Note: Okay, kicking off Act 2...now we start getting to the point of this story. Feedback is always appreciated and thank you for reading.
Dragon Age
"The Relic"
Act Two
Chapter Twelve: The Wardens
If it weren't for Tara, Carver would have lost complete track of how long he'd been under ground. He still didn't understand how the Dwarves could spend all this time underground, never see the moon or the sun and still be able to differentiate breakfast and dinner.
How long had he been underground? His answer was simple: a while. At least he wasn't alone, he had three others with him, typical size for a scouting party and so far they'd done pretty well. Since entering the Deep Roads at Valeska's Watch in the Emprise Du Lion, they'd found about a few dozen Darkspawn hoards but it was nothing major. Himmel was determined to map sections of the Deep Roads no one had touched in decades. Dangerous, but that's why Warden-Commander Himmel had sent his second in command and his best Wardens. Xander Himmel was the Free Marches's Warden-Commander and Carver's best friend for going on 6 years now. He promoted Carver to the rank of Warden-Constable a year after being given the honor or commanding the Wardens of the Free Marches.
This party consisted of three others. Tara, a former member of the Legion of the Dead who was tainted by Darkspawn blood who'd survived the Joining thus becoming a Warden. The rogue had a hell of a stone sense and it was amazing they hadn't gotten lost with all the detours and lack of maps. Linus, another rogue from the slums of Kirkwall's Darktown that Carver remembered seeing when he was following his sister around with that bloody healer she loved so much. Then there was the mage named Spike, he didn't talk much. When the Wardens found him and brought him to Sunspire Keep in Ansberg from Llomerryn they'd nicknamed him 'Spike' because of his wicked looking spiked staff. He'd only been a Warden for a little over a year and had only recently started talking freely with people.
By the markings they were seeing on the walls Tara was convinced that the group was under Tevinter somewhere which floored Carver. They'd worked their way across Thedas, from roads that connected to Griffon Wing, the now defunct Adamant, and now apparently they were under Tevinter, weaving their way like rats in a maze. They were shooting for the Anderfels.
"Tara, please tell me we're heading back towards the sun," Carver grumbled and the blonde dwarf chuckled. "I miss Merrill…and the sky…" he continued, "and air that doesn't taste funny, air shouldn't taste funny." Carver had aged well over the years. He gained a few new scars; the most noticeable one was on his left jaw from his ear lobe to his mid jaw. His hair was still long almost to his shoulder and the sides were slicked back into a half ponytail to keep it out of his face. He'd also grown up some, he didn't have quite as big a chip on his shoulder as he used to but there was still a tremendous amount of friction between him and his older sister.
The Dwarf just continued laughing at her 'fearless leader', Linus and Spike could understand his pain, being underground for so long wasn't natural to anyone but Dwarves.
"He's right; I think I'm turning into a mole rat," Linus piped up from the left as he edged closer to the drop off barely seen by the torch he was carrying. Spike remained silent while he guarded their backs.
"Be an improvement on your looks," Carver sniped.
"Speak for yourself…you get uglier every time I look at you," Linus retorted.
Carver cackled. "Raise your hand if you're married. I can't be that bad looking."
"Just how many times are you gonna play that card?" Spike responded, the first thing the Rivaini city Elf had said in over three hours.
This went on for a while, typical banter for a close knit troupe but it ended when Tara stopped suddenly, frozen like a statue. The others immediately went on their guard and Carver pulled the greatsword off his back and moved up to the archer, her bow out and ready.
"What?" he asked quietly.
"Somethings not right, Carver, almost like we're being watched," Tara replied her tone quiet but her eyes vigilantly scanning the dark roads around them. The area brightened considerably as Spike conjured a wisp and enchanted it to stay bright illuminating the area like it was daylight.
"I don't feel any Darkspawn," Carver replied his tone still low as he completed a 360 turn to scan the area.
"I didn't say it was Darkspawn…" she replied, "we're not alone."
Carver found it prudent to take the Dwarf at her word. "Alright, let's keep going," he said and then began to move prepared for anything.
