A/N Sorry about the LONG wait. I couldn't figure out where this story was going so I watched a hundred hours of Dragon Age Inquisition, played 40 hours of Dragon Age 2, got some full nights of sleep, then realized exactly where I wanted this to go. :) Have fun everyone!
Read, Review, and Enjoy!
I didn't sleep. My mind haunted by my past still after so many years of living with it. I woke up screaming as I felt her heart stop as her head laid in my lap. I dare not speak her name ever again, just thinking about it... no. No, not again.
Relas stayed quiet that morning, silently watching the fire as I brewed a new batch of deathroot extract.
He probably thinks I was having a nightmare about Darien's clan, the... Dorfarla clan I think, yeah.
"How long until they're ready?"
I look up from my mortar and pestle where I was slowly grinding down some more deathroot for a second infusion. "About another hour or so, then another three for them to fully concentrate. If you want I could just concentrate them now, they won't last that long, a week at the most before the glass would corrode and shatter."
He shakes his head, "No, no I was just curious..." He picks up a vial of darkspawn blood I took from Soldier's Peak.
I grab it from him and put in the pouch at my side with the other rare reagents. "About?"
He looks over a waves at the brew, "How did you learn about all this? I don't think the clan even brewed poisons," He picks up a restoration potion and sniffs it before coughing as it gives him a buzz. "Fenedhis!"
I take it from him as well.
"How in the creators- who did you learn that one from?" he coughs out the buzz and shakes off the immediate stimulation it gives.
I smirk, "I personally brewed this recipe," I swirl the bright red and orange liquid a bit to get the bits of elfroot and spindleweed to reconstitute. I take a drop and press it into the two closed cuts on my left cheek, hissing as it sizzles audibly, "to invigorate recovery while healing a wound."
Relas sees my pain and hands me a strip of cloth I kept to clean flasks for reuse.
"Thanks." I hold it to my face and sigh as I reseal the potion and stick it back in my pack. I place the mortar in my lap and work the pestle with my free hand to get back to my thoughts.
"So how do you do it? Just grind them up and mix with water?" he asks as he flicks one of the brews of deathroot extract.
I laugh at the oversimplification, "You need to grind the ingredients in a clean environment while boiling a pot of fresh rainwater and heating the glass to just too hot for you to touch." I tap some bits of deathroot back into the mortar and set it to the side to grab my knife and cutting board. I work through the instructions the elder of Lothering, Miriam, taught me. "Next you would carefully add the deathroot dust to the boiling water, careful to not breathe any of it in." I cut the dried end of the clipped root and chop another two inches along before sticking the knife in the fire fore a moment to cauterize the stem. "Then while you stir it periodically it should boil down for at least three hours, unless you're in a rush, then you bring out the tempered glassware and make a pot of it in half an hour by burning coal."
At least ideally you should. Not many actually do in this barbaric world. Or at least in Ferelden.
He looks at me like I'm joking, "Really?" he laughs a bit.
I nod seriously, "Yes, it takes a lot to make poisons, even more to make potions. I personally like adding a bit of deep mushroom to my health potions so you know for sure its supposed to heal you, even if it smells like musty mint."
He cringes, "So that's what I was smelling."
I dice and then mince the chunk of deathroot, crushing it with the side of my blade periodically before sliding it off into the first deathroot brew, covering the top with my blade as it threatens to boil over. "If you brew it too fast it turns into a paste, which works well for combat. If you work it slowly..." I push the deathroot dust into the farthest brew and it simmers slightly, "Then it stays liquid, allowing you to draw the color and taste right out by adding feladaris, making it a tasteless, colorless, poison that'll kill you within the hour if concentrated a dozen times or so."
"Creators..." He breathes in shock.
"Yep, think of that the next time you hear of a noble getting poisoned. The assassin that planted that poison needed to spend weeks preparing just the poison used, unless you're the crows, then you just hire on a master alchemist to work a constant brew."
He laughs, "So you're a master alchemist now?"
I shake my head, "No, no, I'm barely adept at this." I take my blade off the first brew and chill it remotely using my magic, watching the glass warp slightly as I do it too quickly. I cork the flask off after adding some lyrium dust, "Come on, I'll show you something vile I figured out after one to many warped flasks and sleepless nights.
