HASB:I hope you've had a wonderful New Years as well.
N7 BOB:Thank you, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Chapter
For the next several days, Scout Harding prepared the troops. A lot of them fitted with what supplies we had as they were sent into the desert; learning what they could with those vast wastes and canyon passes.
Frankly the results were not good.
The Venatori would hide out in the caves, peppering travelers with guerrilla warfare to take what they could; our scouts managed what they could, plotting the way to the fortress. They were able to visually verify that the secret entrance with the well was intact, and a viable entry point.
Unfortunately, they discovered that the water had been polluted with something; making it undrinkable in its current form. Something of which they couldn't investigate further unless they went down the well.
The only thing we didn't know, was what Venatori forces stayed in the keep, and which resided in the desert. With that variable in mind, we started to plan.
While the Wardens planned with Scout Harding, I kept my time busy by building a makeshift water purifier and producing ice nonstop. Ensuring that what water supplies we had, didn't dwindle too much.
Then the day came, or rather evening.
Forces prepared, Bull leading the charge with Sera and Dorian; Loghain and Stroud leading the secondary assault.
Varric, Hawke and I, going down the well.
As the moon rose over the rolling sand, we moved quickly and quietly; ensuring we take the long way to the fortress, avoiding the canyons and other rock passes where the Venatori hid. A fight now, would be risking our element of surprise.
Hawke was leading our small group, wandering through the cold desert night. Staying low to the ground as we creeped across sand dunes, Varric having no concern due to his height, I just followed her lead as we pressed down. Looking at the fortress.
Griffin Wing Keep was built on a rock, overlooking the desert. It's walls stretching several stories tall, with a large gate positioned in the center. Along the walls, several beads of orange fire patrolled across the top, the light shining down onto the ground below.
"Where's the well?" I asked.
"Reports said it was about thirty feet from the southern wall," Hawke said. "Right…over…"
The woman stretched out her finger, tracing an invisible line from the wall before halting on a small object.
"There."
Varric groaned, "They're gonna see us…"
Hawke shrugged, "Pretty sure you and Bianca could sing well, like when we met Arishok."
"You mean when you, Isabella, and I fought against the bulk Quinari, as I gracefully nailed him with an arrow while you were swearing and sprinting."
"Not my fault Isabella took to taunts," she replied.
My eyes narrowed across the desert plain.
About…sixty feet between us and the well, an open plain.
I glanced down into the sand…
Wait…
"Oh imagine a land, its a faraway place…hmm hmm hmmm hm camels roam…"
Bending down, I gently scoop up sand. Tracing it over my hands, allowing it to just slide through my fingers.
"Dum dum dum..dum du du-"
"-Max what are you-"
"-its chaotic but hey, its home."
Taking my staff in my other hand, I traced it across the ground before lifting it up, the grains of sand clinging to .
"With the winds of the East, and the sun of the West, and the sand in the glass is right…"
I blew the sand out, gently guiding the staff forward.
A large gust of wind blew behind us, causing a large portion of sand to build up, flying directly towards the fortress, I continue to swirl the staff in a circular pattern as more and more sand built up.
Varric coughed, "…alright, that's brilliant."
"Alright that was…unexpected," Hawke stated.
I turned and gave a slight smile, "Let go."
Rising higher, I continued to whirl the staff as I slowly descended the dune. Varric following along with Hawke, they initially covered their face until they realized that the sand wasn't entering the small ten-foot bubble we were in.
Over the next fifteen minutes, we slowly approached the fortress. More and more sand building as I ensured a steady stream was flying towards the fortress, ensuring their vision is continually bombarded as we steadily made our way to the well.
When we did, Hawke peered down.
"The chain seems well taken care of," she said. "We could climb it down."
I nodded, still spinning the staff over my head, "Sounds good, start climbing."
Hawke immediately put her feet in, grabbing the chain and moving down, Varric swiftly following, until he was out of sight. After another five minutes, I swung my staff like a bat, aiming in the southern direction of the Fortress, away from us and our forces.
