Chapter 21: The Stone Prisoner part 2
Alim drove his sword through the center of the dust wraith; it exploded with a high pitched shriek, covering the party in a fine coat of dust.
"Shit," Alim sneezed, he hated dust, he hated stupid underground labs filled with shades and dust wraiths, but more importantly.
He really, really hated the mage Wilhelm.
STUPID, STUPID BASTARD!
If the stupid bastard was not dead already, Alim would have done the deed himself.
The man had won his freedom during the Orlesian wars, and what did he do with it? He started dabbling in demonology; if the Templars had found out they would have slaughtered him first and asked questions never!
And that would have been the end of the concept of a free mage in Ferelden.
Whatever happened here, Alim was determined to destroy all reference to Wilhelm's work; the chantry did not need any more ammunition to oppress the mages.
They had enough of that already.
"Lovely," Morrigan snorted wiping at the dust that covered her pale skin, "Tis a fool's errand we are on warden! The girl must surely be dead by now, or possessed!"
Alim hated to admit it, but it was likely that Morrigan was right. Given the number of demons they had encountered down here, low level though they may be, anyone of them could have possessed the girl and tried to flee.
Still…if they wanted the golem they had to push on!
Leliana was bent over the next doorway, she saw so no sign of traps, but that did not mean that the mage had not left some kind of magical ones, ones that her skills could not detect.
"No physical traps Alim," she called out.
"Thank you sister," the elf said, he reached out with his mind, he felt another magical barrier, not as strong as the one that had kept the darkspawn out, but from what he could tell, this one was not designed to keep others out, it had been conjured to keep something in.
Alim frowned.
Wilhelm's journal had spoken of a demon he had been experimenting on, a powerful one. The mage had been confident that his powers could contain the creature, perhaps too confident.
Wilhelm's writing suggested that they were dealing with one of the higher level demons, which meant it was likely a sloth, desire, or pride demon.
Any of those could be dangerous; Alim had personally encountered a pride demon during his harrowing.
It was an experience he was not looking to repeat anytime soon.
I hope you're up on your Templar abilities Ali," he said to his fellow warden, "Depending on what kind of demon is in this room you might have to step up and make sure it doesn't try to enthrall any of us."
"I will do my best Lim," Alistair replied.
"Then we are all doomed," Morrigan said dryly.
Alistair glared at her.
"Tell me Morrigan," the former Templar said frowning, "Do you enjoy being a bitch, or do you just not know how to be nice?"
The witch smirked.
"I can be nice when I desire to, sadly desiring to be more intelligent does not make it so, as you well know."
Alistair's glare darkened.
Alim rolled his eyes.
"I don't mean to interrupt the lover's spat, but can we get back to killing the demon," the elf said coldly.
"L…Lover's spat," Alistair gulped his eyes wide.
Morrigan glared at the elf.
"What a repulsive thought warden," the witch actually sounded hurt, "I would sooner die than let that Templar twit touch me!"
"Good to know," Alim said blandly, "Leliana I sense no magical traps beyond the barrier, are you sure there are no physical ones?"
"It looks clear Alim," the sister shrugged, "but If there is truly a demon in there…"
"There is," Alim informed her.
"Then Maker help us all," Leliana said whispering a quick prayer.
"Don't listen to anything it offers," he told the others, "WE find the girl, and we get out of here. Everyone got that?"
His companions nodded as one.
The elf nodded.
"Well then…let's go see what kind of demon that fool Wilhelm summoned shall we?"
Alim passed through the barrier followed closely by the others.
Hopefully there was still something left of the girl to save.
Hopefully.
IOI
As it turned out, it was not an easy thing rescuing Imalia, Mathias's daughter.
The girl had become enthralled by a desire demon. The creature had disguised itself as a cat and lured the girl in.
Both Alistair and Alim could sense the magic that swelled around the so called 'Kitty.'
Kitty wanted them to release the barriers that held it there, and she also wanted the girl.
Leliana had been afraid that Alim would let the creature have her if it meant getting the golem. Alistair had wanted to kill the creature, but couldn't the girl was already bonding with it. Any attempt to attack it would force the demon to bond with the girl, destroying her in the process.
The sister feared that however this ended it would mean the end of the little girl.
Alim had other plans.
He offered to release the barriers, but demanded that the demon leave the girl, and not return.
Kitty was hesitant, but the chance to escape its prison after almost two decades was too hard to resist.
She agreed to their terms.
Alim examined the panels on the floor that made up the restraint glyph. By sliding them around in their slots it was possible to redirect the magic. The demon could not do it, Wilhelm had been smart enough to ward it against the demon's touch, and the little girl did not have the patience to understand and unlock the power herself.
Leliana did not like the idea of releasing a desire demon on the unsuspecting world, but if the girl was safe, that gave them some options they could work with. Once she was out of danger they could do what needed to be done.
Alim solved the glyph, causing the magic barriers to collapse.
The demon purred happily, after being caged for so many decades, it was joyous to finally be set free.
