Chapter 92) Something Wicked

Cleon POV


"You see, Cleon?" Merrill's enthusiastic flailing was adorable, so much so that I chose to not point out that she had started in the middle of a conversation again. So, no, I didn't see. "Demons are attracted to places of death and doom because the Veil is thinner in those places, and they are drawn to the strong emotions the dying have!"

"Merrill, is that really something you should be enthusiastic about?" I asked dryly, leaning back against the aravel. "It sounds like you're happy about death?"

"Oh, well, no." She slumped a little. "No, but I do wonder if there are 'safer' ways to harness that power? Blood magic isn't evil, just… um…"

"Misunderstood?"

"I was thinking 'used for bad things', but that works." She smiled sweetly. "I want to work with this sort of emotion. Think of what we could learn from the dead!"

"Let's avoid the ghosts for now."

"Aw, you're no fun."


After checking on everyone's health, and actually tending to the sick people, Valendrian had a request for us. Apparently, the orphanage had been one of the worst struck during the 'purge' Howe ordered. Everyone in there died, from the children to the workers. But, recently, there had been some strange noises, making him wonder if, perhaps, there was a survivor who was still trapped, afraid of coming out. Thus, he asked us to investigate.

It took two steps for the former templar, the mage, and the hunter with enough of a magical gift to sense off things to figure out what the noises were. Ghosts and demons. Which means I was, once again, in a situation where my traveling companions were reacting to things that I didn't even know existed. It was like Hespith all over again. Except with more ghosts.

'So, over here, we have a whimpering ghost child, running from the scary armed people,' Alistair signed, looking remarkably cheerful. I knew he was using it as a shield. The smell of the corpses was nauseating, and this was after the elves had done their best to clean out the place. Not to mention the blood on the walls, dried all the way up to the ceiling. I had a feeling some of the children here died from being beaten with blunt objects. 'So, let's see what is behind door number one!' Definitely a shield.

Well, door number one revealed a room that literally sparked as we walked past. We had to duck under objects as they suddenly came our way. Random books and shards of ceramic pots. But we made it through easily, even if I ended up with a bruised arm because I couldn't duck the one that came behind me.

'Do you hear me, Ser Wilhem, Ser Wilhem?' Oh, great. We were back to creepy nursery rhymes. 'I'm a falling, Ser Wilhem, Ser Wilhem, today.' I really had to fight off the urge to sigh. 'I'm a maiden, Ser Wilhem, Ser Wilhem.' This was a rhyme that made no sense. 'But I'm dying, Ser Wilhem, Ser Wilhem, in pain.' …Well, that was a cheery way to end it.

'How lovely,' I signed, feeling exasperated. We were walking through the halls, and I was just done with the whole thing already. 'So, what is that?' I pointed up ahead, to where a child passed us. 'Besides another ghost.'

'Well we have a child screaming 'no' as he runs,' Alistair signed, also explaining why he and Layla looked ready to break into tears. I didn't blame them. 'Okay, if I get made king, the first thing I'm going to do is get someone in the Alienage to advise me, because damn this to the Void.' Oh, good job, world! You made Alistair lose his temper!

Another room and suddenly we were wrapped in flames. But they were strangely cool to the touch. 'It is an echo,' Layla signed. She looked so tired. 'They must have set the place aflame, to make sure there were few survivors.' She pointed to something in the flames. 'What is…?'

'A woman laughing maniacally about all the red.' Oh, so that was what was going on? 'And declaring that she can't die.' Well, clearly, that wasn't true. 'Layla, please tell me I am imagining the rips in her skirt.'

'Do you want me to lie?' Oh. Lovely.

'Complete reworking of the guards too. That is a thing that needs to be done.' The flames cleared, and we made ourselves keep going forward.

Outside the room, we were rewarded with another child's ghost. Or was this the same child, over and over again. 'One, two, Maric's run through.' WELL, THAT WAS A LOVELY START TO A NURSERY RHYME. 'Three, four, the kingdom's at war.' Well, that was… sort of true. 'Eight, nine, and now you die!' What happened to five, six, and seven? 'It is followed by a weeping sort of laughter.' I looked up at Layla's face, and she shook her head. 'They are heading into that room…'

The three of us exchanged grim looks before following. Even then, we had to stop and stare as we entered that large room, hiding in the back. Corpses. Some rotted, but still showing their injuries. Others charred. This was where they had tried to hide. This was where the guards had slaughtered most of them. The floor was sticky from all the blood.

Oh, but that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was all the ghosts. Creators have mercy… Falon'din, have mercy… they were still trapped here.

