Night had fallen upon the land of Ferelden as Kydin was getting use to calling it. Throughout their days journey he had mostly kept to himself and even more so once his "cruel" little joke had silenced the redhead, Leliana, for the rest of the day. She was too nosy, asked too many questions in his opinion and he couldn't resist answering her question the way he had. She had left him too much of an opening that he couldn't resist messing with her. Others of the party showed more relief than humor once they saw that he was kidding; of course, except for the witch Morrigan. She seemed to have found his kind of humor rather amusing. So when the redhead suddenly lost the will to speak to him any further she went ahead to join the warrior and the elder mage. With them at the head of the pack he had stayed behind with no doubt that red was now rethinking her sudden eagerness on having him accompany them. But staying behind left him with the man they called Sten, who said he was a qunari-whatever that meant. Morrigan hung at the back of the group with them keeping a stoic face of composure the entire time. The fact was not wasted on Kydin to know that these two particular individuals were the more distinct misfits of the group who preferred to keep to themselves and that was just the way they liked it. They were the silencers and the others were the more friendly sociable kind of folk.

Looking around the camp that had been set up for the night Kydin was studying the group just like he had been all day. Just because they had possibly saved his life didn't mean that they didn't have other intentions hidden behind their backs like daggers ready to stab him dead for their agenda-just like that bastard Mercer, may he burn for eternity in the hell fires of Oblivion. Kydin had been less than eager to freely trust after that little incident with the previous head of the Thieves Guild.

As Kydin watched them the entire day he made the observation of just how different these people were to each other. There was the mage Wynne who was old in her age as she was Kydin knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Morrigan, who had made up her tent separately from the others, had no problem showing that she was the lone wolf of the group; someone who preferred her own space and privacy. Kydin always felt to have his magic on edge whenever she was near. As the old saying goes 'the eyes are the window to the soul' and looking at Morrigan's golden yellow eyes Kydin couldn't help but be reminded of a crow and crows were very mischievous and cunning. He would have to keep an eye on her about as closely has Sten was watching him.

Speaking of Sten, Kydin looked to the opposite side of the camp to see the man staring at him unnervingly just out of the fire's reach. If looks could kill then for sure Sten's would have pierced his heart a hundred times over by now. But Sten he found to be an interesting man for he was infinitely taller than the average human, perhaps about the height of a minitor that were known to roam the forests in the southern lands of Cyrodiil. Though if Kydin had to compare this man to something native in Skyrim he would say that this qunari would be just less than half the size of a giant. He could tell that Sten had a habit of looking down on others no doubt because of his size and he didn't speak much, which he himself didn't have a problem with. Kydin held Sten's gaze until Leliana went over to speak to the qunari and only then did they break eye contact. The redhead was petite, sweet and charming to the untrained eye. No one would suspect, but Kydin was trained to spot it, that all these little traits that she flaunted so freely led to the conclusion in his mind that Leliana was a skilled rouge. There was no doubt about it by the way she tried to sweet talk him today, trying to pry information out of him about himself including where he had come from. Any normal senseless man would probably have been singing like a canary in a matter of minutes. Kydin wondered if Brynjolf would be able to resist the little temptress, see if he could see through her fascade. After all, the thief had a reputation for talking up the pretty lasses around Riften. And then there was Alistair. Kydin sighed tiredly as he observed the young man chatting away animatedly with Wynne while she stirred the pot over the fire that contained the stew she was preparing for tonight's dinner. Alistair, he would say, was somehow the most difficult to decipher out of all five companions. He wasn't a harden warrior like Sten; not even close as parts of his personality were similar to one of a child's. With Leliana and Wynne he joked often and sarcasm was no stranger to him. He probably wielded it better than the sword he had strapped to his belt. One thing was for sure, Alistair wasn't like a lot of the warriors he had met in the Imperial Legion. They were all a pretty stiff lot- even the new recruits, surprisingly. And if Kydin had to guess he would say that he himself was senior by a few years over Alistair who looked to be in his early twenties. With that playful spark he saw in the man's eyes Kydin could only guess that Alistair had yet to see enough battle and death to extinguish that light. Kydin had seen enough death to sober his look on life and he tried to stay true to his true self especially after Helgan and that… he didn't want to dwell on that at the moment.

Deep in his world of thoughts he never noticed Wynne standing before him until she spoke up, "Kydin," she began trying to gain his attention as he snapped to.

"Aye."