He nods as I carefully carry the concoction over to where Morrigan and I had our spat. "Stand clear." I warn before shaking the potion violently and rushing over to the treeline, putting it at the base as it fizzles. I turn and fucking bolt it a good twenty feet away, dragging Relas with me. We turn around just as it destabilizes, flashing brightly as the glass cracks and oxygen reacts with the lyrium dust to explode in a flash of bright blue flames that ignite the tree I set it at in a cloud of elemental fire. "By the Creators!" Relas shouts as it builds and grows as more and more oxygen adds to the elemental grenade.
Adrenaline floods my veins as I reach out and shift the way the flames go, keeping them from setting the brush or other trees up in flames as well. I can feel Relas' eyes on me as I step closer, pulling the fire downwards to slowly incinerate the now charred wood into ash. It takes a few minutes of concentration, but the entire tree is reduced to a pile of ash by the end. I fall to my knees when I extinguish the flames, "Fuck..." I pant at the exertion and take a drop of a concentrated stamina vial in my pouch to catch my breath.
"D-Darien?" Relas kneels down beside me and I sigh as the drop hits me.
"Yes?" I ask as I stand up with a blank expression and start walking over to the pile of fresh ash.
He grabs my arm, "How do you have magic?"
I don't turn to look at him, I don't answer either as I wrench my arm from his grasp, "None of your concern." I mutter as I start bottling a flask of the very finely made ash.
Perfect for a the poison I'm making. clots the blood when it enters the bloodstream.
I cork the flask and he grabs me by the shoulders as I turn, "I want to know son, I'm worried for your... safety."
"My safety? Or your own." I respond sharply, coolly.
He reels back as if I slapped him, "D-Darien, of course I'm concerned for your safety son!"
I wince at my own words and reiterate, "Ma abelas, I'm just too used to the prejudices." I lie smoothly.
He squeeze my shoulders, "I don't need you to tell me right now, just remember that I'm here for you whenever you're ready."
I smile through my guilt, "Thanks." He traps me in a hug and I uncomfortably pat his back. When he shows no attempt to pull away I clear my throat, "Uhm... my poisons?"
"Huh?"
"I need to get to my poisons."
He gruffly clears his throat as well and brushes himself off as he turns away, "Right, right, I'll just go out on a hunt while you finish up."
I nod to his retreating form as he walks past the campfire and into the forest, "Right, stay safe." I hold my head.
What am I going to tell him? That Darien died and I possessed his son's body? Did I? Pause said as much, at least to Darien, but what if they're lying?
I shake my head and walk over to my brews, deciding I wasn't going to get answers from worrying about it. I unconsciously find myself twisting Morrigan's ring after a moment alone.
I hope she makes it back in time, at least this timeline won't be ruined because of me. I'll do my best to keep it that way.
The sun high in the clear sky, the breeze lightly caressing the treetops of the Brecilian Forest. A lone raven soars through the open sky, occasionally flapping its wings as it bolts to its destination. Morrigan dives down under the treetops, diving through each of her openings expertly, making her way down to the ground to land just outside an ancient Tevinter ruin that housed the Werewolves, and Witherfang. She rushes forwards after a small breather, forming into a wolf to bolt into the crumbling ruin, hunting after the fool ex-templar and his misguided group. She trusted her brother, whether or not that was a good thing didn't matter any longer, she needed to do this, for him.
Corpses both rotted and fresh of beast and man scattered the halls, filling the sharp cracks in the stone with blood and bile. Paws trot down the paths, scents both ancient and new filling her nose as the wolf rushes after the group. She stops after meeting up with the corpses of shadow wolves, slightly impressed that she does not smell the wounds of her companions in the bloodstains. It takes not but another moment before Morrigan finds the antechamber and bursts through the old half-rotted wooden door, breaking her form as she dashes up to the front of the group to catch Alistair's sword arm as it goes for his hilt, "Tis not what you wish to do!" She shouts.