'The children are asking what's going on,' Alistair signed. Layla had covered her face to hide her tears. 'The adults are trying to soothe them, or beg the guards to leave the children alone.' He pointed to one in the corner before signing what I thought were the child's last words. 'Andraste, I don't want to go yet… please…' A child was saying this? 'It's so cold now… so cold…' Alistair's hands fell briefly, and I could tell he was trying to figure out what to do. 'There are a lot of screams.'

'A mage.' Layla's crisp signs made both of us start. 'There was a child with magic here,' she signed, eyes certain even as she still cried. 'It's like Connor again. He ripped it open to try and save everyone.' Oh… 'It must be the boy we saw running through, singing the nursery rhymes. He's still trying to protect them, and he doesn't realize the truth.'

'So, we are looking for a demon.' So, it seemed. I glanced around, wrinkling my nose as I caught the scent of fresh fire and smoke. 'I think Cleon found it.'

'Rage demon,' I signed. It wasn't too shocking. There had to be a lot of anger here. 'Oh, look, there it is.' It lifted itself right out of the floor.

Of course, Alistair immediately used a templar trick to clear the place of magic, followed by Layla freezing it. I quickly lunged forward and shattered it and as the ice crystals rained down, the ghosts disappeared.

But the general feel of the air didn't die. It would probably never die. The bodies… the blood… all of it was a testament to just how low some shemlen thought of elves.

When one group of people thought themselves superior, blood and chaos followed their every action. I could see that evidence with my own eyes, and never felt older and sadder.


When we returned, the three of us could only stop and stare. Because Aiden was there to greet us. Oh, Mythal, ma serranas. After what happened in the orphanage, we needed the good news.

'Before you ask, Lord Nuada is very crafty,' Aiden signed, smiling. His hair was damp, and he smelled like soap, so I think he just got out of a bath. Then again, he also smelled of that lavender oil Zevran really liked. 'We've been out for a while. How was the Alienage?'

'All is well, now,' I signed back, smiling in relief. They were okay. That was what mattered. All of us were still okay. 'We might have gotten a little dramatic?'

'Oh, yes, I might have heard about the port freezing.' He signed the words twice, and combined with his exasperated look, I knew we were in for some trouble. 'Really, you three?'

'Hey, it was cool!'

'I refuse to dignify that pun with a response.' What… oh, ha, I didn't even mean to do that. 'Allow me to thank you for the help, though.' The exasperation faded for simple contentment. 'How was everyone?'

'It seems like everyone is recovering.' I hesitated before adding, 'there are a lot dead.' I couldn't bring myself to sign more, and Alistair and Layla didn't elaborate either.

'Of course. There always are when there's a purge.' He shrugged it off too easily, in my opinion. 'We get off luckier on them. There haven't been any official ones since the Orlesian Occupation until now.' That did not make me feel better.

'If I may?' Layla waved to make sure she had my attention before continuing, 'Where is Nuada?' she asked. Her face was a little pink under the freckles, and I was glad for the subject change. 'Is he here?'

'Yeah, he just got back from doing something that got him injured,' Aiden signed, face distinctly unamused. Oh, what did he get involved in and how much would I want to kill him for it? 'Something involving the Antivan Crows.' …Really, Nuada? 'He is talking with Anora now.' It took me a moment to recognize the sign we had made for her name. 'I am certain he would appreciate a distraction right now, though.'

'You sure? He could be working.'

'When I passed by, Anora was trying to get him to promise support, and Lord Nuada was avoiding without avoiding.' Weren't they supposed to be old friends? Why jump into the politics immediately? 'I think she is well aware that she is with a group of people who do not look on her favorably, and is trying to secure protection.'

'Meaning Nuada and Elspeth are her targets,' Alistair signed, looking exasperated. I wasn't surprised. 'Where is she?'

'Out,' Aiden answered, shrugging. 'She is meeting with some nobles in the tavern, with Sten as her guard. She likely won't be back until late.' Meaning she was safe. 'Regardless, come inside and find something to do. No one is leaving.'

'Wait, why?'

'Have you forgotten? The Landsmeet is in two days.' That… was right. It was two days until the Landsmeet. Two days until what we had worked for would… we would finally take out Loghain. We would get the last of the armies. We would fight the Blight alone, from then on.

Two days until the beginning of the end, so to speak. My, my, how ominous.


Author's Note: Something Wicked is a quest that involves a rather badass templar, but I excised him for convenience. It's tied to a couple of other side quests as well, but I didn't show them. The pain purpose was to highlight just how bad Howe's purge of the Alienage was, as it's something that can be overlooked, or put into a simple 'tell but not shown'.

Next Chapter – Interlude, Elspeth