The sandstorm immediately started moving in that direction as I grabbed the chain and started down. Going hand over hand straight down this very narrow well, I had to adjust the tube my stave rests in. After about another five minutes, I decided to slide the remaining way down.
My boots splashed into the water, dropping the chain and nearly retching at the stench, "What-"
There was a crack as Hawke's staff lit up with green fire. Illuminating the small area we were standing in, the moss slick walls, the purplish water.
The sightless eyes and slit throats of countless bodies littering the ground glittered in the light, this time I actually did vomit into the water. A hand gently patted my leg as I heard Varric say, "It's alright."
Doing my best to not stare directly down, I locked eyes with Varric and nodded my thanks.
I heard a splash and something moving before Hawke stated, "Throats slit, signs of heavy suffering, this is the work of blood magic."
As she rose back up and another splash, I just moved my vision to her, not trusting my voice as I kept my hands pressed over my nose and mouth.
Hawke barely glanced back, "Hopefully this leads upward."
She strode forward, the light illuminating the way as Varric and I followed. I was doing my hardest not to look on what I was stepping on, Varric ensured I didn't trip.
After about fifteen minutes, I managed to get used to the stench enough to get a better handle on my staff and using it as a makeshift walking stick. Hawke never slowed, continuing to move through the bodies until we approached an opening. Rather, opening was a stretch.
Bodies were now floating in pitch black water, near the base of a platform across from us that held an alter and podium, with several flickering candles. At the end, there was a door that most likely lead up further into the fortress.
After a few moments, Hawke turned to us, "We're have to swim across."
Varric frowned, "You sure?" he asked as his eyes flicked between the Champion and I.
"Why don't I freeze it?" I ask, "Could save us-"
"It's possible this place isn't empty," Hawke started. "How long would it take you to freeze the first layer of…liquid?"
It took me a moment, looking back at the water, I slowly reached down and pressed a finger against the water, channeling ice around my hand before pulling it back up.
The ice had turned red.
With that, I tightened the sword on my belt before tightening my grasp on the staff, as Hawke and I began to wade into the water.
Rocks.
We were up to our knees.
It's rocks.
Hips now.
Just rocks, and fish that live in this water.
…holy fuck, what the fuck?
I started to bite down hard on my lip as blood…the water rose past my chest and I began to swim. Pushing myself forward and working to keep my head above the water.
By the Maker above, please…
Unbidden images filled my head, the bodies becoming alive and grabbing my legs, pulling me down deeper and deeper into the inky black below. I struggle to breathe as a knife slices across my throat, my blood merging and I too become one of the corp-
FUCK!
Focus. Focus, almost there. Almost to the platform.
Hawke had made it to the edge, as she began to push herself up, the door creaked.
"-the ceremony will not-"
Instinct took over, with a quick breath I plunge down into the cold water.
Pressing my hands over my mouth, I kept my eyes shut as I waited.
It was too cold. The water slipping through my armor and soaking me to the bone. Within moments I could feel my body began to tremble, and the old impalement wound began to ache; I was back on the mountain, fumbling my way through a tundra to get back somewhere warm.
Something brushed my shoulder, and my eyes snapped open.
Hawke was gripping my shoulder, her eyes open and staring at mine. Her staff in hand before she lifted up a finger and mouthed a word.
My eyes drifted to the dark eyes behind her, half-lidded and lifeless as a corpses surrounded us.
Another finger raised, gestured as Hawke mouthed again.
One…two.
The third finger raised.
Hawke moved, dragging me up out of the water as she moved to the wall, a wave of fire burning out. After following up, I pulled myself up and blasting a shard of ice from my palm in a random direction.
Already, a majority of the men were dead, either by arrows and magic. Hawke was striding forward as I pushed myself up. Then throwing up again back into the inky water.
It wasn't until I took several breathes when I registered someone calling me. I looked up to see Hawke looking back from the doorway.
"You alright?"
I shook my head, spitting out any remaining bile, "The fuck?!"
