Chapter 57) Poisonous Friend
Layla POV
So, this was it. It was the first day of classes as an apprentice mage. I was the new one, and all eyes were on me as I entered the room. I wanted to run. I hated being the center of attention when I was simply a scion of the Amell family. Now, I was a mage.
"You're Layla, right?" The first thing I saw was brown hair, and warm brown eyes. They matched his smile. "Scary when you first get here, but everyone's real nice. Mostly." He held out his hand. "I'm Jowan. It's nice to meet you." Hesitantly, I took his hand. It was as warm as his smile. "Here, I'll introduce you to the others. You'll be fine."
Holding his hand and seeing his smile, I could believe it.
"And there you go." I smiled as I healed the young boy's injuries. I had not gotten his name. "Be good to your sister, now," I told him. "She has been horribly worried." He grimaced, but nodded and bolted off to tackle her legs in a hug. My smile widened at their laughs and I stood, stretching. As I did so, I glanced at the lake and wondered how many corpses were still there, hiding below the surface. Should we just shoot lightning at it? Oh, but Teagan said that would kill the fish and really cause trouble. I was not sure how, but if it caused more trouble, we should probably avoid it.
Reminded of Teagan, I tried to find him in the crowd, and frowned when he was nowhere to be seen. This was the tenth time today he had ducked out of a healing. While he could be like Nuada, I felt like that was something to be said directly to me. It saved me some frustration, at least.
Sighing, I stood, brushing off my skirt, and meandered through the village, trying to find Teagan. Cleon was helping some of the civilians with their archery, Morrigan by his side to translate his signs. Sten, Aiden, Alistair, and Nuada were helping to clear out rubble. Elspeth was assisting Wynne tend to the wounded villagers. Leliana and Zevran were keeping the others entertained, Leliana through songs and stories and Zevran through sleights of hand that almost looked like magic. All in all, the setting was rather cheerful, certainly more so than when we arrived.
But I glanced at the sky, grimacing as I felt how thin the Veil was. We had to solve this quickly. Otherwise, they would simply be overrun again and again and again.
My feet found the path up the hill and took me by the windmill. It was a good thing, since that was where Teagan was, absently fixing the bandages on his arms as he stared into the distance.
I must have made some sort of noise, as he spoke without prompting. "Odd how quiet the castle looks from here." He glanced back at me with a small, sad smile. "You would think there was nobody inside at all," he murmured, focusing back on the castle.
"Highever looked similarly empty," I replied. It was probably no comfort, but I had no other words. "You keep escaping treatment. Do you not wished to be healed?"
"Mmm, I would not say that as I am too antsy to sit down long enough." He sighed and turned to face me. "I suppose it is causing you problems."
"I simply wish to know." I smiled softly. "Nuada only wishes treatment for the worst of wounds, for instances, but it took quite a bit of arguing to learn that."
"And I bet he talked around it for a long time." I simply kept up my smile. "I apologize, Lady Layla. I was simply checking the castle, and my plan."
"Your plan?" What plan?
"I had one to enter the castle." He did? "After the village was secured. I would not leave them just to satisfy my own selfishness." That sounded like something Nuada or Elspeth would say. Were all 'good' Fereldan nobles like that? "There is a secret passage here." He pointed to the windmill. "Its location is only truly known by my family. Nuada and Elspeth know of it, but not where it is." Why did no one say anything? …No, I knew why. It was because otherwise, the villagers would be dead. He chose to keep it quiet until now solely for that reason. It was the sort of benevolent manipulation I had seen in Irving. "Maker's breath!" Startled, I whirled, fearing a corpse had stumbled up. But, instead, I found a red-haired woman dressed in a beautiful dress running down the path. Who was this?
"Teagan!" Her voice was accented, similar to Leliana's, but thicker. She sounded close to tears, and her eyes were bloodshot and redrimmed as she ran right to him, ignoring me completely. "Thank the Maker you yet live," she breathed, smiling softly at him. Was this his wife?
"Isolde! You're alive!" Teagan's smile was warm and bright, and I tried to remember where I heard the name before. "How did you…?" he began, before shaking his head. "No, never mind that." Oh, that was right. Isolde was the wife of Arl Eamon here. "What has happened?"
