Ruck is Ruck's name, yes."

"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Everil." She offered him a slight smile in greeting. "My friends and I are looking for a group of dwarves who lost their way here. Have you seen them?"

"There…" He paused for a moment, scratching his blistered cheek while his eyes strayed as if distracted by something unseen. "There were once… but large creeper monsters carry them away. They takes things of paper and metal. They takes the shinies and the words."

"Creeper monsters… Spiders?"

"Spiders, yes. But Ruck steals things from thems sometimes, and from the ones that don't move—Oh!" Ruck suddenly hobbled towards her, walking as if hunchbacked. He extended his hand to her, speaking eagerly. "Pretty lady Ruck's guest now! Follow Ruck! Ruck find many treasures!"

She hesitated. "Treasures? From the dwarves we seek?"

He nodded, his smile never fading.

"He may have clues on where Branka and her people went," Oghren offered. She glanced at him with a nod before taking the ghoul's hand, letting him guide her towards a nearby cave. The others followed closely.

The warmth and light of a campfire welcomed them when the group entered, revealing a pile of shimmering stones and metals by a makeshift bed. Another stack of items lay in a corner, this one made up of weapons and armor. Potions sat neatly on a flat rock nearby, the polished glass beautifully reflecting the flames. They were all items he'd likely gathered from corpses in the thaig. Perhaps even from unfortunate victims the darkspawn had dragged underground.

Ruck released her hand and took a necklace from a stash of jewelry, presenting it to her. "Ruck think pretty lady look like this… Shining beautiful."

"You're being hit on by a dead man. Isn't that flattering?" Oghren teased with a sarcastic grin and an elbow to her hip.

After sending him a hopeless glance, Everil returned her gentle stare to the ailing dwarf. "Thank you, Ruck. That's very sweet of you. But do you know what I need more than shining stones? Paper from those people I told you about."

"Paper…" he muttered, tossing the piece of jewelry back into the pile as if it were trash. He scurried to a corner where books and scrolls lay, rummaging through them, muttering to himself. After a few moments, he returned to her with a scroll in his hand. "Ruck found this!"

She took it and opened it. "It's a map."

"Let me see it." Oghren snatched it from her. "This has Branka written all over it… It says they camped further in. We can follow this there."

"Perfect," Everil asserted with a nod, then gazed at Ruck. "Thank you, Ruck. You have been of great help."

But the ghoul didn't seem satisfied with her gratitude. "No!" With a growl, he ripped the map from Oghren's grasp, holding it to his chest. "Paper mine!"

Oghren glowered at him, going for his axe. "Give it back you sodded—"

"Wait." Everil placed a hand on her companion's shoulder, interrupting his angry outburst, earning a scowl. She brushed it off, coaxing their host. "I thought you wanted to give me the map, Ruck."

He shook his head. "No! Only show! My treasures!"

"Hmm…" She smiled a little. "How about we trade for it instead?"

"I don't get it," Oghren grumbled. "Why don't we just kill him and take everything? The bastard's dead anyway. Might as well put him out of his misery."

Everil shot him a glare. "We are not killing an innocent. This man's fate is his own, not ours to dictate."

"Hmph… Suit yourself." Oghren waved her off, spun around, and stubbornly crossed his arms.

"So what do you say?" She leaned over Ruck with hands on her knees, as if speaking to a child. "Would you like to trade with me? I can give you one of my treasures in exchange for yours."

Ruck visibly mauled over her proposal. "What… treasure?"

Alistair observed them as the dwarf's guard dropped under her gentle stare. She had incredible cunning, capable of efficiently disarming people by either staring them down or persuading them into doing what she wanted. But there was always kindness behind her intentions, even when threatening a foe into submission. After all, there was no need for bloodshed if you could sway your opponent into changing their ways. It was a trait of hers he both loved and admired. One he hoped to learn himself one day too.

"Let's see…" Everil reached into her pocket, producing a coin. "Would a silver do?"

"Silver…" His face scrunched up at her offering.

She blinked. A silver coin for a piece of paper was far beyond a good deal. "Then... what do you want in exchange?"

For a few seconds, he seemed pensive, his gaze shifting over her features. Then a grin spread over his mouth, showing teeth rotten with decay. "Pretty lady can have paper for a kiss..."