"…that's blood magic Max," Varric spoke. He himself looking very sick.
Hawke took a minute, "…summoning ritual, must be very big if there are this many corpses."
I slowly pushed myself up, doing my best to bring myself back together.
"Are you ready?" Hawke asked.
I nodded, adjusting my grip on my staff as I staggered towards Hawke as we moved up a spiral staircase. As we ascended, the entire area shook as a layer of dust burst free from the bricks, gently falling and coating us three.
"Bull started the front assault," I said.
Hawke nodded as we both raced up, pushing the door open in the lower floors of the fortress, the only light shining was from the moon and the few lit torches in the area. In front of us, several Venatori were pushing the doors shut while a number were on the upper walls aiming bows directly down.
Hawke moved, quickly using her staff and with a large swipe, arcs of lighting flew through the air and slammed into the guards on the wall, propelling them forward and freefalling on the other side. As the lower guards turned, I drew my sword and raced forward, sending a fireball flying; as it exploded upon contact, I used the staff to bat away a sword and stabbed the individual with my own blade.
I lost track of Hawke in the dark but didn't fail to recognize the smell of ozone in the air as I continued to cleave through the Venatori before me, I greatly appreciated the arrows that pierced any opening in armor; within minutes they were dead. With a wooden crunch behind me, the bulky, wooden doors cracked before slamming open. Bull charging in with an axe, Sera close on his heels while other Inquisition soldiers flooded into the lower courtyard. As they ran past, I glanced to only find Varric next to me, while Hawke was missing.
"Max, we need to get to the upper courtyards," Varric responded, pointing up to the top. Following his finger, I saw a Venatori with very ornate robes pointing and gesturing below.
Glancing around, I watched as Venatori armor flashed in torchlight along parapets around us. After a moment, I lifted my staff and hands up; conjuring a staircase of ice connecting to the parapets above us, which Varric climbed up as I went right behind him. As we moved, few Venatori stopped and turned, only to be pelted by bolts from Bianca and others blasted down from lightning.
As we made our way across, Varric and I had then entered a second courtyard, where fried Venatori corpses were splattered across the ground as Hawke was retreating up the next set of steps, right to the top. As four other Venatori started to congregate right at the base, slowly moving up the steps as Varric then lifted Bianca and whistled.
As one looked, a bolt slammed into his neck. Striding forward, I raised my staff against my other hand as a ring of fire swirled around the spiked head. It grew larger, and larger, before finally I threw my hands outward towards them. With the sound of a roaring fire, nine small fireballs soar through the air and begin to slam into the other multiple Venatori armor. Screams filled the air as their metal armor glowed a brilliant red.
Together, Varric and I carved through them with arrows, magic and sword, before we both moved to the stairs where the sounds of lightning crackled above.
As we reached the top, Hawke was engaged with the Venatori leader. In very quick movements, she batted aside blasts of magic before launching a bolt of lightning, only for that to be knocked aside as the Venatori took his staff, whirling the spear head around the lightning to both launch aside and fling a fireball at her.
"You know for a blood mage, I would assume you would have more control," Hawke taunted. With a flourish, she knocked the fireball aside before slamming her staff into the ground. Ice creeping across the stone and sand and rushing towards the magic user.
"My apologies," she finished with a smirk, the fireball finally detonating behind her.
The Venatori didn't say a word. As I moved forward, another deflected fire blast scorched in front of us, the sand instantly turning to glass. I instantly stumbled back as Varric shifted, his hands gripping the crossbow.
The Venatori then swirled, taking their palm to pull across the spear head and allowing blood to trail across the wood as the carved runes began to glow. With that, the staff began to move faster as red tinted magic began to glide towards Hawke.
The ground below us rumbled as the earth began to move around us. With a rumble, the stonework rose and three began to make their way towards Hawke; the woman immediately tried to move, only for the Venatori to shift each of the three items to corner Hawke.
Glancing around, Hawke gritted her teeth before dropping her staff and reaching for her belt, drawing something in a flash.