"I do not have much time to explain." She was hesitant, nervous. "I slipped away as soon as I saw the battle was over, and I must return quickly." Was there a hostage situation? "And I need you to return with me, Teagan." Uh… "Alone."
"I am horribly naïve, so perhaps I am wrong…" I began slowly. My instincts were screaming, and not just because of the torn Veil. "But this sounds like a trap to me."
"What?" She focused on me, and gave me such a suspicious and distrustful look. "I…" She glanced at Teagan. "Who is this woman, Teagan?" she demanded. I blinked slowly, not quite sure what was going on. She was married to Arl Eamon, right? So, why did she sound so jealous?
"Her name is Layla Amell, Lady Isolde." That answer came from Alistair, actually, and I turned to see him coming up the path. He looked so resigned about something. "Good day, my lady," he greeted, bowing slightly as he came to stand next to me. I gave him a reassuring smile. "You remember me, I think."
The glare said 'yes'. "Alistair?" She sighed, face becoming disgusted. I bristled at it. "Of all the…" How dare she?! She just swooped down here, made demands, and then was insulting… Maker's blood, this woman was horrible! "Why are you here?" …Was I having too bad a reaction for her disliking my friend? I did not think so…?
"Alistair and Layla both came with their companions to assist us," Teagan answered, steering the conversation towards him. He did it so easily that I wondered if he had done it before. "Nuada and Elspeth are in the village, as well, and truly, their company is filled with kind and skilled people." I smiled at the praise. "I owe them my life, as does the village." It did not escape me that she had not asked about the villagers yet, despite being the lady of the lands here. It contrasted so sharply with Teagan's attitude.
"…" Isolde sighed and curtseyed to us. "Pardon me," she mumbled. I was not sure if she was saying it because she truly thought it, or if she was just trying to gain favor from Teagan. "I would exchange pleasantries, but considering the circumstances…"
"It is fine, Lady Isolde." I had no idea who was more startled by Alistair's reply: Isolde or Teagan. But both looked like something had hit them in the head. "But please, we had no idea anyone was even alive within the castle," he pointed out. His tone was the perfect mix of firmness and kindness. "If you can give us some answers, then we can help."
"I…" She was nervous again. "I know. I know you need more of an explanation, but I…" She glanced at Teagan, silently begging him for help. "I don't know what is safe to tell." We originally thought rogue mage. Then we thought Loghain and Howe had used an apostate to rip open the Veil. Was it even more complicated than that? "Let me think…" She wrung her hands, bit her lip. "There is… a terrible evil within the castle." I suspected demon. "The dead waken and hunt the living." We had seen this. "The mage responsible was caught, but still, it continues." Well, that was because the mage either did not end the spell or the demon went out of the mage's 'control'. "And I think… I think Connor is going mad." Her voice broke with a sob, and it took me only a second to remember that Connor was her son. If there was anything good to say about her, it was that she was a kind mother. "We have survived, but he will not flee the castle. He has seen so much death…"
"Connor is about twelve," Alistair whispered to me as Isolde's breath hitched, and she covered her face with her hands to hide the tears. Teagan reassuringly patted her on the shoulder, waiting for her to continue. "Very kind, very gentle. He used to toddle after me, actually, before I was sent away. Lady Isolde didn't much like that." Somehow, that did not surprise me. "Arl Eamon thought it hilarious."
"You must help him, Teagan!" Whatever reply I might've had was cut off by Isolde's plea. "You are his uncle. You could reason with him." Where was his father? Was Arl Eamon…? "I do not know what else to do!"
"Then is Arl Eamon dead?" Alistair sounded so resigned. I leaned into him supportively.
"No, not yet." She was so hesitant, so unsure. I almost felt bad. "He is being kept alive so far, thank the Maker." That was… a strange phrase to use? Oh, this really was a hostage situation, was it not?
"By what? The mage?"
