9:30 Wintermarch 19th
After we got Alistair out of his trap, and having Talen heal his leg, Leliana and I began our work of dismantling the traps. Mostly by throwing sticks and having the traps clamp on them. If that wasn't enough, we would spot one and then use my dagger to trigger it. After all the traps were out of our way, we traveled again. I took off my forearm guard and gave it to Derek who worked his magic on it. Somewhat. He couldn't get all the dents out.
"Whoever laid those traps did not consider the humans traveling through." Sten said.
"You can say that again." Talen scoffed. Alfred licked the arm that was caught by the wolf and I petted him to comfort him.
"At least no one got seriously hurt." Leliana said.
"Speak for yourself. Oooh, I'm never going to forget that." Alistair moaned limping around, remembering the pain.
"Well if you were observing your surroundings instead of bumbling around like a fool, you would not have gotten your leg caught." Morrigan smirked.
"True, I should have pushed you first and then watched my step." Alistair snapped back.
"Play nice children or you'll be meeting the end of my hammer." Derek threatened. I stopped myself from chuckling.
"Which hammer?" Talen chuckled.
"Ha, ha, very funny priss." Derek slapped his back.
"I swear I'm going to burn off that beard when you're sleeping." Talen grumbled, rubbing his back.
"I'd like to see you try!" Derek laughed. I shook my head lightly at their antics. I felt Oren grab my hand while he hummed a chantry hymn. Besides that wolf attack it felt normal. We kept close to the Lake and, by the time we set up camp again, the Tower was already in viewing distance. Talen stood next to me as I looked at it across the river.
"Never thought I'd be going back there so soon." Talen sighed.
"Did you like it there?" I wondered.
"The only thing I remember before the tower were my parents?" Talen's eyebrows furrowed as he remembered. "I think we lived in a farm but I was the youngest they ever had as an apprentice. I was only five when they put me in the tower. It was all I knew. For me it was fine but…I just realized that it's not perfect especially for my…well my ex-best friend." Talen scowled. "Either way, we'll need mages." Talen went back to the camp.
I sat down as Oren finished up the last of his food. I hope the mage tower would be able to have food even with it being nearly destroyed. We were running out. When they said grey wardens ate a lot, they did.
"Do you think the mages will come willingly?" Eren asked, sitting down next to me.
"As long as you have the treaties, I'm sure they will. Of course not everything will go smoothly. There are the Templars you'll have to talk to of course." I explained even when I already knew what we were going to be facing.
"There are bound to be bumps in the road. Well, it's best if we rest." Eren ruffled my hair. As sullen as he looked, I preferred the Eren that had a goal than the one with the empty eyes. We got our cots together after they got their night watch together and went to sleep.
9:30 Wintermarch ?
I'm not sure how long it's been. We got through the mess that was the Circle but with everything going on it's been hard to even write. I finally have some time now.
We traveled for another good day. I mostly kept to myself and Oren was asking Talen and Derek all sorts of questions. He tried to ask Sten but Sten was having none of it.
"He is so curious. It's so cute." Leliana giggled.
"He's experiencing everything for the first time. I know that his parents always took him out but traveling like this? Nope." I explained. Leliana nodded.
"Then he will learn how cruel life truly is." Morrigan piped in.
"He already knows. He nearly lost everyone at the castle." I said.
"Tis better to have known earlier than later." Morrigan said.
"Children aren't supposed to." I glared.
"And you would know this how?" Morrigan scoffed.
"I have…had children." I said quietly. "And I would have protected them as much as I could from the darkness until they were old enough to understand it."
"What happened?" Leliana asked. I looked at her and then looked at Oren.
"They're gone." I said and walked closer to the group. I didn't want to answer any more questions of my family. I would rejoin them I hoped. Our group didn't run into any resistance besides a bandit camp we were able to avoid. Derek and Talen were the only ones making small talk. Alfred would occasionally play with Oren but everyone was quiet.
