Chapter Twenty-Four: Dancing with Dragons
The Exalted Plains are growing on me. The rolling hills could be a bit more even, and with fewer rocks and boulders to trip the horses, but there is no doubt that it's beautiful. We follow the road through the burning ruins of what were obviously nice houses once. I sigh thinking about it; there has been so much death here.
"The Veil feels strange here, Solas," I prompt, glancing over at him.
"This place has seen many battles, some of them recent. Spirits push against the Veil in places where it is weak. I would not be surprised if we see demons in this area."
"I haven't seen any rifts, at least," I comment.
"Thank the Maker for small favors," Cassandra observes.
Sera snorts, "The Veil feels strange here," she says, in a mocking airy tone and I can't tell if she's making fun of me or Solas. I laugh anyway. Sera's antics are cute. It's nice to have someone around who isn't so serious all the time. Wait, did I just have the thought that I didn't want to be serious? Shit, my feelings are back.
"Seems like you're back to yourself, Ferox. 'Bout friggin' time. Stuffy Ferox is bor-ing," Sera says, finishing the end of her statement in a sing-song voice.
"Was I really that bad?" I ask, cringing.
"Bit mean, yeah?" she clarifies.
"Sorry." How many days has it been this time? Maybe I shouldn't have done that. No, it was better than burying Skyhold in snow from my sorrow. I test my emotional state and allow myself to remember. The walls of cold inside are gone now, but I feel surprisingly calm. Not the numbness from before, but not overwhelmed with anger and hurt either. Had Varric's words gotten through to me then, even in my emotionless state? Considering it, I realize I do believe what he said. And if he was telling the truth about Bianca...that means he wants to be with me. He said he was "serious" about me. I can't keep the grin off my face. Varric is serious about me. He missed me. Now having admitted I believe him, I can't wait to see him again. Please be safe, Varric. Oh, and Hawke, Declan, and Alistair too.
"So what was all that, anyway?" Sera asks.
"I-when something happens that I have a hard time dealing with, I sort of...seal my emotions away for a while. Blow them out like a candle."
She crinkled her nose.
"Weird mage shite, I know," I respond, anticipating her response. "But it wears off, and I'm back to being just me again."
She thinks for a moment. "Ohhhh, I get it. The dwarf was a twat and fucked it up."
I blink at her choice of words. "You could say that. Of course, it doesn't help that I overreacted without giving him a chance to explain. I guess I was a bit of a twat to him, too." I sigh.
"Hawke is right. The two of you make things way too complicated."
Cassandra interrupts. "What dwarf? Am I correct in assuming this has something to do with Varric?"
I blush, and Sera laughs. "Yeah, Ferox has the hots for 'im."
Solas gives me a strange look.
"Truly?" Cassandra blurts out, incredulous. "Varric?"
I must be completely red in the face by now. "Do we have to talk about this right now?" I choke out.
Sera continues, "He likes her back too, yeah, but he keeps putting his foot right in it. Seems to me he'd do better to put his-"
"Sera!" I shout, cutting her off. "It's hard enough without you picking on us."
"Oh, I'll bet it is. Hard enough," she giggles.
"Ugh," I groan, holding my head.
"Demons," Solas says.
"What?" I question.
"There are demons ahead."
Oh thank goodness. I don't know how much more talking about things I can handle.
I immediately dismount and grab my staff. I look to Cassandra, and see her doing the same, her sword and shield at the ready. I realize I've never fought with any of them before. I knew Solas's abilities a little from before, but we haven't seen each other in hundreds of years, things are bound to be different. Sera's bow is impressive-looking, and she holds it like she definitely knows what she's doing. I need to trust them. My heart gives a throb at the word, pain returning. It will be alright. I cast a barrier on the four of us as we run forward to meet the demons.