I watched as Varric raced forward, "HAWKE NO!
As Hawke moved the item, the three pillars slammed into her with a loud crunch.
Staff in hand, I moved. Launching a large bolt of lightening right at the Venatori; as it slammed into the mage, there is another flash of red energy as the lightning revolves and returns with another red tint. My eyes widening, I quickly raised a barrier as the force of the spell knocks me off my feet and skidding me across the stonework.
As I roll back to my feet, I raise the Barrier again before thrusting out a large push. Another firebolt slammed into the Barrier as the Venatori mage approached. At least until a wall of earth slammed into the individual, as I looked back, Hawke approached.
Her entire form was surrounded by earth, coating her like a thick armor as Hawke lifted the dagger, dragging across her forearm before thrusting outward. A large tinge of red energy coated the earth armor as rocks were launched outward, slamming into the mage once, twice.
One last blow, slamming into the Venatori's head, the helmet denting as they finally fell to the floor, unmoving.
I slowly looked back at Hawke, the moon behind her as blood dripped down from her arm, staining the sand as she cleaned the dagger.
I slowly pointed my staff at the Champion of Kirkwall, "What. The. Fuck?"
Hawke looked at me, slowly putting the dagger away and holding her hands up, "Max, calm down."
"What the fucl, was that Hawke?!" I demanded.
Hawke didn't answer.
My eyes hardened, "Tell me!"
"Blood magic."
I looked over to see Varric, arms crossed and not looking at me, "She used Blood magic."
My eyes flicked between the pair, before settling back at Varric, "You knew?"
Varric didn't answer.
I slowly looked back at Hawke, who had taken a few steps forward with her hand raised.
I allowed lightning to crackle across my staff, "Don't."
My shoulders straightened, as I slowly regarded the both. Trying to not show my mind was in a whirlwind.
"Merodine," I stated. "When we take this fort, you are going to stay here until I talk with you. If you try to escape, I will consider you an enemy."
I turned to Varric, "I am going to give you one chance Varric. One."
The dwarf nodded.
With that, I go and leave the pair. Descending into the other courtyard as more soldiers arrive, Bull leading the charge.
"We good boss?" he asked.
I let out a sight, "Let's get our forces in, any casualties?"
The Quinari shook his head, "Just banged up."
"Good. When you can, don't let Varric or Hawke out of sight. If they try to leave, alert someone and stop them."
Bull frowned, "Take it things are not fully good then."
I simply shook my head.
"Consider it done boss."
With that, Bull let out a whistle and marched up. Several other Chargers followed, while I went through the fort to start preparing this place for the Inquisition.
Over the next week I had split my attention organizing the Inquisition forces and my own personal ventures; Varric and Hawke were free to walk around the fort, just not leave. I hated all of it, but I appreciated how Varric was the most accepting of it; at times Hawke paced the fortress, a caged animal waiting to be let free, it also didn't help that Krem was her set handler.
Sera and Scout Harding were moving the supplies from the basecamp, as well as mapping out the other Venatori forces in the caves; while Bull went down into the wells and started to try and clear out the bodies down before and give proper funeral rites. Dorian and I both proceeded to go through the vaults of the fort, pouring Venatori books about all magic; while our other magic users started on trying to purify the water source in the well.
I won't lie, I spent a long time in those vaults, flipping through the tomes with Dorian to better grasp blood magic. As I read further, the books carried a recognizable pattern.
When one would dive into the realm of blood magic, it would carry an addition; for the mages, there was never enough blood. While the book stated that human sacrifices were restricted and illegal due to connections of the Blight, it wasn't hard to connect the dots. Not to mention our interaction with Lord Pavus in Redcliffe.
It wasn't until an afternoon, going through the books when I paused.
Blood magic was restricted in teaching. It had to be taught by someone…or something, to pass on the legacy. Demons were the first creators of blood magic.
Blood magic allowed the Veil to be torn open, allowing demons to enter. Blood magic allowed an individual to control others.
…could blood magic control demons?