Alistair, Wynne, Sten, Leliana, and Zevran all stare at the Witch in surprise, definitely not expecting her to appear quite literally out of nowhere and stop them.
"Hrrr, they wish to harm the lady!" Swiftrunner declares as he and his brethren show their claws and razor-sharp teeth.
The Lady, dark haired, light ashen colored skin, roots covering her arms and legs, nearly naked, raises an arm to the beast, "No Swiftrunner! We must try to find peace in our hearts."
Alistair finally regains his senses as Morrigan lets go of him and steps inbetween the wolves and his party, "Oh great, what are you doing here?"
She frowns, "Stopping you from making a terrible mistake."
He goes to argue but Wynne cuts him off, "Morrigan? Where is Darien? Why did you come alone?"
She shakes her head, "Tis unimportant, I am here to stop this foolish charade!"
Zevran seems still in slight shock, if not more alerted by her mere presence, "What charade? We're looking for Witherfang's heart so we can save Erianne and the Elfs!"
Morrigan shakes her head once more, scowling, "Tis not what it seems, you must hear the Lady out."
Sten stares at her without need, thinking, then he grunts his disapproval as his hand is still on the hilt of his greatsword.
Leliana is conflicted as she sees the determination in Morrigan's steps, but also a bit of hesitation. She doesn't understand why Morrigan cares whether they kill these wolves or not, but... "I think we should hear them out."
Everyone turns to look at her in surprise, even Morrigan.
Alistair grinds his teeth as his nerves are almost over the edge, forging through a forest full of possessed trees, werewolves, crazed hermits, and darkspawn was enough for one day, but this? Negotiating with the Lady of the Forest over Witherfang's heart? He wishes Erianne was with him, she'd know what to do. At least he hopes she would. He sighs, "Fine, I'm honestly too tired to fight them anyways."
Morrigan doesn't know whether this was a good thing, or a terrible one, but she had to trust her brother. So she turns around and joins the group in the back, farthest away from Leliana's wandering gaze as possible while Wynne addresses the Lady.
"We cannot let them hurt our lady!" Swiftrunner declares again.
"Hush, Swiftrunner." The Lady scolds lightly, "Your urge for battle has only seen the death of the very ones you have been trying to save. Is that what you want?"
The large beast shakes his head, "No, my lady. Anything but that." He calms down substantially, easing Alistair's nerves only slightly.
The lady turns to the party, "Then the time has come to speak with this outsider, to set out rage aside. I apologize on Swiftrunner's behalf. He struggles with his nature." she speaks softly, almost motherly.
Alistair is finally intrigued, "You lead the werewolves, do you?
"Those whom I have helped are very grateful for what I have done for them. I offer them guidance, but I do not command them." she clarifies, "No doubt you have questions, mortal. There are things that Zathrian has not told you."
Alistair turns his head in suspicion, "Is that so? Such as?"
The lady stiffens her posture, "It was Zathrian who created the curse that these creatures suffer, the same curse that Zathrian's own people now suffer."
Alistair's eyes widen substantially, so does most of the party's as well at the revelation.
The lady continues, "Centuries ago, when the Dalish first came to this land, a tribe of humans lived close to this forest. They sought to drive the Dalish away."
Swiftrunner picks up where she left off, "Hrrrr. The humans... tortured the boy, killed him. The girl they raped and left for dead. The Dalish found her, but she learned later she was... with child. She... killed herself."
Leliana's heart goes out to Zathrian, as does the others, except Sten, he's as stoic as ever.
Morrigan whispers, "This is what you wanted us to know Brother?"
Alistair shakes his head at the atrocity, "That- That's-" He swallows and takes a breath, steeling his features, "So Zathrian cursed them, I take it?"
Swiftrunner steps forwards a bit, making them all a bit nervous as he speaks, "Zathrian same to this ruin and summoned a terrible spirit, binding it to the body of a great wolf. So Witherfang came to be."
The lady adds, "Twisted and savage just as Witherfang himself is. They were driven into the forest. When the human tribe finally left for good, their cursed brethren remained, pitiful and mindless animals."
Swiftrunner and many other of his brethren kneel, "Until I found you, my lady. You gave me peace."