"Supper is ready if you would like to come and join us around the fire," she offered with the kind voice and smile that a grandmother used when she spoke to her grandchildren.

Kydin thought briefly on her offer before declining, "Perhaps later," he tried to say with enough finality to end the conversation. Kydin appreciated what Wynne was trying to do to include him among the group but right now he wasn't exactly feeling all that chatty. He had too much on his mind as to how he ended up here, where Alduin might be lurking plotting his next move, of how he was even going to find the damned beast in this new and vast land. Besides he was the outsider here and he would be leaving the company of these people after tomorrow so there was no need to sit around the fire getting to know one another. But, unfortunately, he didn't expect the mage to take his response the way the way she did.

"Nonsense," she said in a stern tone, "You will come and join us and eat a hearty meal. I don't care if you managed to heal yourself, you are still recuperating from your injuries and I will not be having you collapse on my watch on tomorrow's march." Wynne stared him down with such a look that Kydin could find no words to retaliate with. As of now her word was law as far as she was concerned and right now she was demanding him to follow her quietly and join the rest of the party around the fire.

Kydin actually found amusement in the way she talked down to him like she was scolding him and telling him what was best for him. "Aye, very well then," he said letting such a smile break out on his face that it softened Wynne's stern blue eyes on him.

"Good," she said before spinning on her heel and returning to her place by the cooking pot where she proceeded to scoop him up a bowl of the broth.

Kydin shook his head at his predicament before following-really what harm could there be in sharing a meal?

"Uh oh, did somebody get bullied into joining us for dinner?" Alistair asked in a teasing tone as Kydin accepted the bowl and hunk of bread from Wynne.

"I have faced down everything from your average highway bandits to fearsome dragons in my travels yet one look from this woman here brings me at a loss for words."

"Oh, please, dear lad, there is no need compliment me," Wynne chuckled stirring the pot again.

Alistair laughed too, "Yes, well, it's just a natural talent of her's. Makes you feel like a little kid again being scolded by your mother."

"Oh, hush Alistair," Wynne swatted him playfully as she settled herself down again amongst the circle the party made around the fire.

"Honestly, could we just once have a simple quiet dinner," complained Morrigan as she pronged the chunks of vegetables in her stew.

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud, Morrigan," Alistair quipped as the witch glared silent daggers at him. To the bystander, Kydin, he took the relationship that he saw between the two kind of like a brother-sister-hate kind of thing. Thinking about it caused the question to pop up that he had been contemplating all day.

"So, just who are all you folks really?" he asked looking around the group to see whom it was that would answer.

"What do you mean?" Alistair asked with a mouth full of stew.

"What I mean is that you lot are no ordinary group of travelers and you're no group of bandits either," he explained.

"Well, how do you know we're not?" Leliana spoke up challenging him on his accusations. This was the first time she had spoken directly to him since their incident this morning.

"Your relationships within the group are self-explanatory enough," he stated. "Your weaponry separates you from that of normal travelers and as for bandits, well, bandits don't dress the way you lot do."

"So what, pray tell, are you really asking, Kydin?" inquired Wynne.

"You make an odd group, no offense. So, what is the sole reason that has brought you all to travel together?" The question had been plaguing him all day long. What reason would have brought this mishmash group of characters together? Knowing that Morrigan and Wynne were mages was enough to pique his interest on the matter. Even in Skyrim having mages travel in anyone's company was odd enough.

"You are very observant, Kydin," Wynne commented as she continued to eat her supper.

Kydin chuckled lightly, "I have to be with the life I lead."

"And just what kind of life would that be?" to everyone's surprise it was Sten that spoke. It was the first time Kydin had heard the man speak. It was a deep and rumbling voice that spoke with authority.

Kydin couldn't help but smirk thinking about all the ways he could answer his question. "I don't think you would believe me even if I told you."

"Then what are we suppose to believe?" Sten continued, "When you yourself are a character of great suspicion. We don't know where you're from nor why you are here. For all we know you could be trying to compromise our mission." This man was more insightful than Kydin had given him credit for.

"If I were to give you an explanation as to how or why I'm here I would say that you would think of me as a man on the edge of insanity," he smirked.

Alistair smiled, "Oh, the stories we could tell you," he mused.

"You know we have been on a few adventures of our own," Wynne stated. "If you doubt so much of us not believing your tales and reasons then how can we expect you to believe our own?"

"Try me," Kydin dared.

