Chapter 8: Harding

"You! You are the key, "said Harbinger holding Cole by the neck, "With you in my power, I will cripple the Shepard."

Lady Chases-Shadows fell once more from the overhang and landed on Harbinger's head, clawing at his eyes and face, hissing and yowling. Harbinger threw Cole into a wall and reached up to strangle the attacking feline. "Stupid BEAST!"

Cole recovered and took hold of one of his fallen daggers as he rolled towards Harbinger. Slashing him in the leg, Cole yelled, "Let her go!" As Harbinger roared, Chases-Shadows fell softly to the ground and then raced towards the doorway. Cole had continued his roll to recover his other dagger. He then vanished; just as the Harbinger controlled blood mage summoned an arcane blast.

"Is it your tricks that have endeared you to the Shepard? Perhaps it is the stubbornness to deny your destiny, "said Harbinger as he turned slowly around looking over the chambers, "Like the Shepard, you refuse to…"

Harbinger swung his arm, knocking Cole away just as the former spirit appeared with daggers ready. Cole fell and then rolled out of the way of an arcane blast to vanish once more.

"Cold, Darkness, the Deep Void, "came Cole's voice, "That is what you call home. You want to return but can't. You feared change even though you force it on others. Betrayal."

Harbinger sent another blast in the direction he thought he could hear the former spirit's voice. "We were the ones betrayed! Created for the harvest, to ensure that organic life did not evolve beyond a specific level…WE who served faithfully to the cycle for millenniums! To merge and become one with the organics and the primitive artificial intelligence that they created? Never! They are beneath us. Only those that have proven themselves worthy are made to become us."

"Humans, "said Cole still hidden, "They…We are better than you. We defeated you."

"LIES!"Harbinger roared blindly sending lighting blasts trying to strike the man he could not find, "It was our creator that brought us down, he BETRAYED US! The humans are just a poison, a disease that needs to be eradicated. Everything that they have been in contact with must be purified and their taint purged from existence."

"You are wrong, "said Cole calmly just before appearing mid-air behind Harbinger, daggers above his head and aimed towards the possessed mage's back. Harbinger flashed brightly, blinding Cole once more. The creature once again took hold of the rogue's throat hard enough, that Cole dropped his daggers in shock.

"Enough of this game, "Harbinger snarled, "The Shepard will…"

Thwip!

Harbinger looked down to see an arrow head coming out of the blood mage's chest. The quiet sound of a bow string releasing and a second arrow head appeared with a splash of blood.

Cole fell and rolled to safety as the controlled mage disintegrated. Lady Chases-Shadows loped over to Cole and jumped on him. Loudly purring, she rubbed her head on his chin as Scout Harding stepped through the doorway, bow drawn as she looked around the room to see if there was anyone else around.

"Scout Harding?" Cole asked, wondering where she came from.

Slowly relaxing her stance and bow, Harding returned the arrow to her quiver as she said, "Hey, Cole. Where did you find that cat for Anders? I want one."

(A little earlier. During the battle)

"Follow Cole. Keep an eye on him. Be easy, "grumbled Scout Harding as she gently scratched a spot just above her eye, "Right. Just follow the guy that can make you forget he was even there. Keep an eye on the guy that can vanish in a puff of smoke. Easy…nope!"

The scout sighed. She did not belong underground! She worked best out in the sun, wind and rain. Setting up camps, shooting morons with her bow…what good was her bow here! It was so dark she had no idea if someone was there or not and even if she did hear something, if she attacked she might end up killing the person she was suppose to be helping!

"MEOW! MEOW! MEEEEEOOOOOW!"

"Ahh!" Harding screamed as she fell backwards and landed on her butt. Next she knew, there was a familiar calico cat looking with its front paws on her chin and looking directly into her eyes. Anders' cat?

"What are you doing here?"Harding asked as she got up off the floor and dusted herself off. Lady Chases-Shadows weaved in and out between the dwarf's ankles, purring loudly. Once she was on her feet, the cat took hold of her pants leg and started to pull as if wanting to drag her in a certain direction. Well, she's experienced stranger things since joining the Inquisition.

"Ok cat, lead the way, "she said with bow in hand. Lady Chases-Shadows started trotting off with Harding following. Flashing lights and the sound of conflict soon became apparent.

"…a disease that needs to be eradicated. Everything that they have been in contact with must be purified and their taint purged from existence, "Harding heard someone say with a strange doubled up voice.

"You are wrong, "she could hear Cole say just before a blinding flash of light lit up the doorway a little ways up the hall. She quietly ran over and then peeked into the room to see a strangely glowing man in merchant's cloths holding Cole up by his neck.

Harding didn't think twice, she quickly took an arrow from her quiver and drew her bow.

(Sometime later)

Lady Chases-Shadows sniffed around a strange, small flower shaped piece of metal as two dwarves entered the room carrying a metal container. Sitting tiredly on the floor, Cole watched them as they packed away the piece of Harbinger. After being chased off by the dwarves, Lady Chases-Shadows walked over to him and bumped his leg with her head. He ignored the cat as he considered what happened. He failed. He was supposed to bring the mage back alive so that they could get the cure for Jane. The mage died because of him and now Jane might not wake up.

"You okay?"asked Scout Harding as she walked over and sat next to him.

"No, "was Cole's reply.

To be continued…