The Warden Keep in Ansberg, unofficially known as Sunspire, was the same size of Vigil's Keep in Amaranthine and was the only official Warden Keep in the Free Marches. After the Inquisitor banished the Warden's from Orlais Lydia took over what was left in Fereldan. It took a great deal of time for her to rebuild the Warden numbers and the ones that Lydia still had wound up stretched thin across Thedas thanks to Corypheus' devastation of their ranks and subsequent banishment. She established the Free Marcher Wardens until it could be fully staffed and then pulled back leaving Nathaniel Howe briefly in control until Himmel was voted in.
Xander Himmel of Tantervale was not Lydia's first choice as a Warden-Commander, he was a fierce warrior but he had a dark past. Carver was appointed Himmel's second in command and they were the best of friends.
The soft moaning of an obvious activity taking place inside the bed chamber did not deter Merrill from flat out barging in. She had mixed feelings about what she walked in on; her worry was momentarily taken over by the embarrassment she felt. The Elf serving girl that Himmel favored so much was named Anya, the tiny red head was even smaller than Merrill, and she shrieked at the intruder and dove under the furs of Himmel's bed hiding as he sat up glaring at Merrill while he covered himself up.
"Unless you're planning to join in, Merrill, get out," he barked. He tolerated Merrill because of his friendship with Carver but that was about it. Himmel found her to be scatterbrained and annoying and was the only Elf he saw that he didn't look at sexually.
Merrill had no intentions of 'joining in' even if she wasn't bonded to Carver. Himmel's reputation with Elves was awful; his reputation with women wasn't very good either, but he had a thing for Elven women. "I'm sorry…Xander, but something is terribly wrong."
Unless the Keep was on fire or there was Darkspawn horde attacking Himmel didn't much care. "Whatever it is can wait, get out!" he barked.
"No. It can't," she replied adamantly. "It's about Carver."
He paused cocking his head to her with a blink. "What about Carver?"
"Something is terribly wrong. He's in danger," she answered in her typical babbling patter and his brow furrowed. Merrill and Carver had a strange connection, she was a blood mage and Carver had told him once that it was a blood bond between them. Whatever it was gave Merrill an uncanny ability to sense when he was hurt or in imminent danger…and she usually wasn't wrong.
He looked over to the little Elf hiding under the covers. "Out," he said sharply. "Now what are you talking about?" he snipped as he pulled some pants on irritated with having his private time interrupted by the one female Elf he really couldn't stand.
She paced and didn't care about Himmel's privacy as he pulled his pants on, unabashed with his nakedness. "I can feel there is something wrong. I had a terrible dream…cold, darkness, fear, and something very powerful."
Himmel scoffed loudly with an annoying, disgusting smirk. "You need to be more specific Merrill…the Deep Roads are cold, dark, and scary," he replied becoming more annoyed with this.
As much as she irritated him he irritated her. Himmel was, quite frankly, an asshole. "I know when Carver is in trouble, Xander, and this is worse than anything else I've ever felt," she said and he sighed heavily. "He is in danger."
Carver was the first friend Himmel made when he was tossed into the Wardens against his will. Sebastian's punishment for his crimes was a 50/50 chance the taint would kill him, he survived and it changed him for the better. He'd never escape the shadow of his crimes however, and to his surprise, Carver never judged him on his past. He knew most of the dark details after all the time they spent in the Deep Roads, obviously didn't approve, but saw the new leaf that he'd turned over. Merrill may have irritated and annoyed him but Carver was a brother to him. If he was in trouble he'd do everything he could to help.
He thought a few minutes and eventually sighed with a nod. "I need more specifics, Merrill, with the amount of time he's been gone he could be anywhere."
Merrill nodded sharply. "I'll use a map and my blood…I'll find him."
Himmel finished buckling on pieces of his armor as he moved through halls with purpose. "Dinah," he called to an Elf woman who was already coming toward him, "gather your things, you're coming with me…we leave for Amaranthine in an hour."
Dinah was a City Elf from Denerim and a talented mage specializing in Ice and Spirit. She wasn't the most powerful mage but she was good with the hexes and making things explode. "What's happened?" she asked.
In the Free Marcher pecking order Dinah was his third in command and usually manned the Keep while the others were away. "Carver might be in trouble," he said and she paced him scoffing.
Dinah shook her head still scoffing. "Another premonition by Merrill?"
Himmel shrugged, Merrill may have been a little irritating but she was probably right about this. "Well, when it comes to him she's usually right…"
"So why are we going to Amaranthine?"