The first one I see is a rage demon. I'm glad. Cold is my element right now, and I have plenty to spare for this creature of fire. I feel the icy chill even in the warmer air in the Exalted Plains, and I store it inside me, closing my eyes. Control. I murmur a few words, unconsciously slipping into Draconic. "I call upon the ice and snow, to shield my friends and strike my foe…" Opening my eyes, I unleash the spell, specifying each of my three allies not to be harmed. A cloud of white bursts from my hands and staff, engulfing the area in a blizzard. Soon, the ground is covered in a white blanket of snow. Each of the demons is frozen in place, coated in a layer of frost, giving the appearance of a collection of bizarre statues.
Sera and Cassandra gape at me.
"They're frozen, shatter them already!" I order.
They snap out of it and begin attacking. I run up on my rage demon and smash my staff into it's face. It's not enough to shatter it completely, but it's really satisfying, anyway. I hit it again with Winter's Grasp, and it collapses into a thousand tiny pieces.
Looking around, I see that the others are facing a similar fate. Cassandra is a wonder with her shield, bashing it into demon after demon, following up with a swing of her sword, decimating them. Sera's arrows remove chunks of chilled flesh as they pass through her enemies.
I look to Solas. His expression is sad. I move to him, allowing the other two to finish the rest. "They are at peace again, Solas. They will go back and be reborn in the Fade, their purpose renewed."
He nods. I remember when we were young, and we'd spent time with the Elven pantheon. Well, with Fen'Harel and Mythal, at least. The others of the Evanuris were far less friendly. But Solas and I were once at least acquaintances, if not friends. He'd probably been closer with my brother Etiam, with their mutual love of spirits. It's been awhile since I thought of my middle brother.
"Etiam would have approved," I mention, remembering him.
"I believe you are right," Solas says. "I trust he is well?"
"Yes."
Cassandra and Sera turn to us.
"What kind of magic was that?" Cassandra asks. "When you cast, I expected to be hit by it, but it passed right by me."
"Selective casting," I answer shortly. "I excluded you from the spell."
"I cannot find words to describe it, but your magic...it feels different when you cast," she says, narrowing her eyes at me. "You're not like most mages. There is something different about you."
Ah yes, Cassandra is a Seeker of Truth. I'm not sure what her particular powers are, as they vary from Seeker to Seeker, but clearly she felt the difference between me and other mages.
"Of course I'm different; I'm Dragon Girl," I grin and laugh, attempting to play it off. "Let's keep going."
Cassandra just shakes her head. Sera still hasn't said anything, but keeps looking at me with a wary expression.
"Sera, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm good at magic, that's all," I tell her.
It's strange for Sera to be so quiet. I almost feel a little guilty, but letting go like that also felt really good. I haven't done that lately. Magic is life, and tapping into it again always reminds me why I love it.
Thankfully, our horses fared fine during the fight, and we're able to be back on the road within minutes. The Inquisition camp isn't hard to find. We reach the place in the road and the landmark is easy to see - a depression in the earth leading to a cave or tunnel. In front of the cave is a large statue of a wolf. I dismount as the cave entrance is too low to allow us to ride through while mounted. We're going to have to lead the horses inside.
I glance over at Solas, and step a little closer to him, turning back to gesture toward the lupine carving.
"Nice statue, huh? Good likeness you think?" I tease him.
He says nothing, but l think I see his lip twitch out of the corner of my eye. I chuckle quietly before leading Darkforge through the opening and into the space beyond into Ghilan'nain's Grove. It's even greener here, if that is possible. Maybe just a deeper shade of green. The Inquisition camp is visible when we step out of the opening. We don't bother riding, and just walk the short distance.
"Seeker," one of the two agents says. "We were told to expect you."
"Tell me about the situation," she instructs.
He answers, "It's a hellish place - a marsh - and you can't get anywhere without wading through at least knee-high muck. There are wyverns all over in there, too. And then the big one; she's tucked up in the northeast side, but you'll have to fight your way past the wyverns to get there."
"So what advice does Dragon Girl have to offer on wyverns?" Cassandra asks me.