"No, something the mage unleashed." The demon was keeping Arl Eamon alive? That sounded… unusual? "So far, it allows Eamon, Connor, and myself to live." Why? Why them? Something was wrong. "The others were not so fortunate. I tried keeping them safe in my rooms, but…" She shuddered. "It's killed so many, and turned their bodies into walking nightmares! Once it was done, it struck the village!" From there, the demon's influence crept into the bodies long kept below the soil. No wonder there had been so many corpses. "I do not know why this is happening."
"If I may tell you a theory?" I hesitantly began. Teagan seemed to be thinking hard, so it was best to just give him the time, yes? "I believe this is the work of a demon." She gasped dramatically, hands flying to her mouth in wide-eyed horror. "The signs coincide well."
"They do?" she asked softly, her voice fragile. At my nod, she started crying okay. "Oh, Maker, I can't let it hurt Connor or Eamon!" She turned to Teagan again. "You must come back with me! Please! If it does not find me… if it thinks I am betraying it or something…!" Then it was very possible the demon would kill Connor or Arl Eamon.
"…Cailan is dead," Teagan finally whispered. He glanced briefly at Alistair before he closed his eyes, and I vaguely remembered King Cailan had been his nephew. "Bryce is dead. We need my brother more than ever." He nodded and opened his eyes, focusing on Isolde. "I will return to the castle with you, Isolde." She smiled warmly, even though she still cried. "Just give me a minute." She nodded and stepped away, up the castle way.
"You mentioned a plan," I whispered as soon as she was out of earshot. Teagan nodded. "Are you counting on that?"
"I have no illusions of dealing with this evil alone. Your group, on the other hand? I think you could save what remains." He took off his signet ring and passed it to Alistair. "I think you remember the way, Alistair. I snuck you out on a hunt through it." Alistair smiled sadly and nodded. "With luck, I can provide enough of a distraction for you to get inside." From there, we could become an even bigger distraction and make the demon focus on us, instead of the village. "Now, I want to make something clear." His eyes were deadly serious. "Eamon and Connor are the priority. If you have to…" I felt myself grow cold. I knew what he was saying. I did not like it.
"We will save Redcliffe." I made my words firm, resolute. We had saved the Tower. We had saved the Dalish. We had saved Highever. We had saved Redcliffe Village. We would save the castle too. We were stronger than we had been in Ostagar. "Keep safe until then."
"The Maker smiled on me indeed when you all arrived." Teagan's smile was soft. "Farewell, and good luck. Alistair, if we survive this… I recall owing you a drink since you're of age now." With that friendly goodbye, he left. We remained exactly where we were, watching until he was out of sight.
"I think we need to get to the others now." Alistair sighed at some point. He held up the ring, watching it glint in the sunlight. "This seemed so much heavier when I was younger."
"It is probably because you have to shoulder greater weights now," I pointed out. He sighed and nodded. "Have you…?" Was it my right to ask? I wanted to. Perhaps I should. It might not be the right time, but… "Have you thought more about taking the throne?"
"I can't lead."
"Aiden thought the same." I smiled slightly. "I think he is doing a good job, though, yes?"
"True." He sighed. "Let me… think more. For the first time in my life, I actually get to choose my future."
"You… never did before?" That seemed so confusing to me. Based on everything I have seen, a human male like Alistair should have had… most of the options.
"I was a servant here, by virtue of Arl Eamon taking me in to cover my father's 'mistake'." He sounded a little bitter when he said 'my father'. I chose to not ask. "When I was ten, I was placed in the Chantry. When I was thirteen, they decided I was skilled enough with fighting to go into templar training. And six months ago, Duncan saved me from taking my vows by making me a Warden." Now his smile was bitter. "I love being a Warden. But I didn't really get a choice in the matter." Actually, did any of us here? I was given, essentially, to the Wardens, to be spared a harsh fate for helping Jowan. Cleon had to join to not die, which I could not really call a 'choice', regardless of what Morrigan thought. Aiden had to join to not be strung up like a criminal for protecting his family. Nuada… was probably the only one who did choose, but even then, I do not think he had wanted to make that choice right then. Only our traveling companions were with us willingly. "So, I don't know what to do. I need to think."
"Okay." I made my smile warm. "Let us rejoin the others."
"Yeah. And Layla?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks."