Himmel liked Dinah but had never slept with her, it crossed his deviant mind several times but he never acted on it. "Because to get where we need to go we'll need Nathaniel's help."
It was no secret that Nathaniel Howe was not a fan of Himmel's, when Himmel was voted in as the Warden-Commander the veteran simply left, following his orders; but it was clear that the decision to put someone like Himmel as a Warden-Commander did not sit well with him. "Warden-Constable Howe? Why?"
"Because he has a much better working relationship with those we need to deal with then I do," he said and her brow furrowed. Where did they need to go that they needed Nathaniel to get there? Merrill appeared before the door they were headed toward dressed like she was going somewhere. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked her flatly.
"With you," she answered simply and he just brushed past her and opened the door.
Himmel shook his head. "No," he said and she chased after him.
"Xander, he's my husband-…" she protested and he turned on her firmly.
He knew that and did not care. "You are not a Warden, you stay here, I will bring him back."
"The Deep Roads are not new to me, Xander, I'm going," she replied firmly.
Himmel raised his right index finger. "You are staying here," he stated again knowing that wouldn't satisfy her. "I will lock you in a cell if I have to…"
Merrill scowled to him. "And then explain to Carver why I'm locked in the dungeon instead of down there to help him."
"So long as he is alive to yell at me, that's fine," he replied with an irritated tone and tuned out any other protests from her. He didn't want to take her for a few reasons, to protect her when Carver couldn't, he didn't trust her, and frankly she annoyed the hell out of him.
Nathaniel was rousted out of bed at a quarter to four in the morning. Vigil's Keep didn't get 'visitors' and certainly not ones at this early hour in the morning. It was brisk morning too, misty, with enough of a bite in the air Nathaniel could see his breath. He'd wiped the sleep from his eyes and hastily tied half of his hair back out of his face before heading outside to find out who the visitors were. He really wasn't expecting who he saw.
"Himmel?" he questioned blinking several times at the red Warden armor of the Free Marcher Commander of the Grey.
"Warden-Constable," Himmel acknowledged giving the senior warden a measure of respect. Technically Himmel outranked him but as far as seniority went Nathaniel had him by miles. "I apologize for the early hour but I need your help."
Nathaniel's eyes flicked from Himmel to the Elf mage he was with and then back to Himmel before nodding slightly and gesturing for them to come along. If there was one man in Thedas he didn't trust it was Himmel.
Duncan heard people moving around the in the halls and went to investigate. Every now and then he spent time at Vigil's Keep training with Nathaniel and other Wardens. The more time he spent training with Wardens the closer they got to unlocking what abilities he had been born with. Being born a Warden was unproven, what he could do was still up for debate; he had the appetite of a Warden and had said that he could sense his parents and other Wardens but that has never been proven. He had never been in the Deep Roads or encountered Darkspawn to decide what else he could do.
When he joined Nathaniel and the two other Wardens, Nathaniel allowed him to stay. The Elf present was a mage, fairly plain with long dark hair pulled into a fishtail braid, and her face was severe like she didn't like anyone even though no one had said anything to her. She was tall for an Elf female too at a lanky 5'7".
Himmel did a double take seeing the Prince of Fereldan joining them and Nathaniel seeming to not care about it. "What's he doing here?" Himmel asked and Duncan cocked his head at the Warden in strange red armor. He was 5'10, with short brown hair, a scruffy beard, blue eyes, and lean build.
Nathaniel had no patience for Himmel, he'd never liked him and that wasn't going to change any time soon. "None of your business," he replied flatly. "What do you want, Himmel?"
Himmel wasn't exactly pleased with the presence of Prince Duncan but he continued with what he needed from Nathaniel. "We need access to the Eluvian in Skyhold," he said getting straight to the point knowing that Nathaniel didn't like pretense.
Nathaniel's eyebrows raised, the Eluvian wasn't common knowledge or even available to anyone to just waltz in a use. He could hear the Inquisitor's answer now, she banished the Wardens from Orlais because of their part in Corypheus' plan to return the world to the Tevinter of old and while she didn't blame all Wardens she was certainly wary of them. "Why?" he asked simply as Duncan remained silent.