The lady of the forest clarifies, "I showed Swiftrunner there was another side to his bestial nature. I soothed his rage, and his humanity emerged. And he brought others to me. We seek to end the curse. The crimes committed against Zathrian's children were grave, but they were committed centuries ago by those who are long dead."
"But, why haven't you told Zathrian this?" Leliana asks in confusion.
The lady speaks with annoyance, not to Leli, but to Zathrian, "We have, every time the landships passed this way, asking him to come, but he always ignored us. We will no longer be denied." She finishes with anger.
Alistair frowns, "So you cursed his clan so he was forced to deal with it?"
The lady pleads to them, "Please mortal... you must go to him. Bring him here. If he sees these creatures, hears their plight... surely he will agree to end the curse!"
"Tis understandable that he might only wish to free his own people of the curse, without retribution." Morrigan states, now with a much better understanding of the situation.
"He will never break the curse, my lady! He will never allow it! You know this!" Swiftrunner adds furiously.
The lady hesitates in her defense, "We... cannot know that. Surely his rage does not run so deep he would endanger his own clan!" She shakes her head, "If Zathrian comes, I shall summon Witherfang. I possess that power. I also have the power to ensure Witherfang is never found. If Zathrian does not come, his people will never be freed of the curse." She ends with a clear snarl.
Alistair looks over his shoulder and sees everyone's opinion in their eyes, except for Sten, whose just staring at him intensely. "Very well. We will bring Zathrian back with us." He groans, "Even if we have to cross through the entire forest again to do so." He rubs his forehead at the thought.
The lady points them to a shortcut to the exit and they take it, staying quiet for the most part as they climb the set of stairs into the first chamber. "Zathrian?" Wynne asks in surprise as she sees the elder keeper kneeling over the bodies they left rotting earlier.
He doesn't looks at them, "Ah. And here you are already."
"What are you doing here? Who's taking care of Erianne?" Wynne asks with utter concern.
He stands and watches them all very closely, "There was no way to tell what would happen once you reached this ruin, so I decided to come myself."
Alistair groans, "You mean to tell us that you knew exactly where this ruin was and didn't tell us?!"
He shakes his head, "There was no need. I knew you would find it, and I did not care to give you a history lesson about things that have no bearing on your purpose here." He states cryptically. "But it seems the spirit convinced you to act on her behalf. Might I inquire what she wants?"
"Tis what you think she wants elder mage." Morrigan declares just as clearly.
He raises an eyebrow, "To survive, I suspect. That is the common nature amongst all such creatures, the will to survive." He smirks, "You do understand that she actually is Witherfang?"
Alistair blinks, "I thought Witherfang was a male wolf?"
"She is the powerful spirit of this ancient forest I summoned long ago and bound in the body of the wolf. Her nature is that of the forest itself. Beautiful and terrible, serene and savage, maiden and beast. She is the Lady and Witherfang both, two sides of a single being." He clarifies without need.
Morrigan rolls her eyes at the restating of what they already know.
He continues, "The curse came first from her. Those she afflicted with it mirrored her own nature, becoming savage beasts as well as human."
"The curse first came from you." Alistair declares boldly.
Zathrian just shakes his head, "They deserve to be wiped out and not defended." hatred is burning in his eyes, "Come. Let us go and speak to the spirit and I will force her into Witherfang's form. He may then be slain and the heart taken."
"You do not even want to speak with them? Think about all the stories they might tell!" Zevran jokes to break the seriousness.
Zathrian looks directly at Alistair, "They deserve nothing more than the misery they possess. This is not your battle, Grey Warden. Let us just take the heart and be done with it."
Alistair sneers, "This IS my battle! My fellow Warden, Erianne is stuck with your curse and dying as we argue!"
Zathrian's eyes go hard, "You were not there. You did not see what... what they did to my son. To my daughter. And so many others. I have sworn to protect my people, and I shall. I will not lift a finger to help descendants of savages who deserved the curse they received!"
"And what of Erianne? Will you at least cure her?" Wynne asks flippantly.