What was he thanking me for? "Always, Alistair. Are we not friends?" I felt like teasing him, to lighten the mood. "Oh, but along those lines, would you like help wooing Elspeth?"
"I think you need more help with Nuada." HEY! I-I did not…! Oh, my face was so red! "Wow, you look like a tomato."
"Oh, quiet!"
"Funny how secret passageways make such handy entrances, yes?" Zevran quipped as we stepped out of the tunnel into… some part of the castle. "And to the dungeons too! No wonder they kept it under lock and key. Jailbreak waiting to happen."
"The doors are surprisingly sturdy," Alistair defended. He moved some crates out of the way and helped Wynne and me over some debris. "I locked myself in here, once, when I was a child. For an entire day. Ahhh, good times." I had many, many questions on the treatment he endured as a child. I truly did.
"They might be sturdy, but I imagine a good spell could break the locks," Wynne murmured thoughtfully. She looked a little pale. "I forgot how much I hated tunnels." Oh, Wynne… "Regardless, shall we split up to find the stairs up?"
"That's a good plan. I'm not sure if I remember the layout." Still, Alistair glanced at me and waited for my nod before committing. "Yes, let's do that. I'll take this path here." He pointed down a path. "I think it's the right one, but I'm not sure."
"Well, we are at a convenient fork," I pointed out. We really were. There were only three paths to take. "So, Zevran goes one way, I go the other, and Wynne accompanies whoever she wants." She immediately stepped closer to Alistair. I was not surprised. "Shout if you find the door?"
"Sounds good." Alistair prodded my cheek, even as Zevran winked and dashed off already. "Use your sword while you're here." I grimaced at the thought. It felt clunky on my hip. "You should get used to using it during a fight, and killing the dead seems like a good way." I nodded reluctantly, already feeling sick to my stomach. "See you soon."
"Careful everyone." I waved goodbye and started down the remaining path. I drew my sword as I did, disliking how heavy it felt. At least it was not impossibly heavy. Nuada had made sure to give me exercises to do every other day to strengthen my arms and wrist. I was also fairly confident I could use it without hurting myself. But the idea of slicing a person…? Well, it was not any less moral than crushing them with magic.
Sounds caught my ear and I felt ill to my stomach as I realized something else. I would be fighting alone. It was only us four in the castle for now. The others were in the village, waiting to make sure no corpses would attack while we snuck around. I had not fought alone… in a very long while. Had I ever? But I had to now. I refused to die. So I took a deep breath, stepped around the corner to find the undead trying to swarm a cell, and swung at the closest one.
I nearly threw up at the feeling of slicing through flesh. I nearly let go as the jolt as the sword cracked against bone. And this was a corpse, something without blood, so it was cleaner than normal.
I… had to do this. So I ground my teeth, set my stance, and ripped the blade out to shove it straight through the corpse's skull, shattering it. And then I whirled to decapitate the next one, to slice off the limbs of the one after that.
It was a bloodless carnage. As I stood among the re-killed corpses, I could understand why Alistair had wanted me to practice now. Now, I had another step to stand on. Now, I would not have to go straight from sparring to killing, blood spurting all over me as it had at Highever Castle. This was my memory, not the ancient being who forced his memories on me. I could do it alone. It would not be a vague instinct controlling me. It would be myself.
Breathing in deep, settling my nerves, I sheathed the sword and glanced around the area. They had been trying to attack something in that cell. Why? Was someone-?
"Hello?" I froze. I knew that voice. I knew that voice very, very well. "Is there someone out there?" Oh, Maker, why? Why him? "Who is it?" Unable to say anything, I moved in front of the cell, just staring at him. "By all that's holy…!" He stared right back. I wondered how I looked to him. He looked thinner, ragged. "You…?" He reached up. I saw the scar in his hand. "I can't believe…"
"Jowan?" My voice shook. This was no specter, no ghost conjured by a demon. This was really him.
"Maker's breath, how did you get here?" He kept staring. And I stared back. Neither of us knew how to react. "I… never thought I'd see you again, of all people."