"A what?" Alistair blurted out before he could stop himself.

"All right…" Everil ignored him, her sights set on their goal. "Close your eyes," she instructed, at which Ruck nodded excitedly and did as he was told.

A subtle pang of jealousy and revulsion crawled its way into Alistair's chest as he watched her lean closer to the ghoul. But instead of the lips, Everil softly kissed his clammy brow.

"There." She chuckled, then extended her open hand. "May I have the map now, please?"

"Y-Yes…" Ruck numbly relinquished the scroll, staring at her as if entranced.

"Thanks." The Warden straightened and faced her companions, smirking at a job well done. "We have what we need now. Let's go."

.x.x.x.x.

With the map in one hand and the torch in the other, Everil led them into an area no longer lit by the blue flames from before. Spiderwebs covered every corner, glimmering under her flame as skeletons and half-decayed darkspawn hung from their wispy tendrils. An icy shiver ran down Everil's spine, pictures of those large, pulsating bodies and hairy legs making her shudder. Ugh… I hate those things…

"You know... you had me a little nervous with the dwarf back there," Alistair uttered in a hushed tone beside her, leaning close so only she could hear.

"Huh?" She knitted her eyebrows at him, at first not quite registering what he meant. Then she smiled and rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you were jealous of that poor man..."

"No…" He shamefully rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, a little… But not like that… I was nauseated and mostly annoyed that he'd even dare ask you for something like that. He'd just had a dead genlock for dinner, for Maker's sake."

"I just… I pitied him..." she sighed, gazing into the darkness stretching out in front of them. "He had this... haunted look while constantly staring off into space… As if he were listening to voices in his head. It made me wonder if he could hear the Archdemon, as we do. And if, in a way… we are just like him."

"No… We're not..." Alistair's eyes were downcast, suddenly feeling sorry for the dwarf. "We harness the power of the taint and use it against our enemies. Ruck is… yet another victim."

She drew in a breath and shook her head, her voice filled with uncertainty. "What bothers me the most is knowing that many on the surface are probably suffering the same fate as Ruck… Women… Children… Innocent people…"

"Everil…" Alistair gently stroked her back, trying his best to reassure her. "All we can do is try to help those we can… Remember?"

"Yes… Yes, I know..." She licked her lips, his calming gesture helping ease some of the tension. "I just hope we'll be able to do this and save more than are lost…"

Oghren observed the Grey Wardens as he and the others trailed behind them, curious as to why they were whispering to themselves. He gazed up to Wynne, who was walking next to him. "Something going on between those two?"

The old woman craned her head down, smirking lightly at the question. "You could say that..."

It didn't take long for them to reach the enormous room marked on the map. A tall ceiling rose over their heads, so high the torch's light couldn't reach. The scent of dust and rot saturated their noses, making their stomachs churn. Everil scanned their surroundings while raising the torch, and her heart raced at the sheer number of bodies stuck to the walls. Like decorations. Or morsels saved for later. I don't like this…

"I found something!"

They spun to Oghren, who had knelt over a dying campfire in the distance. Cautiously, the group headed towards him, trying not to step on the sticky webs on the ground. Cooking utensils and torn tents surrounded the dimming flames, but there were no traces of the owners.

Oghren leaned over one box, shifting through the pages of a book that had been left over it. His bushy eyebrows furrowed, determined eyes trying to make up the words. Everil held her torch above him, receiving a grateful nod from him before he read the text. "The Dead Trenches… That's where they went…" he read out loud, then grabbed a page and ripped it before handing it to her "Here, she drafted another map. It should lead us to it."

"Good..." she said, blowing up her bangs.

Bjorn let out a low growl, drawing their attention. He was facing the back of the chamber, baring his fangs as a thumping sound reached their ears. Everil narrowed her eyes and walked to stand beside her hound. "Wynne, give us more light," she commanded.

The mage summoned her flames, setting the spider webs covering the ground on fire. It spread, reaching into the dark shadows and revealing long, hairy legs, massive bodies, and hundreds of gleaming eyes that were currently creeping towards them. They spread apart, opening a path for a much more massive one. Great legs stomped past them, the creature's abdomen ten times bigger as it pulsed with unborn eggs. It stopped a distance from them, jagged mandibles spreading as its screech pierced through their ears like claws scratching glass.