Himmel cleared his throat. "We've lost a group of Warden's scouting lost portions of the Deep Roads. We need the Eluvian to travel as close to them as we can then set out on foot to find them."
Wardens went missing all the time; it was an occupational hazard no matter how anyone felt about it so he wasn't clear on exactly why it would warrant the use of an Eluvian. "Awful lot of trouble to find a group of scouts, how do you know where they are…or even if they are missing?"
"A mage named Merrill is married to one of the Wardens…they have a blood connection, she sensed the danger and she's usually never wrong about it."
That cleared some of it up; Nathaniel knew Merrill, not well but knew of her. The naïve blood mage he'd met in Kirkwall a long time ago along with Tess Hawke. "I know Merrill," he said with a sigh. "I assume the Warden is Carver?"
Himmel nodded in response. "We've lost too many Wardens to the Deep Roads, Nathaniel, I don't intend to lose more or leave my people to die. I do not know the Inquisitor but you do…she will be more inclined to agree if you're there and apart from the Warden Queen herself you've spent more time in the Deep Roads then the rest of us combined so your help would be much appreciated."
Nathaniel sighed and thought a few moments, Himmel was correct in that enough Wardens had been lost over the years. They had a chance to save a few if the information was correct but if the information was incorrect they could wind up the missing ones. "Wait here," he said quietly and looked over towards Duncan gesturing for him to come with him. "So, what do you think?" he asked Duncan and the young Prince did a double take.
"Why are you asking me?" he asked, it was the first thing that came to mind as he wasn't expecting the second most powerful Warden in Thedas to ask him what he thought.
Nathaniel just looked at him as they walked slowly side by side. "Because you are occasionally a smart lad," he replied and Duncan allowed a chuckle at the rare snipe from the Warden.
Duncan took a deep breath; Nathaniel was testing him for some reason. "Well, I don't know this Merrill, or Carver, or who that Warden is…but I say it's not worth the risk," he answered. "Warden numbers are dwindling as it is."
Nathaniel appreciated Duncan's opinion and actually shared it but given the history he had with everyone in question just saying no wasn't really a prudent option. "I agree," he said and then stopped walking. "But…I have a feeling that he's not making this up. Would you ride to Denerim and tell your mother that I will be departing to Skyhold by way of ship within the next few days." Duncan nodded at his request. Nathaniel was informal with him but always showed him respect, he'd known him his entire life, even taught him how to use a bow and surprisingly Duncan wasn't bad at it.
Amaranthine's mornings this time of year were brisk and foggy it took him some time but he was able to requisition a ship to take him, Dinah, and Himmel to Redcliffe. He said goodbye to Velanna and was now staring at the ship on the dock. He didn't like ships much but he dealt with it, he really wasn't looking forward to the trip from Amaranthine to Redcliffe and then to Skyhold, all with a Warden he couldn't stand. He was more than a little confused when Duncan came racing back with Raider in a foamy sweat, the kid must have rode hard to get from Denerim and back before they left.
"What are you doing here?" Nathaniel asked as Duncan dismounted.
"Mother sent me back, wanted me to come with." He replied and Nathaniel's brow furrowed.
That confused him beyond belief, after all this time this was when Lydia finally let Duncan spread is wings. "Why?"
Duncan shrugged. "I don't know but she gave me this since you probably wouldn't believe me." He said and handed him a sealed letter. Nathaniel took the letter, inspected it, broke the seal, and read it quickly. It had Lydia's Warden Seal and detailed that this would be a good opportunity for Duncan to get his feet wet. It was certainly odd but it all seemed to be legitimate…sort of.
He nodded and folded the letter back up putting it into one of his pockets. He looked at the Prince for a few long moments and then gave him a nod. "Alright, hop aboard." As Duncan passed him leading Raider along Nathaniel smiled to himself shaking his head. The kid was crafty he gave him that.
The fortress in the sky was breathtaking; Himmel had never seen Skyhold before and always thought that the description of the Inquisition fortress had been blown out of proportion. After seeing it first-hand he realized how very wrong he was. The presence of three Wardens and a Prince caused a minor stir in the chaos that was Skyhold's typical day.
Nathaniel had not been seen in Skyhold for years, his first trip was after the disaster at Adamant. He'd been through a lot as a Warden but going directly into the Fade with a bunch of Mages after falling off a bridge was at the top of both 'craziest things ever' and 'let's not do that again' lists. With all the Wardens that died at Adamant and the part they played in unleashing a Darkspawn Magister on the world he had mixed feelings about being here.