We reached the mage tower as it got dark. The moons rose up and shined as both were full. The tower stretched on and on in the middle of Lack Calenhad. It was foreboding. Talen was the one who got to the pier first and there was a Templar instead of the regular boat hand.
"Hold. No one is allowed to go into the tower at this moment." He said. Talen gave him a questioning glance.
"What do you mean no one is allowed to go? I used to be a mage. Come on Carroll, you remember me right?" Talen crossed his arms in a confident posture.
"Oh yes, the little upstart. Of course I remember you. I should probably attribute what happened in the Circle because of your little dance with blood magic." Carroll glared.
"I didn't use blood magic! That was Jowan." Talen grumbled.
"It doesn't matter. Besides, didn't your little Grey Warden friend take you away? I'm not sure exactly why you should even be back here." Carroll huffed. Talen groaned.
"Yes I'm a Grey Warden and I have documents here that says mages need to help us during a blight." Talen described.
"Ah ha, documents eh? Well I have a document as well saying I'm the queen of Antiva." Carroll snapped back.
"Aren't queens supposed to be female?" Alistair chuckled.
"Don't question royalty. Anywho, off you go." Carroll tried to shoo us away.
"As much as I loved this back and forth conversation, I demand you take us to the Circle young man. I bet your superior won't like it that you got rid of us." Derek said, grabbing his very heavy hammer and letting it drop, not too gently, on the pier, both of his hands steadying it. For a dwarf, Derek was very intimidating. Carroll's face grew paler.
"Ah yes ser, that is true. I should probably ask Knight Commander Greagoir his opinion on the matter." Carroll cleared his throat. "Since there are so many of you. I will need to make two trips. Right this way sers." Carroll ushered in Talen, Eren, Oren, Derek, and Alfred.
"Works every time." Derek chuckled darkly, patting his hammer as he got into the boat. Carroll rowed away while I lightly chuckled at Derek's antics. It at least got us in.
"Kinloch Hold. There are stories surrounding this Tevinter tower." Leliana mentioned.
"If you are about to divulge this information while we wait until they get back, I suggest keeping it to yourself." Morrigan crossed her arms.
"There isn't anything else to do with our time. How about 'I spy?'" Alistair suggested.
"Pass." I said.
"This is the tower that they hold their mages? I commend them using the lake but it still needs fortifications." Sten huffed.
"Like a wall surrounding it?" I wondered.
"It would be preferred." Sten said.
"They have already corralled Chantry mages inside. There is not enough rebellion for them to stand up to their holders." Morrigan chuckled. Oh if only she knew then.
"It seems Carroll has come for us." Leliana mentioned as he rowed back. We all easily got into the bow. I still held on for dear life. I wasn't comfortable with ships or the like.
"Frightened?" Morrigan chuckled.
"Don't start rocking the boat and I'll be fine. It's all good." I cleared my throat as my fingers were already hurting.
"I won't let you drown…even if I wanted to." Carroll mumbled. Sten glared at him and he rowed faster. As soon as we hit ground, I got off and let out a sigh of relief at stability. Morrigan chuckled at my antics. We regrouped outside of the large double doors. I looked up and nearly strained my neck trying to see the top of the tower. At last, Carroll opened the doors for us and we all walked in.
He shut the door behind us and I was hit with the smell of blood, sweat, and despair. A huge amount of Templars were all waiting around. Cots and slabs were all strewn about on the floor with a few mumbling incoherently while the rest were injured and sleeping it off. It looked like the day after a mass disaster which would be the tower. Broken circle it is.
We found Greagoir talking to another Templar as we walked in. The circles under his eyes were extremely noticeable. It didn't look like he even bathed either. There was such a grand stress on top of him. Right behind him were another two double doors but they were sealed shut with a great wooden beam in front of it.
"Greagoir, why have you barred the doors?" Talen demanded.
"I specifically recall barring the doors was Templar action number two." Alistair mentioned.
"You? And here I thought you wanted nothing to do with the mage tower after your little fiasco." Greagoir talked down to Talen.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Jowan and blood magic, whatever. Now why have you barred the doors?" Talen glared. Greagoir rubbed his eyes.
