Cullen looked up at the Inquisitor as he entered. "Some of our people have been captured in the Fallow Mire. The Avvar are holding them hostage, demanding to meet you if we want our people alive again."
"I'll gather some people and head out at once."
Cullen nodded. "Harding will meet you there. Thank you, Inquisitor."
They were making their way to the Fallow Mire, it was hard for their houses to get a proper footing the mask, but they were managing.
Iron Bull slowed his pace a bit to fall into step next to Blackwall. "How does being a Grey Warden work? I assume it's more complicated than just signing up."
Blackwall shrugged. "Yes."
"And how is it that you're the only ones who can end the Blights?"
"Is there a reason for the interrogation?" Blackwall glanced up at Iron Bull.
"Curiosity. The Ben-Hassrath could know more about the Wardens." Iron Bull shrugged. "Also, those ogre guys, the darkspawn that look like messed-up Qunari? The Ben-Hassrath aren't pleased."
"Few are." Blackwall nodded.
Maxwell had to saw he was curious about what made a person a Grey Warden, he knew every little about them. The next time he had an opportunity he would have to speak to Theron.
His small force found Harding's camp easily. The dwarven scout waved Maxwell over. "Thank you for coming. Maybe you can solve this mess." Worry was written on Harding's face. "Our missing patrols are being held hostage by Avvar. Barbarians from the mountains."
He knew little of the Avvar. "What are they doing in a bog?"
"That's the thing. Their leader…" Harding folded her hands behind her back. "He wants them to fight you. Because you're the Herald of Andraste."
Maxwell blinked. "What do they have against Andraste?"
"Well…" Harding shrugged. "The Avvar think there are gods in nature. As in, the sky has a god, and the forest. The Avvar say you and the guard calming to be sent by one, and they'll challenge the will of your god with their own. I think their leader's just a boastful little prick who wants to brag he killed you."
Maxwell rolled his eyes. "Should we autograph something for him before he tries to behead us?"
"They think reading's for the weak," Harding smiled. "You know, scholars, lowlanders, Orlesian peasants." Harding led him, and the guard a tent, out of the light rain, and gestured at a map. "Getting to our troops won't be easy. You'll have to fight your way through undead—" She looked up and grinned. "But you're probably really good at fighting undead after Crestwood, right?"
Maxwell shook his head. "Does anyone in Ferelden get to burn their dead?"
"A plague took this place. I wouldn't drink the water." She touched the map. "The Avvar are holed up in the castle on the other side of the Fallow Mire. Maker willing, the Inquisition's people are still alive."
Dorian touched Ellana shoulder, and gestured to a carved obelisk atop a hill. She nodded, and went towards it. Fade energy hummed from a sconce, and she concentrated to light the veilfire. Almost immediately tightness to the air coalesced, and the first demon appeared. Adaar and Iron Bull brought this sword and axe down as she and Dorian both hit it with bolts of magical energy.
Corpses began to rise, Maxwell led the defence against the corpses while she and Dorian examined the obelisk. Under the combined strength of Maxwell, Adaar and Iron Bull soon the entire place was littered with corpses.
"Good eye," Ellana said to Dorian. "We could use these, lure those corpses out of the mud and fight on solid ground."
"Mockingbird, mockingbird, quiet and still, what do you see from the top of that hill? Can you see up? Can you see down?"
Blackwall startled at Cole's recitation. "Wait."
"Can you see the dead things all about town?"
"How do you know that song?"
Cole looked confused. "It just came to me. Everyone says everyone knows it. The children knew it."
Blackwall stared at him for a moment before moving up to take point. Adaar frowned wondering what that was about.
They lit another beacon, and battled another demon. Maxwell and Cassandra had a really good feel for each other's movements as they moved across the field and they were backed up by the ferocity of Adaar and Iron Bull. Ellana called up the sword to intercept a corpse attempting to close with Solas, and a moment later Blackwall was at her side, using his shield to push the corpse back and away. Dorian's style of combat was flashy, and leaned heavily towards fire. Solas used his magic to arc lightning across combatants. She'd noticed he'd started to leave the barriers to her since the last time they'd practiced together and she'd created one that had arced his own spell back at him.
Ellana showed the rune to Solas and Dorian, and both agreed that it and the one they'd found previously were part of a larger set. No doubt she'd need all for them to make sense. "No sign of the Avvar who want to challenge me. Or the Inquisition's soldiers." She'd brought along some healing potions, just in case.
Another beacon could be made out ahead. They started towards it. Blackwall moved to walk next to Solas. "Do you have any advice for fighting demons, Solas?"
"Survive the first thirty heartbeats, and you'll have already won."
Blackwall gave an exasperated head shake. "So I should try not to die? Helpful."
Solas sighed. "I mean that demons are rarely intelligent enough to change their tactics. If you focus on defending yourself, you will see the full range of their abilities within the first thirty heartbeats. By then, you should be able to find a weakness and exploit it."