That did not stop it from trying to break its promise and seize the girl however.
Alim had prepared for that, he knew a few of the circle's wards for defending young children from demons, wards that prevented a demon from gaining a foothold in a child's mind. They made the girl's emotions no longer an easy road for the creature to enslave her.
She would be shielded from its glamours, and sense the true danger she was in.
He had been murmuring the enchantment for those wards ever since he agreed to help kitty escape her prison.
By the time that demon tried to betray them and seize the girl she was fully shielded from its magic.
The girl screamed, shouting that she would not let the creature inside her!
The demon was furious!
It transformed.
IOI
"Get behind me!" Leliana shouted to the girl.
The desire demon appeared as a beautiful violet skinned woman with horns, a tail, and razor claws. Its voice was wild with fury!
"SHE IS MINE!" it howled.
Leliana put an arrow in the creatures shoulder.
The demon hissed; it raised its hands, dead bodies that Wilhelm had been experimenting with rose.
They tried to attack the wardens and their allies.
Alistair smited Kitty, while Alim and Morrigan used flame and chain lightning on the walking corpses, after fighting the foul things in the Brecilian Forests, they were quite familiar with dispatching such creatures.
Alistair's Templar training protected him from the demon's glamours. The former Templar pressed the attack, his blade slicing the beast in the side, demonic blood gushed from the wound.
It lashed out with fel magics, magics that struck Morrigan. The witch wailed as the creature tried to drain her life force.
Alistair roared in fury, he purged the demon of its mana, bashed it with his shield and seized it by the throat when it tried to rise.
Kitty struggled in his powerful grip; she tried to summon her corpses, but was too late.
Alistair wrenched the demon's head to the side.
Its neck broke with a loud wet snap.
Kitty crumbled to dust before their eyes.
Despite his arguments with the witch, Alistair did not want to see her harmed.
HE had not been there to save Duncan.
He would not make that mistake again.
The former Templar cleansed the witch of the demon's enchantment. Alim came to their side, he used a quick rejuvenation spell, and it would restore some of what the demon had stolen from Morrigan.
The rest would be up to her.
Imalia sobbed in Leliana's arms, the sister did her best to comfort the girl.
Alim came up to her; she stared at him with the huge sobby eyes.
The elf managed a weak smile.
"Let us get you back to your father," he offered.
The little girl hugged the elf, he reluctantly returned it.
He really wasn't one of those huggy people.
IOI
Matthias was overjoyed when they returned; he pulled his daughter into a tight hug, thanking the wardens profusely.
Alim gave the man a curt nod.
He asked Alistair to carry Morrigan outside. He also suggested that Leliana take Imalia for a moment.
He needed to speak with her father in private.
The sister nodded, she convinced the girl to go with her.
Imalia smiled shyly at Alim as she left the tower.
"Bye Mister Elf," she said with a wave.
Alim waved back, he was…happy to have been able to aid the girl.
But he still needed the code phrase.
And Matthias needed to be warned about his daughter.
Once the girl was out of earshot Alim turned to her Father, his eyes grim.
"Your daughter is a mage ser, I can sense it," he informed him.
"That is not possible," Matthias said with a nervous chuckle, "I'm no mage."
"But your Father was," Alim reminded him, "It sometimes skips a generation. That was how your daughter managed to breach your father's defenses. She has magic, which means you have a problem. As soon as a Templar gets within range of her, he will sense it too, ad your daughter will be off to the circle."
"They can't do that," the man said defiantly, "My Father was a free mage…they cannot…"
"They can and they will because she is untrained and without a master. I'm not trying to scare you ser, I'm trying to warn you. The safety your father enjoyed does not extend to his granddaughter. If the Templars hear of what happened down there they will consider the girl too weak for training. They will make her tranquil. I'm truly sorry."
Matthias looked like he was ready to burst into tears.
"What can I do warden? My little girl…my butterfly…I can't let her go!"
Alim gave the man a sad look; the look on the man's face reminded him of his own mother's so long ago.
The elf sighed.
"Get out of Ferelden, see if you can track down the independent mage's collective. They have representatives in most major cities in Thedas."
"But they will take her away too!" the man's voice cracked.
"But they will give her back, she…your daughter needs to be trained Matthias. The only other option is the circle. These are your only options. As I said…I'm sorry."
The man looked like he was going to collapse.
"My Imalia," he sobbed, "My sweet little Butterfly."
Alim shifted uncomfortably, this felt a little too familiar for his liking.
Finally the man nodded, he would do as the warden suggested.
His daughter needed to be trained.
The man nodded.
'Good man," the elf responded with a supportive squeeze to the man's shoulder, "Now I must ask you to fulfill your promise. I need the golem's code phrase."
Matthias nodded.
If the warden could control Shale, he was welcome to it!
Matthias wanted nothing more to do with it.
IOI
"PUT ME DOWN TEMPLAR TWIT!"
Alim smirked as he emerged from the tower; it seemed that Morrigan was awake.
The witch sprang from Alistair's arms; she had blood in her amber eyes!