"The tower is no longer safe. Abominations and demons stalk the halls. The mages are indisposed and that door is the only way they can get out. It is sealed shut for our safety and theirs." Greagoir explained. Talen glared at the double doors leading inside the mage tower.
"There has to be some mages left. This whole tower was filled to the brim with experienced Senior Enchanters, mages, apprentices! You can't let everyone in there die!" Talen pointed at the door.
"Enough! It does not matter what you say. We have already sent word to Denerim for the Rite of Annulment." Greagoir shouted. Talen's eyes grew wide and his lightly tanned face grew pale.
"This is why we cut off the tongues of the mages of Par Vollen." Sten mumbled behind me. Talen growled at him before directing his anger toward Greagoir.
"You can't do that! I won't let you kill everyone in there. Please, there has to be survivors. Let me in!" Talen pleaded.
"You would lose more than you would gain." Greagoir shook his head.
"Let me in. If I find other mages, then you have to stop the rite!" Talen put his foot down. I could see Greagoir mull over it and looked over our group.
"If you can bring forward First Enchanter Irving and if he assures me everything is safe, then I will deny the rite. Only, First Enchanter Irving." He emphasized. Talen's face grew brighter with determination.
"If you guys comes with me and if we can help the tower, then the mages can be conscripted to aid the Grey Wardens." Talen explained.
"I'm coming with, if the Templars can take care of Oren." I wondered. Greagoir nodded.
"We're with you priss." Derek said as he slapped Eren's back. Alfred barked.
"I can't let innocents die." Leliana nodded.
"Better to rid the world of abominations than let saarebas run wild." Sten added.
"Are we really going in to help these fools? They have allowed themselves to be collared and controlled. I say we should instead request the Templar's aid." Morrigan said.
"If your mother didn't find you, perhaps you would be in here than out there." Eren explained. Morrigan glared at him before biting her lip.
"Mother did always say that everything happened because they were meant to be. I have always wondered this. Do as you must." Morrigan huffed.
"And, as you know, I'm not leaving anywhere so let's wrap this up nicely with a bow, shall we?" Alistair chuckled. I left Oren to a not so tired female templar and knelt down.
"We're not going to be gone long ok? These Templars will protect you if something bad happens to you." I reassured him.
"Please don't die Nia." Oren begged with tears in his eyes. I hugged him close.
"I won't die and I'll protect your uncle. I promised your grandmother. Stay here and be a good boy ok?" I asked, pulling away. He nodded while wiping his tears. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before following the rest toward the heavy double doors. Eren laid his hand on my shoulder.
"He'll be fine." Eren nodded. I sighed before we all ushered into the mage tower. We didn't even take a few steps before finding a corpse. They had mage robes and their face was contorted with their last moments of pain. Talen led us into the apprentice quarters. In game, they never show us the nitty gritty. Maybe it was because they couldn't.
But I had to remember that this was real life to them and it was cruel. There were bodies of, not only adult mages but…children. Beds were overturned, vials were smashed, evidence of magic were all over the place. Ice, small fires, and unfinished glyphs peppered the ground and walls.
"Maker's breath…" Leliana gasped as we found a barricade with two dead teenagers, trying to protect children that were also dead. I felt the tears welling up in my eyes and wiped them quickly. This was madness.
"It looks like whatever happened here didn't discriminate." Derek said solemnly. Talen's teeth grinded as he scowled at everything. The wrinkles on his forehead grew deeper and deeper the more we saw the massacre of his once home. I heard him mumble names under his breath as we got closer to a bunk in which he looked at with sadness.
"This one was mine." He whispered. Talen then turned on his heel and got out of there. We all followed him as we walked through the hallway. Talen opened the door at the end of it. We heard a loud roar and ran in. A rage demon came through a shimmering barrier. In front of it was an old woman with none of the characteristics of a frail old woman. She left off a powerful cold spell that froze the rage demon. She grabbed her staff and whacked it. The splintered pieces were thrown about before a low guttural roar died out and the demon melted into the floor.