"The feeling is mutual." My fingers twitched at my side, and some part of me was screaming, reminding me of the threat I had made last time I saw him. But I could not bring up the energy to act on it. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, this is standard treatment for all traitors and would-be assassins." What. "I wouldn't be surprised if they sent you to finish me off. Poetic, yeah?" He was…?
"You are the mage Isolde mentioned?" He nodded and I could only stare. "Jowan, what did you do?!" My voice echoed harshly, and I heard frantic footsteps come for me. But I could not react to them. It took everything I had to not break down in sobs.
"I… poisoned the arl." JOWAN! "For all I know, he's dead already." He relayed it clinically, like a report for a teacher. He seemed too tired and defeated to react any more.
Automatically, I opened my mouth to reassure him. I hesitated before actually doing it. "He is not, if Isolde is telling the truth."
"Really?" He smiled, face lighting up. The smile just made me ill. "What a relief."
"Jowan."
"Yes, I know." He sighed, smile falling. "I know. And I know what you must think of it. I am the blood mage. Of course I'd set a demon on-"
"You are too stupid to even think that." He winced and I glared. "What is happening? What is going on? Tell me."
"…Can I ask one thing first?" He gave me a pleading look. I knew what he wanted to ask.
"They took Lily to Aenor." He flinched. "I tried to stop it, but she took her punishment with her head held high." She accepted her fate, worse than death. He had run, to save his life, and what did he do with it? He poisoned someone?
"My poor Lily… I condemned you both." It was a little late for guilt, Jowan. I would have told him it if I did not feel like crying. "And what happened to you? Were you all right?"
"I am a Warden, now, and I am a survivor of Ostagar." He flinched again. "I have been through more battles than I can count, and I have grown in ways I did not want."
"I can tell." His smile was bitter. I much preferred it. "Your glare is actually terrifying now." Well, that was a relief. "And you're wearing a sword." Yes, I was. "Now, tell me what happened."
"Right." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was already imprisoned when the killing and corpses began. I didn't even know what was going on until Lady Isolde came here demanding I reverse what I'd done." What was he doing here anyway, though? "I thought she meant my poisoning of the arl, so I told her I couldn't. I didn't even make the poison, so I didn't have an antidote."
"Of course you did not make it. You were always rubbish at potion-making."
"Yeah, you and Anders had to help me. I paid you back." Yes, I knew that. He repaid us with jokes and stories, laughter and excuses out of trouble. We four had always been so, so close. Now look at us. "So, that's the first you heard about it?"
"Yeah, there aren't any others down here, and no corpses made it down until recently." He sighed again. "She thought I'd summoned a demon to torment her family and destroy Redcliffe."
"Well, you learned blood magic from a demon."
"Actually, I learned from Uldred." What. "I suppose you should slip that to-"
"Uldred is dead. He nearly destroyed the Tower." He flinched and I hesitated before adding, "it will be fine. And Neria was alive when I left." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Continue please."
"Well, not much more on that front. Tortured me for answers, but since I had none, she left me here to rot." I… oh, I had so many words for Isolde. I truly did.
But there was something far more important to ask. "Why did you poison the arl?"
"I was instructed to, by Teyrn Loghain." Oh. So that was how he was involved. But how did he meet Jowan? "He came to visit me, after the templars caught me and brought me to Denerim for execution." So, he had been caught? Where were the templars that had held him though? "He told me Arl Eamon was a threat, that if I helped he'd help me with the Circle."
"The Chantry would never allow that."
"I didn't want to stay at the Circle. I just wanted to go back and apologize." Did he think an apology would fix things, make it right? I did not want an apology! "But I've been abandoned here, right? Everything's fallen apart again." He covered his face. "That's how many mistakes? How many people disappointed? I wish I could go back in time."
"That is impossible."
"Yes, but it's the only way to make everything right again."
"I would not trust you to try."
"…I deserved that one." He laughed bitterly. "I really deserved that one."
He did. But I would stay focused. My head felt a mess, but I would stay focused. "How did you even get in here, though?"
"That's…" He hesitated before shaking his head. "Connor is a mage." What. "Lady Isolde was terrified the Circle would take him away for training." Well, that was the law. "So, she sought an apostate to teach her son in secret. Her husband had no idea."