"Ancestor's tits!" Oghren pulled out his axe, backing away at its overwhelming size.

Wynne lifted her hands, causing the flames to burst and burn the first row of spiders, stopping the rest in their tracks.

"Kill the small ones first!" Everil shouted as she charged, slicing through the first.

Bjorn tackled another, chewing up its body. The others also ran in, taking on the approaching numbers. Oghren sliced through one, then brought his axe down on another, scattering body parts everywhere. A spider shot out its web, enveloping his weapon and keeping him from swinging it as another pounced on him, knocking him onto his back. He brought up his armored arm, blocking its bite. "You sodded vermin!"

A dagger stabbed through its head as it let out a cry, then someone kicked it off him, allowing him to roll over and slice through the one still trying to steal his axe. He turned to Everil with a grateful grin. "Appreciate it."

She gave him a half-smile. "Thank me later."

Shale pummeled through several of them, crushing their bodies with her fists and splattering their remains upon the ground.

Despite killing many, more of the arachnids kept crawling, stepping over those they vanquished.

Then their mage cast another spell, covering the creatures in a sea of fire as they shrieked in agony. One of them broke through its burning brethren, stomping in her direction. Panting from mana exertion, Wynne swung her arm, sending an arch of fire upwards and onto the enemy. It cried out and fell on its back, its legs twitching as it shriveled up. Another tried to attack her from the side but met Alistair's sword instead. "Don't worry, I won't let them near you," he assured their mother figure, standing between her and the monsters.

She smiled wearily at him. "Thank you, Alistair…"

Everil stabbed one in the head as it tried to bury its fangs on her and then turned around to slash the legs of another. As she did, the larger spider tried to stomp down on her, forcing her to jump out of the way as its front limbs. It screeched and turned to her again, its abdomen pulsing before shooting its web at one of her legs.

"Blast it!" she bit out as she hit the ground. She rolled onto her back, struggling to cut off the sticky thing as the creature dragged her towards it.

With a roar, Oghren ran and brought his axe down on the web, cutting it and releasing her from its hold. "I got you, Warden!" He reached down and took her hand, helping her up.

"Thanks!" she said with a nod.

Alistair and Shale made their way towards them as Everil's eyes went up to the towering monster, her features etched with determination. "Let's take down the legs, then we can focus on the body."

As if knowing their plan, the spider charged at them, screeching angrily. The Grey Wardens went in first, crying out before splitting up in opposite directions to target the legs at each side. They slashed through one each, making the spider scream. Oghren ran between the legs, coming out from behind and cutting through one of the back limbs. With fewer arms to hold up its massive weight, it fell heavily, lifting ash and dust from the ground. Shale took the opportunity, stomping forth to bring her fists upon it, smashing it repeatedly and turning it into a pulp of green goo.

It let out a drowning cry and then lay dead, its guts spilling around it. Everil walked up to the golem, nodding up at her before taking in the damage they caused, the flames Wynne cast slowly dimming.

"All right!" Oghren kicked another creature, spreading more of its green juice. "How do you like that, you sodded freaks!" He gazed at his comrades, a wide grin on his soiled face. "I knew I made the right choice tagging along with you people."

"I'm pleased you think so. Though I wouldn't celebrate until we're back in Orzammar." Everil grimaced, wiping gore from her cheek before pulling out the third map Branka left behind. "So… our next destination is the Dead Trenches…"

Alistair put on a humorless smile, folding his arms. "What a cheerful name..."

"It was one of our best fortresses… We tried reclaiming it many times over the ages, but we lost it to the darkspawn each time," Oghren said as he walked up to them, gazing up at them. "I hear it's also where you Grey Wardens go during your err… last visit."

"Ah… right… Luckily we're not here for that... At least not yet," Alistair replied, an uncomfortable feeling settling over his chest. He'd forgotten the name of the place… and Duncan never had the chance to give them information about how to reach it.

Everil felt the same dread, but she tried to ignore it, letting a corner of her lips go up. She gave the map to the dwarf this time. He deserved the honors after helping them this far. "Take us there, Oghren."

He nodded. "You got it."