"Wynne!" Talen shouted in glee. We had a room filled with mostly children and very few teenaged apprentices. Wynne looked in surprise until she pointed her staff at us
"It's you. No, don't come any closer. Even if you were part of the circle, I will strike you where you stand until you explain why you are here." Wynne took a threatening stance.
"We're not here to hurt you. We're here to save the Circle." Talen showed his hands.
"Then I will take that for now. I'm sure you have already met Greagoir and his Templars." Wynne said, putting away her staff. Talen scowled.
"He explained that the mages are indisposed and that he called for the Rite of Annulment." Talen replied.
"Then he really does think we're all dead." Wynne sighed.
"What happened here? It looks as bad as…" Alistair trailed off. I knew he was going to say Ostagar.
"We had something of an uprising on our hands led by one of our Senior Enchanters, Uldred. After the loses we experienced at Ostagar, he came back a changed man. He tried to take over the circle although it didn't quite go the way he planned. Others tried to fight back but soon there were those who sided with him. I didn't sit on my laurels however. I worked with Petra and the other apprentices and we were able to save as many as we could." Wynne explained.
"Good thing dwarves can't be mages. I would hate for the deshyrs to find out about this." Derek mumbled.
"We still have a way to save the Circle. Greagoir is going to rescind his decision of the rite so long as we find Irving." Talen said. Wynne looked relieved at that.
"Then we have a goal. We must not waste time." Wynne stood up straight and went over to the small group of older apprentices.
"This is a mess. How can a mage do all of this?" Eren wondered.
"I bet all my coin to say it wasn't just him." Talen growled.
"Are you certain these saarebas can be trusted?" Sten asked.
"They're children. I don't think they can even fight against us even if they tried." Leliana defended them.
"You can never be too careful." Morrigan smirked.
"We're not killing children, period." My voice growing deeper. Morrigan scowled. After Wynne left the apprentices, she approached our group again.
"The children will be cared for. If you are ready, then it would be best to move on and quickly." Wynne nodded. Our group got closer to the barrier.
"I'm surprised you held it out for so long." Talen remarked.
"At times it made me weary but I had to hold on for the others." Wynne sighed before raising her hands up. "I am bringing the barrier down. Be on your guard." The blueish white energy of the barrier was dissolved and Derek was the first to go through, followed by Eren, Sten, and Alistair. I stayed in the middle with Alfred and Leliana. Talen, Morrigan, and Wynne made up the rear.
We passed by a few Templar corpses until we arrived at a door that would lead us into the libraries. Derek opened it and we were met with two abominations that were across a long table. Fear crept down my back as I realized that they had human faces but they had bulging sacks behind them. Their once pale human skin was turned into a mess of purples, blacks, and blues. Their mage robes hung from them as a mockery of what they once were.
They let out an inhuman howl as they charged at us. Derek flung one against the bookshelf. The other was knocked back by both Alistair and Eren. It got frozen by someone and Sten shattered it. The other got up and swung at me. I took a step back and got my daggers before it roared in my face and I hesitated for a second. An arrow went through its head and it fell to the ground.
"Well, that wasn't so-" Derek started before both of the abominations blew up. I shrieked in pain as my hands got burnt by the explosion. The only remnants of the monsters were slivers of their robes. I hissed in pain and dropped my daggers before I felt a cooling sensation. It felt like the healing energies of Talen only much more powerful. My burnt skin turned back into it's healthy pallor and only light tingling was left from the enormous pain.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked back and it was Wynne. She seemed to give me a once over with a worried expression before it hardened. She looked like a disappointed mother.
"Abominations of rage tend to explode after you kill them. I told you to be wary." Wynne said before letting me get my daggers. I touched my hair and realize that some of my points were singed. I made a disapproving sigh.
"And that's why you have these things to keep explosions from your face." Alistair chuckled while raising his shield.