"Warden-Constable Howe?" Thom questioned as he greeted them and sounded as surprised as he looked at the sight of the second highest ranking Warden in Fereldan arriving in Skyhold.
Nathaniel looked down from the charcoal colored horse he was on and couldn't decide how he wanted to treat the warden pretender, he settled on indifference. "Rainier." He acknowledged as Thom's eyes shifted to Duncan.
"Prince Duncan," he began and bowed slightly to him, "what brings you back to Skyhold, Majesty?"
Nathaniel didn't let Duncan answer; he shared the same sentiment that Lydia and Alistair had for Thom only a little less brutal. "We need to speak to the Inquisitor, Rainier, it's important."
Thom counted three Wardens, one he knew and two he didn't, and Duncan. Duncan was a bigger mystery than seeing Nathaniel there but he nodded slowly and gestured to them, he trusted Nathaniel even though there wasn't a Warden in Thedas who trusted him. "Follow me."
Skyhold's interior had changed quite a bit since the last time Nathaniel had been there but the layout was the same, lots of steps, and it was no less busy. People buzzed about like worker bees but died down some as they got closer to the Inquisitor. Nathaniel allowed a small smile as he looked her up and down. She had not changed very much since the day he met her in that dank Crestwood cave, he only had eyes for his wife, Velanna, but the Inquisitor sometimes reminded him of her. Though now she didn't look right, he'd liked the vallaslin that was miraculously removed by the mage that broke her heart.
"Inquisitor," Thom began causing her to look up from the book she was looking over, "we have guests that insist they need to speak with you."
Khrys looked from him to those that were following him recognizing two of them. She smiled and moved toward them. "Nathaniel," she grinned happily. "What are you doing here?"
Nathaniel had always liked the Inquisitor, her decision to banish the Warden's from Orlais was unpopular but one that had to be done. She was honest and fair, something that he respected. "Lady Inquisitor," he replied and actually smiled at her. "I apologize for coming unannounced, Inquisitor, but we've come to ask for your help."
Nathaniel didn't joke around much; he was a very direct man, the sign of a Warden who had seen enough to know he had seen too much. He'd displayed outstanding resistance to Corypheus' fake calling; he was as willful as they came but loyal to the core. Lydia had told her that Nathaniel had refused to take the refined version of Avernus' concoction meaning he was extremely close to his Calling…the real one. Next to Alistair there was no one that the Warden Queen trusted more than Nathaniel Howe. Khrys looked past him to Duncan and that perked her curiosity. "Duncan," she acknowledged and then looked to the Elf female and the other male Warden. "Who are they?"
"Warden-Commander Himmel of Ansberg and Warden Dinah Immalla," he introduced quickly and Himmel stepped forward.
"Honor to meet you, Inquisitor," Himmel nodded at her and Khrys' brow furrowed.
"What can I do for the Wardens?" she asked as she studied the new Warden. Xander Himmel, she'd heard the name, the Red Warden some people called him on account of the armor he wore. It was Warden armor but not blue and silver, it was red and black. His reputation was less than stellar but he was very effective, proactive Warden.
"It is my request, Inquisitor…we need access to the Eluvian."
It wasn't every day that the Wardens strolled into Skyhold with a request to use the Eluvian, Khrys' first inclination, as Nathaniel had predicted, was to say 'no' but out of respect for Nathaniel she could at least hear them out. They moved from the Main Hall and into the War Room allowing Himmel to explain his request.
"For the last few years, I've had my Warden's scouting the Deep Roads and creating an accurate map. My best group may have gone missing and could very well be in trouble," Himmel said looking at the giant map of Thedas that put the rumors about it to shame. Her guarded expression told him that she wasn't convinced yet. "One of the Wardens is married to a blood mage, they have a blood connection, she had a…'vision' that something was wrong."
"Blood connection?" Khrys inquired. Blood magic was a disaster to get into if you weren't careful. She and Dorian toed the line with the Necromancy and that was as close as she got to blood magic but she knew that blood magic could connect people.
"Carver Hawke, my second in command," Himmel answered and Khrys' expression changed at the name. Himmel noticed the change as she looked past him to Thom.