He nods reluctantly, "I will help her if you help me. Otherwise I will not cure her without the heart." He shakes his head, "This is pointless. You wish me to go and talk? I will do so. But what if it is only more revenge they wish? Will you safeguard me from harm?"
Alistair clenches his fist, eyes watching the trickster of a keeper before him. He closes his eyes and hears Erianne cooling his emotions, helping him along even if she isn't there, he sighs, "I will, unless you attack first."
The ancient keeper rubs his head, "I fail to see the purpose behind this... but very well. It has been many centuries, now." He sighs, "Let us see what the spirit has to say."
Traveling down the same way they left, the party plus Zathrian make their way back into the last chamber and step up to the Lady.
Zathrian is the first to address her, "So here you are, spirit."
Just as he suspected, this riles up the wolves, Swiftrunner jumping into his face, "Hrrr! She is the Lady of the Forest! You will address her properly!"
He scoffs, "You've taken a name, spirit? And you've given names to your pets? These... beasts who you follow?" He sneers.
The lady stays calm, ever the diplomat, "It was they who gave me a name, Zathrian. And the names they take are their own. They follow me because I help them to find who they are."
He shakes his head angrily, "Who they are has not changed from whom their ancestors were. Wild savages!" He shouts, "Worthless dogs!" Their twisted shape olny mirrors their monstrous hearts!"
Swiftrunner growls, "He will not help us, Lady! It is as I warned you! He is not here to talk!
Zathrian shuffles his feet, "No, I am here to talk, though I see little point in it. We all know where this will lead. You nature compels it, as does mine."
The lady steps forwards, her voice of reason always there to soothe, "It does not have to be that way. There is room in your heat for compassion, Zathrian. Surely your retribution is spent."
Zathrian snarls at her, "My retribution is eternal, spirit, as is my pain. This is justice, no more."
She smirks, "Are you certain your pain is the only reason you will not end this curse? Have you told the mortal how it was created?"
Alistair looks between them in surprise and confusion, "He said he summoned you and bound you to a wolf."
She seems sad, "And so he did. Witherfang and I are bound as one being. But such powerful magic could not be accomplished without Zathrian's own blood."
Morrigan's eyes widen as she realizes what Brother must have found, especially with his own affinity for the dark arts.
The Lady narrows her eyes at Zathrian, "Your people believe you have rediscovered the immortality of their ancestors, Zathrian, but that is not true. So long as the curse exists, so do you."
Alistair glares at Zathrian.
"No, that is not how it is!" He defends poorly.
Alistair shakes his head in disgust, "So you used bloodmagic to further your own life and torture generations of humans? I should run you through myself and be done with it!"
The lady clarifies, "No. The curse has a life of its own, through Zathrian's life depends on it. His death plays a part in its ending however."
Swiftrunner is confused and groans, "Then we kill him! We tear him apart now!"
Zathrian scold this, "For all your powers of speech, you are beasts still! What would you gain from killing me? Only I know how the ritual ends, and I will never do it!"
Swiftrunner is done talking, "You see? We must kill them all!"
Zathrian capitalizes on this, "See? They turn on you as quickly." He speaks to Alistair, "Do what you have come here to do, Grey Warden, or get out of my way."
Alistair unsheathes his sword and takes his shield in hand, a new burst of adrenaline fueling his anger, "I don't care, Zathrian. I won't help you do this, and I won't let you succeed!" The entire party unsheathe their weapons and ready for battle as he continues, "We're standing for what's right, here. No matter what."
Zathrian glares, "Then you die with them!" He brings our his staff, "All of you will suffer as you deserve!" He flashes a burst of energy around the round, tossing everyone back and paralyzing the werewolves and Witherfang as the lady morphs into him.
Morrigan and Wynne are immune to his magics, "Distract him!" Wynne declares as she takes a curative from her pouch and starts dripping it into the other's mouths as they lay on the ground stuck in their poses.
Morrigan tosses a winter's grasp at Zathrian, he ducks and casts a lightning bolt that Morrigan redirects back at him, casting a barrier he's tossed back from the impact as Alistair and Zevran wake from their magical stiffness.
"Corner him!" Alistair declares as he charges forwards, barely getting a swing in before being tossed back by an effective mindblast.