"Alright, then," began Alistair, "we are on a quest to find an artifact known as the Urn of Sacred Ashes that is rumored to have healing properties which we need to cure a dying man who is practically an inch from death for all we know. They say that the Urn is just a legend and doesn't exist, but we really have no other option so we are going after it anyway."

Kydin stared at him for a moment before replying, "And just what is so unbelievable about that?" he smirked thinking about how many a time he had gone after some ancient Nordic relic that was said to be lost forever and in the end he always found it one way or another. But Alistair wasn't telling him everything. There was something more to this story than he was letting on but for now he would let it go.

"That we are going on a wild goose chase," Morrigan supplied helpfully.

"Just because no one has seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"I beg to differ," Morrigan said.

"Well, that just means that it is hidden very well and that means you have to look a bit harder to find it," Kydin irked her as she grumbled at his response.

"I'm sorry," she said rudely, "are you an expert in locating non existent relics? Or following dead end leads that are a complete waste of time? Please, do tell."

"Maker, she just used the p word," Alistair whispered to Leliana causing her to try and stifle a fit of giggles.

"As a matter of fact I have a reputation of doing just that."

"Then do share a tale or two," Morrigan practically growled as she spotted Alistair snickering on the sidelines of the conversation.

"Perhaps another time."

"Then why don't you give us your explanation as to why you are here? That is, if it is not too unbelievable, of course," Morrigan stated dramatically as if taunting him.

"Of course," Kydin paused finishing his stew adding a bit more of a dramatic effect before saying, "As you already know I am not from this land. In fact I have never even heard of it and I doubt that you have heard of mine either. Which has so far lead me to believe that I came here from my world to your world through a portal. As to how that happened precisely well that I do not know, though I have a great suspicion that magic was involved."

"Oh, that's rich," mocked Morrigan.

"What led you to this conclusion, Kydin?" asked Wynne ignoring Morrigan.

"It is the only logical explanation that I have been able to see. Before you found me I was on a mountaintop battling against Alduin, but a flash of light interrupted us blinding me and before I knew it I felt as though I were falling into an endless pit of darkness." Kydin remembered his last moments in Skyrim very clearly before he fell into unconsciousness and as a mage he had to open his mind to numerous theories as to how he ended up in this land. This particular one that he was explaining seemed the most reasonable out of the lot.

"That is an awfully big assumption," Wynne studied him.

"When magic is involved there is an endless list of possibilities. We have to assume that anything and everything is possible. The thing is that there is no land by the name of Ferelden where I come-not in all of the land or even across the seas." It wasn't impossible as after all Kydin himself had overstepped the boundaries of the physical and the spiritual by entering Sovngarde the land of the after life of the sons and daughters of Skyrim. When you took that into account his idea wasn't as crazy as it might seem. Though that would prove to be more than difficult to explain to these folk. He could see the looks of deep contemplation on everyone's faces most likely trying to determine just how mentally insane he was. Well, he couldn't blame them. After all Brelyna and Brynjolf, to name a few friends of his, had some doubts about the stories he told them; that was until he dragged them along on an adventure or two and they haven't second guessed his tales since.

Once again the elder mage surprised him, "There is truth in your words. Magic is a very unpredictable element with some outcomes even unthinkable to the human mind." Hearing her words Kydin knew that this woman had much experience in the area of the arcane arts. It wasn't just experience he heard in her voice but wisdom as well.

"I'm trying to decide that you are either really open minded or just as sane as I am," Kydin lightly joked.

Alistair smirked, "Just hang around with our group a little longer and see just how sane we really all are."

"Tempting," Kydin returned with good humor. "But the call of the hunt demands my attention. Once we reach the village I will seek out Alduin." He had no proof of any physical evidence, of course, but Kydin felt it in the wind. The dragon blood that ran through his veins was telling him that Alduin was here, somewhere biding his time getting ready for the next opportunity to strike him when he least expected it.

"Alduin? Is this your pet name for the beast that you wish to hunt down so badly?" Morrigan asked while trying to appear bored.

"It's a long story."

"Come on tell us," Alistair insisted, "We rarely get to hear any good campfire stories. Besides you do owe us for saving your life and all. No pressure, of course."

What could be the harm in telling them? Kydin contemplated before giving in. "Very well, I will tell you the endless tale known to all of Skyrim. The story of the great and feared dragon Alduin the World Eater, the Nordic God of Destruction, the devourer of the living and the souls of the dead."