"So you tricked someone again by using their kindness against them?" I thought of Lily, clutched the bracelet she gave me. "How many people must you poison, Jowan?"
"I know." He groaned. "Arl Eamon is a decent man. I wondered how he could possibly be the threat Loghain said he was, but I did it anyway." He sighed. Yet again. "I'm such a fool." I would not argue that. "Layla-"
"If you try to manipulate me again, Jowan, so help me…!" I glared at him and he flinched back. "I should just leave you here!"
"So, I am spared, but not this pitiful man?" I squeaked and whirled to find Zevran behind me. When had he…? Ah, that was right. There had been footsteps. He must have been watching since then. "Is that truly fair?" he asked me. I simply glared at him. "What? No kind words from the gentle healer?"
"Zevran, what are you getting at?" I demanded, facing him fully. "This is…!" This was Jowan being stupid, again. This was him hurting people, again.
"I am simply asking, dear Layla, if you are truly thinking." Of course I-!" "Or are you reacting?" I… had no reply to that. I wanted Nuada here. I wanted Aiden here. I wanted Cleon here. But neither was. In this scenario, I was the leader. "That's all." He patted me on the head, surprisingly gentle. I wanted to cry. "You don't want to have regrets hanging on you. It is very painful." I doubted I would regret…! …No, I would. I would, because…
"You are mean." Zevran chuckled softly and I turned to glare at Jowan. He stared back. "…I have not forgiven you." He flinched. Again. "I doubt I ever will." But I cast a fire spell to melt the lock and opened the cell. He blinked slowly at me. "You will stay with Wynne." I felt sick. I wanted to bawl. "Come on then. "Even though I could not forgive him… even though I wanted to hate him so much… I still cared for him dearly. This was Jowan, my first friend, my brother in all but blood.
Everything hurt. Someone, get this toxin out of my head, please.
Alistair's memory had proven true, and he led the way outside. Wynne had gone cold and glary when she saw Jowan, but she accepted her role as his keeper. Zevran joked her into a better mood by making her exasperated with him instead. Alistair made sure he was between Jowan and me at all times as we made our way through the halls and into the courtyard.
Of course, the courtyard was teeming with corpses. Thankfully, our group was just on the other side of the very easily opened gate. Though, I did wonder how they knew to be there?
'Don't look so shocked.' I blinked slowly as Cleon suddenly appeared in front of me. His smile was soft as he gave me a quick hug. 'We had someone keeping guard here too,' he signed. 'It didn't take long to get everyone up.' Oh, I see. 'Are you okay?'
"…I have been better," I admitted, signing slower than I probably should. Cleon just gave me another hug. "But I will be okay for now. I promise."
'Well, you are better than some people in our group about that word.' I wondered why he did not use names, but then smiled when I saw Elspeth was walking up. 'I wonder who.'
"I am much better than Nuada, thank you," Elspeth noted with a little bit of dignity. I almost laughed. "Cleon, join up with Zevran. You are going to guard Leliana as she picks open the gate." Could gates be picked open? "Redcliffe relies too much on its gates to fuss about how easily the locks are picked."
'Is that not bad?'
"If you want, I can recite the long list of sieges Redcliffe has survived over the ages." This time, I did laugh. I felt so much better. "I'm paired with Alistair, so-"
"I bet you like that!" I teased, unable to help it.
"Shall I tell Nuada you wish to be by his side forever?" Flustered as I was, I was still glad she was playing. "Cleon, you can stop smirking."
'Why? I have such a delightful smirk.' Elspeth and I exchanged a look at Cleon's signs. 'Sten is glaring.' Of course he was. That said… well, the others were fighting, and we were decidedly… not. 'I'm off.'
"As am I," Elspeth whispered. She patted me on the shoulder and gave me a small smile. "I will tell him you were reporting, so that he doesn't give you a lecture." That would be good.