"They're related, but not intelligent enough for what I do with the high dragons. They don't grow magic the way that dragons do, and they're venomous. The loss of such beasts is acceptable if necessary," I explain.
"We do have antivenom," the agent responds, handing us each a vial of the concoction.
"Good to know," Cassandra responds.
"We're going in there, then? The swampy place?" Sera asks.
"Definitely," I answer, already walking away, not waiting for Cassandra.
We enter another cavern on the far side of the clearing. Evidence that people had occupied this area long ago is strewn about: clay pots, and a few bones. No wyverns yet. We continue on through another natural clearing, and another short tunnel before it opens into the Crow Fens. The smell of damp and rot is heavy here, and the humidity settles on my skin. Perfect spot for a Gamordan Stormrider. Where are you, beauty?
We wind our way around various boulders, heading to the northeast as instructed. We pause, waiting for the area to be clear before proceeding. We're able to avoid the majority of the wyverns in this way, but between my and Solas's spells, Sera's wicked bow, and Cassandra's nearly perfect defense with her shield, the couple we encounter give us little trouble.
Rounding another boulder "island", I see the dragon, partially obscured through the mists rising from the various steaming pools around us. Look at the markings on those wings! She's more magnificent than I imagined. I take a moment to watch her.
She looks similar in coloring to the Northern Hunter, in tones of dark red and brown with white markings on her tail and wings. Large horns curve around her face, and the purple light of electricity sparks beneath her skin. Her wingspan is truly massive, probably the largest of any of her type I have seen. She could have easily left this area, but has chosen to stay. This means she's likely an older high dragon, nearing the Elder phase of her life cycle. Not many live this long. She might have chosen to remain because this area has been protected, and only recently was opened back up for humans to enter again.
"Well, Ferox, get your arse in there," Sera commands, pushing me from behind.
"Hey, give me a minute, I'm just appreciating how pretty she is. Gamordan Stormriders are my favorite. That's definitely a high dragon, maybe even close to Elder. She's been here a while. But look," I say, pulling Sera in close and pointing out the dragon's behavior. "See how her tail flicks? And the way she keeps her wings out and her head is swiveling back and forth? That's not hunting behavior, or play. She's angry about something, and on the defense."
"What's it take to piss off a dragon?" Sera wants to know.
"Not sure, but I'm not going to be able to use my usual means to get over there. She'll try to zap me and my barrier won't hold up that long under that kind of onslaught."
"So what, then?"
I think for a moment, and the first thing that comes to mind is Varric visiting my room before I left. I'd been numb in the coldness of my dark side, supposedly unfeeling. But he'd managed to surprise me a few times, getting a reaction out of me.
"I have to distract her," I say. "Her guard is up, but if she's thinking about something else, I might get her to talk to me."
Sera arched an eyebrow. "Wow...that actually sorta makes sense."
"Just watch." To the rest of them, I say, "Stay here. I may have to deflect attacks from her, and I don't want anyone ending up in the crossfire by mistake."
"The Inquisitor told me that you could do this, I will trust in his judgment," Cassandra states. In other words, you still don't think I can, but you won't stop me. Good enough.
"I assume you have a plan for handling the beast?" Solas asks.
"Yeah, I'm going to ask a pretty girl to dance with me," I answer with a wink and run into the clearing, keeping to the edges of the pools. I don't bother with the lightning curtain yet, as I need to distract her first.
There is no chance of not being spotted by the dragon; she's been on watch for a threat since before we arrived. She immediately screeches, an obvious ploy to try to threaten me and scare me away, but I don't scare that easily.
I leap from ridge to ridge, making my steps lighter, acrobatic. She rears up and readies a breath attack. Expecting the oncoming electrical blast, I create a barrier. A smaller, dense one, about the size of Cassandra's shield. The attack comes, and I angle my barrier shield and deflect it away from me. It crashes into the rocks, and causes chains of lightning to arc across the surface of the nearby water. I'm going to have to be careful. All this water means her reach is farther than I thought.