The former Templar backed up nervously.
"AH…Lim…HELP!"
"He saved your life again Morrigan," the elf informed her, "And he killed the demon. You are in his debt I think."
The witch glared at Alistair. For a moment Alim feared that she might attack him anyway.
The fury faded, but it was replaced by a cold glare!
"Thank you fool," she spat, "take your life as a reward!"
The witch stalked off angrily.
Zev chuckled from where he was standing.
"Ah…that is our Morrigan for you," the assassin chuckled, "A gentle and yielding flower."
"SILENCE ELF!" the witch hissed.
Zev fell silent, a knowing smile on his lips.
Alim advanced towards deactivated golem, he raised the control rod.
Here goes nothing, he thought.
"Dulan Harn," he said clearly.
The glyphs on the golem's skin began to glow, the crystals in its fists and shoulders flickered.
The stone head twitched.
The golem stretched like a man asleep far too long, its stone joints creaked after its long slumber.
It turned to glowing blue eyes on the elf. Alim stood a little straighter.
The golem sighed.
"I knew someone would find the control rod," its tinny voice was sarcastic, its stance suggested annoyance.
"And it is another mage, how wonderful," the golem grumbled, "Yes…it is a mage, yes it is, but smaller this time. Downright tiny to be honest.
Alim's eyes narrowed, his ears twitched with annoyance.
"Hello to you to," he said sarcastically.
"I suppose I should be grateful to it," the golem snorted, "I have stood in this spot and watched the pathetic villagers scurry around me for…I don't know how long, many, many years."
"Oh you poor dear," Leliana cooed, "that…that would be really, really boring."
"More than you know," the golem shook its head, "Tell me, did the darkspawn get all the villagers?"
"No," Alim confessed, "some escaped."
"Such a pity," the stone creature replied.
Alim was struck speechless, he…he had not expected….well…this.
The golem looked around; it seemed confused after its long inactivity.
The creature's eyes narrowed.
"Something is wrong," it murmured.
"That is putting it mildly," Alim responded.
"It has the control rod, I am awake so it must, but I…hurry give me an order…any order."
Alim grimaced.
"I don't like where this is going," the elf mumbled.
"Then order me to stop, or go away, anything…just please!"
"BE silent," Alim snapped.
The golem paused… and then…
"Nothing," it said, "I feel no compulsion to obey its command. The rod…it…it must be broken!"
Oh shit, Alim thought.
"So what happens now," Alistair asked it, "You go on a killing spree."
The golem snorted.
"Do not be a fool," It snapped.
Morrigan smiled, "I think I am starting to like you golem," she purred.
"And it has another mage with it, charming," the golem sighed, "I would never kill without reason, except maybe the birds. Those foul feathered creatures with their fouler droppings. I could crush them all!"
Alim tossed the rod aside, so much for having his own personal golem.
"It seems I have free will now," the golem mused, "But…what shall I do now?"
"What do you want to do my large stony friend?" Zevran asked it.
"I don't know, the golem shrugged, "After being trapped her for so long, I have no idea what the outside world is like anymore, no idea what things are like outside this village. I find myself at a loss."
Leliana felt sorry for the golem, she could imagine what it must be like, to have no purpose.
That had been her two years ago.
The golem turned to Alim.
"Why did it wake me? What did it intend to do with me?"
Alim smiled, this might work out after all.
"I am a grey warden," he informed it, "I need allies to help me stop the Blight. Will you stand with us?"
"It is referring to the darkspawn?" the golem asked.
Alim nodded.
"They are a menace that must be crushed true," the golem admitted, "Though not as evil as the birds. The damnable feathered fiends!"
Alistair suppressed a chuckle; the golem's bird obsession was interesting.
"I invite you to come with us," Alim said to the golem, "Your strength would be appreciated, and it is a purpose, is it not?"
The golem considered what he had said; it would be nice to have something to do, anything that was not standing in this square anymore.
The golem nodded.
"I shall accept its offer and follow it around then," the golem nodded, "I am called Shale by the way."
"Is that your name, or what you are made of?" Alim snickered.
Shale narrowed its eyes.
"Ha. Ha. It is so very funny; I think I forgot to laugh." The golem grumbled.
The elf laughed lightly, he recognized the need to take a step back.
No need to irritate their newest member.
"My apologies Shale," Alim said with a slight bow, "I am Alim of the Grey Wardens, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Shale paused.
Respect…from a mage?
Interesting.
"This will be interesting," the golem said quietly. Perhaps the short warden elf would not be as bad as it thought.
The wardens and their companions left Honnleath, Shale paused mid-stride, a village chicken that had survived the darkspawn attack pecked at the ground near the golem.
The ground shook, and there was a fatal bawk!
Alim turned; Shale was standing there, its huge hand covered in blood and feathers.
The golem shrugged.
Sighing, Alim hurried on.
It seems like they had added even more crazy to their little party.
The archdemon must be quaking in its lair; it had to be with such a formidable force opposing it.
Alim was just so thrilled.