She slipped into the battle easily, arrows flying. I watched the battle, trying to get numbers and, more importantly, to see if there were any 'special' corpses about. An arcane horror would be a nightmare right now, for instance. As would…
"Layla." Oh, there was Nuada. He moved to keep me on his blind side. "Everything all right?" he asked. I gave him a look and gestured around. "Yes, let me rephrase that. Are you all right aside from the ever so rude corpses that do not understand this is Redcliffe, not a Nevarran Crypt?" Smiling slightly, I nodded. "All right." He pointed to some armored people I did not recognize. "Aiden got the knights to come with us. No, I don't know how. Sten thought it impressive, which should tell you a lot." That it did! "However, I have a question about something." Hmm? "What in bloody flames is that?"
He pointed to a heavily armored undead, and I shivered. "That… is a revenant, I believe," I whispered, hugging myself to try and calm my shaking. I had been afraid of this. "Its presence implies we have a desire or pride demon pulling the strings. They are very powerful undead." This was bad. "Leave it to Morrigan and me." Wynne was busy with Jowan. "You must stay out of range and deal with them quickly. I believe we will be best for that."
"Please don't call down that storm on us again." I scowled, and he laughed. He ruffled my hair, and my heart skipped a beat when his fingers trailed down my cheek. He stared a moment, just a heartbeat, and then he was off, sliding to guard Aiden's side as an undead tried to rip his abdomen open. Aiden reacted easily, shifting to make sure he covered Nuada's blind side as he cut down three corpses with a swing. The two quickly coordinated with Sten to mark a 'center' of the field.
Hunting through the chaos, I bolted for Morrigan, snagging her by the arm. "We must deal with the revenant!" I explained, pointing for emphasis. Aiden and Nuada were yelling for everyone to clear away from it. I flinched as it used magic to draw someone close anyone, and crushed them in a single blow. "Quickly!"
"You do not know 'entropy' spells, do you?" she asked. I shook my head, grimacing. I was horrible with entropy spells. Anders and I had commiserated over it while learning. "Petrification? Freezing?"
"Immune to nature and ice spells." We had to think fast. "Oh, I think they are weak to fire."
"I will trap it in a barrier if you will cast the fire spell. You are much more proficient in them than I." Something about that just felt ironic. "Ready?"
Nodding, I took a deep breath, and focused. I sensed where Morrigan laid out the barrier and I focused my magic within those boundaries. When the magic peaked, I released it, sparking an inferno. The fire whipped about in a tornado and the revenant screeched horribly as it was set aflame. It tried to run, but crashed right into Morrigan's barrier. She had snapped it up right after I unleashed my spell, to ensure it would not interfere with my casting. Both of us focused everything we had in maintaining our spells. I had to keep mine burning until the revenant was nothing but ash. Morrigan had to hold her barrier to make sure it did not crash through. We were both shaking, panting, sweat dripping down our faces.
We both breathed sighs of relief when it finally died, and shared a smile when we dispelled the spells so the ash could catch on the wind. Then we started giggling for no other reason than the gleeful aftermath of a successful casting of difficult spells. It was inappropriate for the situation, but it was also a reflex.
A whistle caught our attention and we turned to see the others waving for us. The other corpses were dead, and the doors had been blasted open. Nodding, we caught up with the group easily and raced inside the castle with barely a word to each other. Just as silently, Nuada, Elspeth, and Alistair took the lead, taking us right to the receiving room.
There, we saw Teagan, dancing around like some demented jester. We saw knights lining the walls, staring into nothing. We saw Isolde standing by a gilded chair, slumped over, defeated. We saw a young boy sitting in that gilded chair, clapping and laughing. I could sense the magic in him. It was strong and bright, like a beacon in the dark. But the echo in his voice, and the shadows in the power also screamed what had happened. He had been possessed. He was an abomination.
Maker, I fucking hated you.
Author's notes: And here we meet the villain of the Redcliffe arc. And poor Layla meeting Jowan again and getting some old scars ripped open. (And cursing for the first time? Not so certain on that one.)
Revenants, according to the wiki, have high armor, health, regeneration, and defense. And a weakness to fire. And immunity to ice, nature, stun, knockdown, flanking, backstabbing, and +X damage vs. undead effects.
Dragon Age 2 had some mages (i.e. not Hawke) have spell trees inaccessible to them. I'm doing the same here, with Layla.
Next Chapter – Connor's Fate with Aiden