I closed the tome.
Could it be used to open Rifts?
With that, I nodded at Dorian, who was still organizing the books, before moving back through the fort. Inquisition flags were replacing the former flags that hung above, many supplies were being set up, along with large tarps to give shade down below.
When the Imperium was going into blood magic, it was due to that the Blight was inflicted by opening a tear in the Fade.
When demons taught blood magic, they always tried to possess the individual.
Making my way into the lower courtyard, I saw Varric and Hawke. The pair, working along with some other soldiers, were setting up tables and arranging maps. As I approached, several nodded and clasped their fist over their hearts, "Inquisitor."
I nodded, "Varric, Lady Merodine, with me please."
The duo gave a glance before walking towards me. I lead them upward into the top courtyard, where there was a large map set up, along with other desks and benches. While it normally acted as our main study, everyone was busy with other details, leaving it empty for us.
"So, is it time to talk?" Hawke asked.
I turned to them, crossing my arms. "I'm going to be frank with you. I don't mind secrets being kept from me; I don't mind me not knowing everything. I mind when these secrets endanger our friends, I mind when these secrets endanger me."
I look at Varric, "I understand why you did it, but do you understand how…Hawke's magic knowledge endangers all of us?"
As Varric nodded, Hawke scoffed, "Not all of us."
I fix the woman with a look, "Yes. All of us, Merodine. The fact you can't see that, is a very big problem."
Her eyes narrowed, as she opened her mouth again, I pressed harder. "The fact you know blood magic is a concern, considering how you learn it; it also brings into question what really happens at Kirkwall. How does the Champion of Kirkwall, savior of Mages, get away with learning blood magic? Was it your discovery that propelled the destruction of the city? Did Knight-Captain Meredith have a point?"
The woman's eyes widened, "I would never-"
"I don't know that!" I hissed. "I don't know anything about what happened in Kirkwall. I know it went to utter shit in a fucking bonfire, and caused the entire rebellion that's been going on for the past many months!"
I stepped forward, pushing face to face with the woman, her brown eyes glaring daggers into mine.
"You cannot fathom what happened there," Hawke growled.
I took a deep breathe, "When people keep secrets, it can lead to people dying or worse. I've seen this firsthand with our forces, and right now that secret might not have just endangered our forces, but myself and even Varric."
"And what about you?" Hawke demanded. "You pop up out of nowhere, suddenly, mysteriously at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, at the attempted peace treaty between them. The only survivor when the Divine died? Herald of-"
Varric began to speak, but I cut them both off, "Ask me."
She paused, "Ask you?"
"Anything," I stated calmly.
"…are you interested in the Lady Seeker?"
"Hawke!"
Doing my best to push down the rush of emotions, I shrugged, "I find her very attractive, I won't say no."
"Has that distracted you?"
"She has unintentionally. In combat? No."
"Hawke!"
"What happened in the Temple of Sacred Ashes? Did you cause it to explode?"
I frowned, "I don't-"
Hawke took another step closer, "Did you murder the Divine?"
As my eyes widened at this, Varric stepped forward, "That's enough Hawke!"
"What about Corypheus? Did you summon him? Or are you a puppet under his control?"
Blood began to boil as Hawke continued to look me in the eyes, "Not fun, is it?"
I glared back, "That is not the same."
"How isn't it?"
"Fucking excuse me?!" I exclaimed, moving closer.
Hawke snarled, "You don't get to judge me, or vilify me you piece of shit; after I gave up everything to help everyone. I sacrificed my safety, my peace, my freedom, for this?! A fucking child?!"
"YOU ABANDONED THEM! YOU LET THIS FUCKING CHILD TAKE OVER FOR YOU! PICKING UP THE PIECES YOU LEFT BEHIND; WHERE WERE YOU WHEN CORYPHEUS ATTACKED HAVEN?! WHEN THE PEACE BETWEEN TEMPLARS AND MAGES EXPLODED?!"