"That was rude, I just came to visit," I announce to her in Draconic. She doesn't seem to acknowledge my words.
I find a spot of higher ground atop a boulder and pause there, just in time for her to do what I had feared, using her breath attack to send bolts of electricity over the surface of the water. Had I been standing down there still, I would have been fried for sure. I can deflect her oncoming attack, but not the lingering effects of it happening all around me.
Holding my staff in front of me, I begin to twirl it. I spin, dipping low to the ground then stretching upward, reaching for the sky. I step outward on one foot, continuing my dance. I anticipate another blast, and deflect it again before returning to my graceful movements. I sway from one side to another, hearing the beat in my head. I don't dare hum or sing, as my singing voice is terrible, but the rhythm speaks for itself.
Time for her to attack again, but she doesn't. She's watching me now, curious. Good, watch me. I step from one side then spin to the other. She makes a similar movement with her wings. Is she just being heedful of me, or is she interested in the dance? I can't tell yet, so I continue, and I brave getting a little closer, back down to the water. I slam my staff down into the surface, a small spray of sparks erupting from it. I raise my hands, and use them in my movements as well.
It's the moment of truth; will she try to kill me again, or will she engage with me? She dips her head, swaying it back and forth, giving me all the answer I need. Time for the curtain. I pick my staff up again, and, spinning, create the electrical circle underneath me. I quickly grab the ribbon from the sky, and stretch the curtain closed around me, as before.
"Hello, you're a wonderful dancer," I greet her in Draconic. "Do you understand now that I mean you no harm?"
"You are human. Humans destroy everything."
"Sometimes, but they also build, and imagine wonderful things, like dancing."
"You do seem a little different."
"Yes, I am more like you. I too have the storm inside. My magic is the same as yours." I look her in the eye, the move practiced countless times now. She accepts my gaze, and I know I've got her.
"Why did you come here, if not to take this place from me?" she asks.
"I was asked to come and speak with you, to see if we can find a way to peacefully coexist. I could tell when I first saw you that you were angry, fearful about something. Is it the humans?"
"No...yes. I…"
I wait patiently. "Take your time."
"The wyverns killed my drake," she tells me. "I only had one, but we were about to nest here when the wyverns attacked."
"They killed your drake and ruined your nest? Have you laid your eggs yet?"
"No, but it will be any day now. There are so many of those things here, and they slink and hide in the water. And then the humans showed up, crowding their way into this space."
"I think I understand. The wyverns made this place unsafe, and then the humans showed up, and you saw them as a threat."
"Yes."
"What if we help? We could kill the wyverns for you, make it safer for you to nest. Would you leave the humans alone if we assist you?"
"Provided they do not attack first, I would agree to that, yes."
"I will take this to my team, but I feel certain they will understand. What should I call you?"
Sha makes a sound, but I shake my head, not comprehending. "I do not know the word for it in the human tongue," she states. "It is a word that means when one sings for another, as to their mate."
"Ballad?" I ask in the common tongue.
"No, that's not it."
"Serenade?"
"I believe that is the one, yes."
I walk back to the others. I smile at them.
Sera grins. "You...you got a dragon to dance!" she laughed. "Never in a million years did I think I'd see a dancing friggin' dragon."
"Not only that, I have an offer from her," I report with a grin.
"What did she say?" Cassandra asks.
"The reason she was so agitated is because of the wyverns. She's pregnant and about to lay her eggs, but the wyverns killed her only mate and ruined her nesting area. If we agree to kill the wyverns and leave this part of the Fens to her, she won't bother the humans."
"Kill the wyverns, and the dragon is peaceful, sounds simple enough," Cassandra admits begrudgingly.
"It buys us time, at least. There will be dragonlings all over the place soon, and more drakes will likely seek her out in hopes of mating, but those are problems for another day."
"Tell her we accept. Let's get to work," Cassandra states.