"Hahaha!" Zevran chuckles as he sees Alistair do a back-flip and land next to Sten. Leading forwards, he bares his swords and quickly gets in a few cuts here and there on Zathrian's body, forcing him to use his staff as a weak defense against Zevran's jabs.
"Enough!" Zathrian casts a fireball as their feet, tossing Zevran back with his chest on fire while barely singeing Zathrian's robes. He slams his staff to the stone floor, cracking it as roots come to life and wrap around everyone's feet.
Leliana, now up and alert, yells as the sharp vines crawl up her legs, taking one quick shot, she aims and fires an arrow that Zathrian doesn't see coming.
It pierces his right arm, forcing him to drop his staff and stagger backwards, "Ah!" he screams in pain before falling to his knees.
Leliana readies another shot as everyone gets up to finish the battle.
"No, no more. I... I cannot... cannot defeat you..." He pants as he holds his bleeding arm in pain.
"Well... that was anticlimactic." Zevran jokes as the Lady and Swiftrunner approach with caution.
Swiftrunner, seeing the sworn enemy of his people vulnerable, goes to kill him, "Finish it! Kill him now!"
Alistair leaps to Zathrian's defense and lets Swiftrunner's claws drag against his shield, scraping sharply against the metal, hurting everyone's hearing and forcing many werewolves to howl at the sharp noise.
The Lady calms him, "No, Swiftruner. We will not kill him. If there is no room in our hearts for mercy, how can we expect there to be room in his?"
Leliana rips her arrow out of his arm, "Gah!" He cringes at the pain and holds the bleeding wound as he speaks, "I cannot do as you as, spirit. I am too old..." He winces, "to know mercy. All I see are the faces of my children, my people. I... I cannot do it."
"You blubbering fool, even with all your years you are none the wiser than the day you created this wicked attempt at revenge!" Morrigan declares with as much anger she allows to be let through.
Zathrian stares at her for a moment, letting the words sink in, "Perhaps I have..." He sighs and turns to the Lady, "lived too long. This hatred in me is like an ancient, gnarled root... it has consumed my soul. What of you, spirit? You are bound to the curse just as I am. Do you not fear your end?"
The lady looks at him thoughtfully, "You are my maker, Zathrian. You gave me form and consciousness where none existed. I have known pain and love, hope and fear, all the joy that is life. Yet of all the things I desire nothing more than an end. I beg you, maker... put and end to me. WE beg you... show mercy."
Zathrian looks on the edge of crying now, either from the pain of his wound or of his humiliation it wasn't clear, "You shame me, spirit. I am... an old man, alive long past his time."
The werewolves have gathered around them at this point, watching with hope and barely breathing as they await the answer. "Then you will do it? You will end the curse?"
Zathrian kneels down and picks up his staff, using his left arm to pull himself back to his feet, "Yes, I think it is time. Let us... let us put an end to it all." He raises his staff, looks into the black eyes of the Lady, and taps his staff on the stone. A burst of energy surrounds him that instantly has him gasp and fall to the floor, dead.
The last fleeting moments of the Lady's life she looks... fearful, but her friends, the werewolves, comfort her briefly as the same burst of light and energy covers her being before she evaporates.
Everyone steps back as the werewolves themselves start glowing the same energy before flaring and transforming into their human selves again, naked as the day they were born.
They hug each other, in tears at the curse finally being ended. Then the leader, steps up to address them, "It's... over. She's gone, and... we're human. I can scarcely believe it." He looks not more aware of his lack of clothes as the rest of them.
Morrigan shakes her head and looks at her companions for their reactions. Alistair shields his eyes while Wynne and Leliana blush and look away. Zevran smirks and keeps watching while Sten looks... surprised. She rolls her eyes and tosses a few rags at the leader, "Even living in the wilds we see nudity as inappropriate when conversing."
He catches the rags and blinks before everyone blushes and tries hiding their delicate bit. "Thank you." He says before distributing what they have to the others.
Ten minutes later everyone was relatively covered and deemed suitable to finish the conversation.
Alistair clears his throat, "So what are you going to do now that you're no longer..."