"Careful or I'll accidentally miss my target the next time I throw my daggers." I glared.
"Heel missy." Derek laughed. Alfred barking with him. We walked through the destroyed library/practice rooms. Tables were turned over, books were scattered all about, vials were shattered on the floor alongside the corpses of Templars and mages. It was sad to see all of this death and destruction. I kept on watching Talen to gauge a reaction. Most of the time he would whisper under his breath but there were other times were his face would contort with a mixture of deep sadness and anger.
We found a few more abominations. Three of them launched themselves from a hallway of bookshelves. One grabbed onto Eren from behind and I plunged my knife in them. They still bled was what my first thought was. It growled and let go of Eren, only for him to stab through its body. Eren quickly flung the body away. The other two were taken care of by the others. Eren grabbed me and pressed me against the wall when the abomination exploded.
Eren was unharmed and let me go quickly. I clenched my daggers tighter as we silently made our way out of the practice hall and through another door. We were led into a circular room with the bookshelves surrounding what looked like a podium and a mini altar. Four twisted creatures and a flaming rage demon in dead center of them. It roared and they all rushed at us.
Our heavy hitters went first. Sten and Derek pushed the rage demon out of the way which gave Alistair, Eren, and Alfred a way in to fight against the others in the back. I sneaked away from the fight with the rage demon until I was right behind an abomination. I plunged both of my daggers into its back. It reared back and I quickly took out my weapons and pushed it forward into Alistair's awaiting blade.
Two locked onto me. There wasn't much room but a well-timed lighting spell paralyzed it for a second. I took my dagger and stabbed it through its eye. It fell and I raced away from it. I escaped the explosion only for Sten and Derek run into me to avoid a breath of fire from the rage demon.
"Hot! Hot!" Derek shouted as he lifted me up and carried me.
"Hey put me down!" I shouted as Derek jumped away as I saw the rage demon build up a small ball of fire.
"Fireball!" Alistair shouted before the rage demon was encased in a large icicle.
"Well do not just stand there and gawk, shatter it!" Morrigan shouted. Sten took her advice and did a great swing. The rage demon was in pieces while Derek put me down, avoiding the other blasts from the abominations.
"There we go missy, safe and sound!" Derek laughed.
"You were just running from the flames yourself…" I mumbled. After a few cold spells to put out the small fires in the bookshelves, we went up the stairs to the second floor. It got noticeably colder.
"Oooh is it a little chilly in here or is that me?" Alistair wondered. I noticed that it got darker as well and then we were stopped by a man from out of nowhere. Some of us slightly jumped. He had the symbol of the sun on his forehead. A tranquil.
"Please refrain from going into the stockroom. It is a mess and I have not had time to tidy up." He spoke in a monotone. There was no emotion on his face. It was creepy the way he stared with half lidded eyes.
"Andraste's ashes Owain, you scared us." Talen exhaled. "Besides, what are you still doing here?"
"I tried to leave and encountered a barrier. Finding no other way out, I retreated back to the stock room." Owain explained.
"Owain." Wynne gave a disapproving exhale. "You should have said something, I would have opened it for you."
"The stock room is familiar. I prefer to be here." Owain replied then I saw him emoting the best that he can. He looked down and he looked almost sad. "I would prefer not to die. I would prefer for the tower to go back the way it was." He had a far off look to his face. "Perhaps Niall will succeed and save of us."
"Enchanter Niall? What does he have to do with this?" Talen wondered.
"Yes." Owain nodded. "He came with a group of mages and asked for the Litany of Adralla."
"Shit!" Talen growled. The group looked confused.
"What's the Litany of Adralla?" Eren asked.
"The Litany of Adralla is a chant that was made to fight against blood magic." Wynne furrowed her brows. "Niall was at the meeting when Uldred took power. He would know what we were up against."
"I'm guessing blood magic is a bad thing." Derek stated.
"More than bad. Things just got worse. Owain, if you can or if you want to, go back downstairs. The barrier is down for the moment." Talen explained.