"Thom, get Malcolm please," she said and he nodded and disappeared.
"Merrill is usually not wrong," he continued.
"How do you know where they are?" she asked and Himmel took a step forward to the map table and took a second before answering.
"Merrill indicated…here," he answered pointing to the Tevinter-Orlais border, "Which is why we need the Eluvian…from here to Griffon Wing then to the nearest Deep Roads entrance…here."
It wasn't the fact that it was Carver, Malcolm's uncle, that was missing but when Himmel pointed out the location on the map she thought of something else. More to do with the mystery symbol she had in the cellar. The Sea of Ash wasn't exactly around the corner from the location he pointed out on the map but there were too many things nagging at her about this.
"Merrill also said there was something very powerful down there with them," Himmel added as he gauged the look of the Inquisitor. Her hair was the color of pure snow, her skin was clean and perfect, and she had a dainty build. The Inquisitor was beautiful and he couldn't help the thoughts that went through his mind. What he would have done to her with or without her permission before he became a Warden. He snapped from his horrible thoughts and went back to the task at hand. "She's encountered Darkspawn before but nothing like this."
The door opened and Malcolm walked in with Thom following. "Inquisitor," Malcolm announced, "you wanted to see me?" Malcolm's brow furrowed at the scene, three wardens and Duncan of all people. "Duncan."
Duncan shook his friend's hand but he could see the furrowed brow on his face. They'd chat later when Malcolm was a little less confused. "Who's this?" Himmel asked and Malcolm moved up to the table giving the Wardens all a calculating once over. Who were they? What did they carry? Were any of them a threat? He didn't like the one in red armor but he couldn't put his finger on why, the female Elf was a mage but he had no other opinion, the Warden with long hair was older than the rest with a resting facial expression of 'he had seen it all'.
"Commander Himmel, this is Malcolm Hawke," Khrys introduced and Himmel looked at him in surprise. He'd heard Carver talk about his family but had never met any of them.
"Carver's nephew," Himmel said and took a step toward him. "He talked about you quite a bit…you do look like him."
Himmel had extended his hand toward him and Malcolm thought briefly before taking it. There was something about him he didn't like but he shook his hand anyway. He'd heard everything about people telling him who he looked like. With the exception of his eyes, he was his father through and through but people saw what they wanted.
"Carver is missing in the deep roads, Malcolm," Khrys said bluntly and Malcolm looked at her with the expression she'd expected.
Malcolm absolutely hated the idea of his uncle missing in the Deep Roads even though his parents didn't much get along with his uncle. He didn't need much more convincing after hearing the somewhat ludicrous explanation from Himmel, he knew his aunt was a blood mage and that his parents couldn't stand her. No matter the chilly relationship between the adults in question, Carver was always there when he was needed the most. Khrys had granted Himmel and his troupe access to the Eluvian that would take them to Griffon Wing and Malcolm had convinced her to let him go with them.
Malcolm may have been young but he'd spent much of his time alone, so allowing him to go into the Deep Roads was a smart move tactically but she couldn't help but feel more than a little apprehensive. She cared about Malcolm like she cared about Bree. "Malcolm," Khrys called quietly as he was heading to the Eluvian. He stopped and turned toward her as she let Duncan go by leaving them alone in the hall. "You're up to date on Solas and the mystery symbol from the Sea of Ash?"
"You mean the symbol that made Cole go berserk in the ruin?" he clarified. Solas was the running warning in Skyhold. Khrys' standing warning was 'do not engage', Solas was the most powerful mage in Thedas, to attack him meant probable suicide. What Khrys was actually referring to was his obsession with the Deep Roads over the past few years. He understood and he was up to date on all of it. Part of the Inquisition training was to not only train but also learn about the biggest threat. Solas was definitely the biggest threat and he'd been scouring Thedas for anything powerful. "Yes, I'm up to date."
"Solas' interest in the Deep Roads has waned bit lately…however…" she said and Malcolm nodded. He understood what she was getting at, missing Wardens in that area after the issues that had been going on in the Deep Roads that had been logged by Lydia and her Wardens.
"Proximity…suspicious…I understand," he said with a nod and she patted his arm.