"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN ANDERS FUCKING BLEW UP KIRKWALL?! WHEN THE KNIGHT-CAPTAIN DEMANDED THE DEATHS OF COUNTLESS INNOCENT CHILDREN?! WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE MAGES WERE BEING SLAUGHTERED FROM THE WORDS OF SOME FUCKING MADWOMAN?!"
At this point we were nose-to-nose, I could smell the ozone in the air. At least until something slammed into my gut.
"THAT'S FUCKING ENOUGH!"
Varric was now glaring up, his fist balled into my gut, before rearing around and slamming it into Hawke's.
As we both stumble back, Varric turns to me, "Look! You shut up for a moment!"
I just take a minute to suck in air, while Varric turns to Hawke, who immediately glares at him, "What?!"
"He's right," Varric stated.
"No, he's-"
"-you left me Hawke," Varric stated, his normal jovial voice gone, replaced with a stern tone.
The woman went silent, her face still scrunched up, but listening to Varric.
"I spent months protecting you, constant questioning, threats of torture all of it, for you. I am grateful for helping me with the idol, and my brother, you and I have had each other's back for ages. I was there for Fenris, Anders, Isabella, Bethany, and everything that happened, I get it. But you left, and nobody stepped up."
I noticed how Hawke's face changed at the mention of Bethany, twisting into a grimace as she shifted uncomfortably.
Varric jerked a thumb in my direction, "This kid is nineteen, he's nearly as old as Bethany. He's already had to handle a lot of this shit, and then some. He got Mages and Templars to work together, fought a Darkspawn, dropped a mountain, all of this over the span of several months, he has a lot to worry about and I'm pretty sure when I was his age I was more concerned about wooing a bartender than running a military force. Cut him a break."
Then the dwarf turned around, looking directly at me, "Max. Take a moment. You're spitting serious accusations, I could call you Chancellor Palpatine and you would know I'm right. I get you're worried, but trust me when I say that Hawke is on our side. She wants to help us, and she has very good reasonings to keep her talents down; regardless, she is one of our greatest allies in this fight."
Varric then scowls, "Now stop being total fucking idiots for a moment, and get to what you mean."
I sighed, crossing my arms. After a few moments, I look back at her, "…I am just trying to protect my people."
Hawke gave me a look with narrowed eyes, "Do you think I would jeopardize them?"
"I don't know, but want to be prepared regardless," I stated, taking a step back. "I would do anything for my allies, even you."
"Even if it could kill you?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Tortur-"
"Yes."
Hawke stopped, as I continued to stare unphased back.
"…how did you end up in the Temple of Sacred Ashes? How did you survive?"
I sighed, dragging my hand across my face, "I got lucky…or unlucky, depending on how you look at it."
"How?"
I sighed, "Andraste."
Silence.
Then Hawke began to chuckle, "Well, I suppose that makes sense."
I frowned, choosing not to speak as Hawke ran a hand through her hair, "Herald, devout Andrastian, makes sense. Didn't think you really bought it."
I sighed, "How did you learn blood magic?"
Hawke took a moment, trailing her fingers up her arm, which I then noticed the bandages on, "I…found a mage. He was a practitioner and long story short, I ended up taking up tutelage under him, he was kind and generous. It was a very dangerous procedure, it took me time, but I was able to resist an interaction with a demon; from there, everything was open to me."
I frowned, before clicking my heels together, while Hawke crossed her arms as some of her hair fell in her face, "When Knight-Captain Meredith committed to the assault, my teacher was one of the first to go. I saw his body swinging from a noose, and when Templar's started, I had to stop it." In that moment she brushed the hair from her eyes as the Champion looked at me, "He didn't deserve it, not any of the Mages deserved what happened."
Frustration, anger at herself for being unable to help, along with determination.
"…alright," I said. "Thank you."
"Are we still enemies?" Varric asked.
"You weren't, but we can keep moving tomorrow," I stated.
Hawke frowned, "Huh?"
"We found the blood ritual tower," I state. "We're taking a force tomorrow morning."
Read, Have a Great Day and God Bless
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