"Thank you and good bye." Owain nodded before going back to the stock room.
"The sooner we find Niall, the better." Talen said, taking charge and going ahead of the group.
"It would be best if we killed every mage in this tower. Blood magic can only ensnare their minds. It would be highly illogical to let them stand." Sten put his two cents in.
"I'm not about to kill every single mage we have left!" Talen countered before walking again.
"I would prefer to have the mages on our side even if they were few in number but…the chances are that most have already succumbed to the dark energy." Morrigan scowled.
"Don't say that! We must have hope that there are still a few that can be saved." Leliana said.
"Either way, we will not get our answers just standing around. Lead the way Talen." Eren said. We went out of the stockroom and heard voices past a see through gate. Three mages were gathered together near a few broken drawers.
"There is nothing here!"
"We need to get gold if we want to survive."
"Survive? Are you kidding me? Uldred is going to-"
"Uldred is not here now is he?!"
"Wait, I think I hear something."
Then a shade came through the wall and attacked them. They gave out screams of horror until Talen came by and scorched the shade down. Then they turned and launched spells at us. Wynne automatically gave us a barrier while Sten rammed his sword through the young boy mage. The other one used his dying breath and made himself more powerful. They made a shockwave that put some of us down. Derek was more resilient and smashed his hammer against the other one's ribcage.
All that was left was the girl. She swung her staff and focused on a small blizzard spell. Talen came forward while using his flames to keep himself warm. He knocked the staff out of her hands and shocked her. She fell down on her knees. Talen gritted his teeth.
"Why?" He growled harshly.
"Please…don't kill me Talen." She responded.
"Tell me why!" Talen screamed, nearly rushing her before Derek and Eren stopped him.
"Uldred had promised us our freedom. A place where we didn't have the Templars watching. We would have real lives." She responded as she laid on the ground.
"And you turned to blood magic? To letting demons possess your friends and family!? Look at what your stupidity has brought you! Look at the tower! The apprentices!" Talen's voice broke. He let out a shaky breath. "Nothing…nothing was worth this." He whispered harshly while glaring pure hatred at her.
"I thought out of all people you would understand." She snapped at him. "The Templars were always watching. We had to take the first step, force a change. The blood magic gave us…gave me the power to fight for what I believed in." She explained.
"You're a moron. The end never justify the means." Talen's voice was controlled rage.
"You would understand Wynne. It was just like how Andraste freed us from Tevinter." She looked at Wynne. Wynne slowly shook her head.
"Nothing you have done here is anything like Andraste." Wynne scowled. Talen let out a shuddering breath. He took one look at her before turning his back on her.
"Do what you want with her." Talen said, eerily calm. He walked past me as Sten reached for his sword.
"No, wait! Wait!" She screamed before Sten cut her down. I looked away as I felt bile rise up in my throat. I saw Talen lean heavily on the wall, clutching his staff. He nearly hugged it. His whole body was shaking.
I understood the silence in our group. From one massacre to another. From Highever to here. For Alistair and Derek, from Ostagar to here. We were watching this whole institution fall down from a man who thought himself better. Talen's entire life, his home, his friends, and family. It was all torn apart.
Talen got up from the wall, his eyes devoid of emotion. I looked at Leliana and she gave me a worried glance.
"There's no point in waiting here. Let's go." Talen said, walking as if the whole word fell on his shoulders. And there was nothing I could do for him.
Beta'd by the wonderful FearaNightmare.
Woo! Heavy chapter, much feels. Sorry I couldn't update on time. I was going to update yesterday but fireworks and family kept me. Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS CHIMERA SPYKE FOR BEING THE HUNDREDTH REVIEWER! You get one spoiler question for my INQUISITION story but ask wisely. If you ask a yes or no question, you will get a yes or no answer.
Shout out to exiles soul, AuhsojNala, and BrokenPainter528 for favoriting/reviewing my story!
Also I'm taking a 2 week break to breath and catch up. THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ON JULY 19TH! Stay safe everyone. Love you! Review! :D