"Ahh, that is helpful!" Blackwall nodded thoughtfully. "I will try to remember that."
"Also, try not to die." Solas's lips twitched upwards slightly as he spoke, and she hid a smile of her own.
The man in front of the rift was easily the largest human he'd ever seen. He wouldn't be surprised if under the paint he was actually a hornless qunari. He was holding a large hammer but only Adaar and Iron Bull could lift. Maxwell made his way towards him, hoping they could avoid a fight. "My kin want you dead, lowlander, but it's not my job. No fears from me."
Maxwell nodded slowly. "Why aren't you with the other Avvar?"
He turned back towards the rift hanging in the air. "Trying to figure out this hole in the world. Never seen anything like its like." He laid his hammer over his shoulder, hooking his arms over it as he tilted his head at the rift. "They spit out angry spirits. Endless. What the sky's trying to tell us, I don't know."
"They're caused by the Breach in the sky. It was some kind of magic gone wrong," said Ellana simply.
The look he gave her was impatient and irritated. "I know that, lowlander. I'm talking about the Lady of the Skies." He gave her an appraising look. "Do you not know her? Can't you see the warnings she writes through the bird flocks in the air?"
"You use the patterns of flocking birds as an augury, then?" Dorian asked.
"We don't 'use' them." He directed the look at Dorian. "They're sent. You see it, or you don't."
In the air, the rift began to shimmer and open again. Maxwell and the guard and their comrades took their positions as the demons began to come forth. Maxwell then used his mark in order the sealed the rift, much to the astonishment of the Avvar.
"Lady of the Skies!" The Avvar was staring at him. "You can mend the gaps in the air?"
"Pretty great, huh?" Iron Bull laid his axe over one shoulder.
"Maybe you do have a god's favour." The Avvar nodded to him.
"I thought the Avvar wanted to fight me."
He rolled his eyes dismissively. "Our chieftain's son wants to fight you. I'm called in when the dead pile up. Rites to the gods, mending for the bleeding, a dagger for the dying. That's what I do." He gave a disgusted shake of his head. "I don't pick up a blade for a whelp's trophy hunt."
A priest then? "The other Avvar kidnapped an Inquisition patrol. Are they all right?"
"A few were injured in the skirmish, but they were alive. Last I saw them." He leaned on his hammer. "Someone's trained them well. They killed more of us than I thought they would."
The next beacon sent forth even more demons. Cassandra was knocked to the ground by a terror demon coming up from beneath her, but Blackwall moved in to shield her before it could capitalise on the advantage. A small cluster of corpses started to aim arrows at Dorian, and a rock seemed to emerge from the Fade itself, slamming into them before vanishing again.
Adaar and Iron Bull managed to cut one of the corpses in half. This created a path for them to follow.
Sera caught an arrow in the back, but the barrier deflected most of the damage. The archer whirled and sent a retaliatory arrow directly into the eye of her assailant.
Blackwall gave Sera a worried look as Ellana used her magic to heal the scratch. "You should learn to watch your back."
"Well, you need to…" Sera twisted around to look at him. "Your arse!" She considered a moment. "No, your mom's arse!"
He sighed. "Great. I'm glad we understand each other."
By the fourth beacon, they were working as an effective team. Ellana crafted a barrier, and began moving forward with Blackwall, spirit blade in one hand and staff in the other. Dorian focused his fire on the more dangerous of opponents, while Solas used lightning and giant rocks wherever enemies were foolish enough to stand too close together. Adaar, Cassandra and Iron Bull moved through the field back to back as though they'd been fighting side by side for years rather than a matter of days.
Maxwell, Cole and Sera picked off enemy archers, Sera with her own bow, Cole with his strange ability to move across the field unnoticed and Maxwell moving with such speed and grace like an animal.
"That's a lot of corpses," Ellana narrowed her eyes. "Push through. Don't engage, just get to the gate. We'll drop the portcullis, and find our people."
"Right, boss."
Ellana took a deep breath and focused her energies into the barrier. "Go!"
Maxwell and Ellana followed Adaar and Iron Bull up the stairs, letting the big man clear the path up to the gate control. Dorian put a wall of fire across the gate way as Blackwall and Cassandra stood with their shields on either side of him, making short work of anything that managed to get through the flames.
The lever dropped the portcullis. Maxwell regrouped with his companions. Dorian downed a lyrium potion, while both Iron Bull and Cassandra took healing draughts. "Ready?"
Nods and a few smiles answered her.
"Herald of Andraste! Face me! The big Avvar held an axe over his head as he charged towards her. "I am the Hand of Korth himself."
Rather than stand there like an idiot, Maxwell had Ellana focused a barrier on Adaar and Iron Bull and let them meet the Avvar with a charge of his own. The Avvar may have been big, but the two Qunari had considerably more skill backing up their size. Ellana and Solas called lightning arcs simultaneously, feeding into each other's magic to create a tempest where the Avvar archers stood.
Maxwell himself along with Cole dealt with the footsoldiers. The footsoldiers were completely out match between the two of them and were quickly slain.