She would have been remiss if she didn't voice what was on her mind. "Mind yourself down there, Malcolm; you've never been in the Deep Roads, nothing you've done so far could have possibly prepared you for it," Khrys said sounding like a mentor to a student. Malcolm nodded in acknowledgment; he'd heard hundreds of stories about the Deep Roads…primarily how much his father hated the Deep Roads. "And keep an eye on him," She added gesturing to Duncan.
The tall mage snorted with a nod, Khrys was not the only one really, really confused that Prince Duncan was going to accompany them into the Deep Roads but Nathaniel had the last word on that. "That I intend to do."
Morrigan opened the Eluvian as the party of five waited. Malcolm's brain went into calculating mode and he assessed the party he was going to be spelunking with. Duncan wore heavy armor, it was plain onyx with brown padding under it that reminded him of Thom's armor, he didn't carry a shield though, just a hand and a half sword with a Griffon tooled handle…a gift from Alistair Duncan had told him. The Red Warden, aka Himmel, was what Malcolm guessed was a rogue/warrior hybrid. The armor he wore was heavy but more like a light heavy armor and the weapon he carried was about the only thing that peaked his interest. It was a spiral quarter staff with a break in the middle. Malcolm's best guess was that the break allowed the quarter staff to be broken down into two decent length spiral swords. A smart design, it allowed for versatility and let its user turn a long weapon into two smaller weapons during close quarter combat when a staff would become a liability. It was an intriguing, unique design. Dinah was the other mage; she wore the typical Warden mage armor and carried a trident staff unimaginatively called Trident. It was an ice staff, it didn't have to see action for him to know, he could feel the chill from it. Of course the chill could have just been coming from Dinah herself, her personality screamed 'Bitch' so he kept his mouth shut for now. Lastly was Nathaniel, the other rogue of the group and the only archer, in the blue and silver Warden medium armor that was dingy and well used. Nathaniel was extremely talented with a bow and not too shabby with the blades, he carried enough throwing knives on him to make Zevran jealous. His shortbow was famous, Long Death, was what people called it…Nathaniel just called it a bow. It was all black and no one but Nathaniel was entirely sure of what it was made out of, it was enchanted though and Malcolm could feel it thrumming off the bow like a pulse, something strange…debilitating even. He'd never felt anything like it…it was almost unsettling. Of everyone in this merry band of misfits Nathaniel was the most experienced and, with the exception of Malcolm himself, was hands down the most dangerous. The quiet ones always were.
The trip through the Eluvian was simple enough and in a blink they were clear on the other side of Thedas in Griffon Wing Keep in the Western Approach. It was hot, sandy…and hot. They met Sigrun, the Warden Dwarf had a permanent post in this frying pan and no one really envied her but she was surprisingly cheerful about it all. Duncan was once again a kid in a candy store as he got to tour one of the places he'd always wanted to go. While the rest stocked up on supplies and updated maps Duncan wanted to know everything about the ancient keep. Malcolm simply chuckled; his friend was a total nerd.
The three Wardens were powerhouses and barely noticed the shocking climate change while Malcolm and Duncan, who were used to Fereldan and bone chilling Skyhold, pretty much wished they'd stayed home. After trudging through the heat, sand, and sulfur pit for a little over eight hours they'd reached their destination, their entrance into the Deep Roads. It was a mine of some kind, long abandoned, passed the mine itself there was a vertical crack in the Earth. Dinah informed the two Deep Road virgins that it was likely caused by an earthquake a few hundred years ago and Darkspawn probably poured through and killed all the miners. It wasn't exactly a cheery thought but then again, nothing about the Deep Roads was cheerful. Duncan and Malcolm looked at each other as Himmel led them in followed by Dinah; Nathaniel was behind Duncan and Malcolm and eyed them seeing the ego hidden apprehension.
"Last chance to turn back and go home, Gentlemen," he said quietly to them. He allowed a half smile as Duncan said nothing to that and went first following Dinah; the kid had his mother's bravery.
"My uncle's in there," Malcolm said after a pause and then moved to enter, leaving Nathaniel to heave a short sigh. That was true, however, given the time it took for them to actually get anywhere to find them the odds of them being alive, if Merrill's warnings were to be heeded, were paper thin. This could be a foolish disaster but Himmel did have a point, too many Warden's had been lost so he had to at least try.