The leader looks around him at his people, "We'll leave the forest, I suppose. Find other humans, we what's out there for us. It should be quite interesting don't you thing?" The men and women around him nod and smile at the thought, the only feature showing they were once wolves being their now golden eyes. He takes Alistair's hand, "Thank you. We... we'll never forget you."
Varric smiles, "And so the Wardens defeated the Werewolves and saved the Elves, and the Warden herself from certain death. Traveling back to the Dalish camp was simple enough for them. The new keeper Lanaya, kept Zathrian's promise and they pledged their support to fighting the blight. Erianne and Alistair were reunited of course. Erianne was saddened by Darien's departure, but understood the need to get him away from them. Morrigan assured her that her Brother was off doing something equally important and would not return unless absolutely needed. Finding out that Darien had taken off with someone named Relas did surprise the Warden, but she deduced that it would be best to keep Alistair and Darien far far from each other, for now." He finishes the part with, "With Darien now gone, Dylan was fully himself for the first time since being dragged into Thedas. He was lost in a strange world, and traveling with Darien's father was not going to help matters, but he had to find out what truly happened to Darien's clan. He had to avenge them somehow for Darien's sake, and perhaps even learn more about himself on the way."
Cassandra looks distant.
"Something wrong seeker?" Varric deduces.
She looks directly at him strangely, "The way you tell it, it seems like Dylan and Darien are the same person, but only separated by time. But they are not." She frowns, "And you said that Darien stayed with the Warden throughout the Blight, was that a lie? Or something else entirely."
The Dwarven Storyteller frowns as well as smiles, "Dylan... is a strange person. He was Darien, and also not Darien. Don't expect me to make this shit any clearer. I wasn't there and the only accounts I can find say that Darien was with the Warden for a certain part of the Blight. I found that some reported him being there at the Battle of Denerim, some just say he was in Orzammar for a few moments. Then there are the really weird accounts talking about some hooded elven character by his description being in Antiva and buying cheese from the markets there. I don't know what's true."
Cassandra looks skeptical.
Varric leans forwards, "Dylan's story is no longer with the Warden. They may cross paths, but... do you seriously expect me to recite the entire tale of the Warden as well?"
The experienced Seeker looks thoughtful for a moment, "I suppose it would be simply a waste of my time, seeing as the main reason I came here was to hear about your tale of the Champion."
Varric doesn't respond.
She waves her hand, "Fine, tell me everything you know about Dylan. Is he truly who I think he is?"
Varric smirks, "You'll just have to listen and find out yourself." His smile drops as he goes serious, "There's going to be some... interesting things that might not sound... agreeable that Dylan does."
Cassandra nods to him, "Yes, I understand. From what I have seen so far, Dylan is very bizarre."
Varric sits back, chuckling a bit, "You can say that again." He smirks lightly. "Good, now we can get to the real story."
A/N It doesn't feel like it's been thirty chapters since Dylan dropped ass-first into Thedas. It really doesn't. All well, at least it's still just as fun the longer we work with it. :)
What happened to Darien's Clan? Who's truly responsible? What is Dylan going to do once he fulfills Darien's promise?
Better yet, do you think that Dylan should reveal himself to Relas and tell him about Darien's departure?
Have a wonderful day all of you! I hope to get another chapter out by the end of the week, and I updated Scorpio's Legacy if you're curious about that as well. :)
Before anyone asks, no I will NOT waste my time trying to write out the entirety of Dragon Age: Origins. It is too damn long for me to care what happens to Dylan. So many other stories have already attempted this, some succeeded. I'm forging a new path out of the barriers of "Just Origins" or "Just DA 2" Both are wonderful games that should be played regardless, but replaying the entire game just to write down the dialogue between characters is just... boring. By focusing on Dylan's specific journey between Origins and II I can stay inspired and give all of you some fresh content. :) I WILL however be periodically informing you, the reader, of when and what is happening in Ferelden and Kirkwall through indirect sources as we go. Erianne is just too good a minor character to metaphorically "Die out" when we find her at her first near-death experience. Anyways, thanks for letting me ramble. See you all next time!
~BlackenedAsh24