A few moments later, it was over. Maxwell found the key on a chain around the Avvar leader's neck, and went to free his people.
"Herald of Andraste!" Several of the Inquisition soldiers on the other side of the door scrambled to their feet, and the wounded ones tried to follow suit.
"We dealt with the Avvar." He entered the room and Ellana knelt next to one of the wounded. "Is everyone all right?" Ellana's fingers glowed white as she did what healing she could. Between her, Solas, and the potions they'd brought, they managed to get everyone on their feet.
He heard awestruck voices whispering among the soldiers. "I can't believe the Herald and his guard came for us."
"I told you they come."
Blackwall was smiling broadly when she emerged. Apparently, the ruined fort had once been a Warden outpost of some kind, and he'd found a few treasures. He carried a banner over one shoulder, while Cassandra carried a book.
The big Avvar they'd met earlier was standing outside the gate as they started to leave. He gave them a respectful nod of his head. "Your god looks after you, Herald." He actually looked pleased when he saw the 'Hand of Korth' on the ground. "There lies the brat. His father, chief of our holding, would duel me for the loss, if he cared enough."
He then approached him. "The Inquisition has a purpose your chief lacks."
He looked at him contemplatively. "Is this why the Lady of the Skies led me here? To help heal the wounds in her skin?" He nodded. "Aye, I'll join you. Let me make peace with my kin, and I'll find where you set your flag."
Dorian grinned, then glanced over at Solas. "Solas, that little flare you sometimes do with your staff…" He tilted his head. "You're redirecting ambient energy to your personal aura?"
"Yes. The effect clears magical energy and creates a minor randomized barrier to impair incoming magic."
"Fascinating. It's a Tevinter technique. I've never seen anyone in this part of the world do it."
"The technique is not Tevinter. It is elven."
"Oh! That means we…" Dorian's steps faltered slightly. "Never mind, then."
"But do go on about the wonders of Tevinter magic." Solas shrugged, and then turned his eyes to Ellana. "We can show you, if you'd like."
"I was just about to ask." She smiled.
While her brother was out rescuing Inquisition soldiers, Evelyn went to visit Cullen and found him there slightly nervous.
"There you are." Cullen fumbled his pen, and it clattered to his desk and then onto the floor.
Evelyn picked it up and offered it back to him. "Were you waiting for me?"
"Yes. I mean, no." He took the pen from her.
She crossed her arms. "Oh, good. I've kept and not kept you waiting."
Cullen sighed. "Let me start over."
"By all means," she said trying to hold back a laugh to.
He set the pen down. "We have some dealings in Ferelden. I was hoping you might accompany me. When you can spare the time, of course."
"Is something wrong?"
"What? No. I would rather explain there. If you wish to go."
She smiled. "I believe there is time now."
"I will make the necessary arrangements."
It was nearly twilight when Cullen led her away from the camp. They walked through the trees to reach a small lake, glittering in the moonlight. "Where are we?"
He took her hand, and led her out onto the dock. "I just wanted you to experience a bit of peace. After all it is your job that keeps both the mages and Templars from killing each other, which is not easy. I wanted to take you away from that. If only for a moment." He gestured at the lily-covered lake. "I grew up not far from here. This place was always quiet."
She leaned into him for a moment. Then she stepped back and looked up at him. "Alone with a mage. That doesn't concern you?"
"The templars have rules on…" He leaned on one of the posts. "Fraternisation. But I'm no longer bound by them."
"I know, but…" She shifted uncertainly, then sighed. "You've seen the worst mages have to offer. How can you not see that in me?"
"I don't. If I've given you reason to doubt…" He sighed. "Of course I have." He took her hand, and pulled her to him. "Whatever I fear of magic, I see none of that in you." He rested his chin gently on the top of her head. "The last time I was here was the day I left for templar training. My brother gave me this." He let showed her an old Ferelden coin. "It just happened to be in his pocket, but he said it was for luck. Templars are not supposed to carry such things. Our faith should see us through."
She smiled up at him. "Faith is stronger. It gets us through when luck fails."
"I believe that, and yet…" He looked down at the coin in his hand. "This was the only thing I took from Ferelden that the templars didn't give me." He took her hand, and pressed the coin into it gently. "Humour me." He closed her hand over the coin. "We don't know what you'll face before the end. This can't hurt."
"I'll keep it safe." She tucked it away carefully.
"Good. I know it's foolish, but…" He pulled her to him once more. "I'm glad."
Ripples broke the surface of the lake as a water bird ducked beneath the surface. It was beautiful here, like the lake on her family's lands. She remembered how she and Maxwell played there when they were children trying to get away from their older siblings. More than once, she'd fallen asleep there, only for Maxwell to carry her home. "Did you come here often?"
"I loved my siblings, but they were very loud. I would come here to clear my head." He smiled fondly. "Of course, they always found me eventually."
"You were happy here?"
"I was." He kissed her softly. "I still am."
