Brehan woke. He threw the blanket off him and scrambled backwards before realizing he was laying in an aravel. He blinked, then looked around. The keeper's aravel, if he was not mistaken. A frown crossed his face, and then the events of the cave flooded into his awareness. He dressed hurriedly, and exited the wagon.

No sooner was he standing in daylight than Fenarel was standing in front of him. "You're awake! You've the gods' own luck, lethallin. You're back at camp. Everyone is worried about you." Fenarel gave him a concerned look. "How do you feel?"

Brehan looked around then did it again. "Worried. Where is Tamlen?"

"We don't know. The shem who brought you here saw no sign of him?"

"There was a human?" That bearded face hadn't been part of a dream then.

"A shem brought you back two days ago. You don't remember him?"

"I've been here for two days?!" Brehan stared at his friend.

"He was a Grey Warden and appeared out of nowhere with you slung over his shoulder. You were delirious with fever. He said that he found you outside a cave in the forest, unconscious and alone. He left you here and ran off again. The keeper's been using the old magic to heal you."

"Is anyone looking for Tamlen?" Brehan had seen no sign of his best friend in the wagon, nor had he caught even the slightest glimpse among the wagons.

"Of course!" Fenarel assured him. "Most of the hunters are off looking for him right now. But the keeper wanted to talk to you as soon as you awoke. Stay here - I'll get her."

Brehan leaned on the wagon as he watched Fenarel run off. He felt strange, like he could almost feel the blood running through his veins. The hairs on the back of his neck felt like they were standing, and he itched under the skin, almost in his bones. He hurt all over.

He saw Fenarel returning, followed by Keeper Marethari. Marethari immediately laid her hands on his shoulders, peering up into his eyes. "I see you are awake, da'len. It is fortunate Duncan found you when he did... I know not what dark power held you, but it nearly bled the life from you. It was difficult even for my magic to keep you alive."

Brehan considered telling her how he felt, and decided against it. The last thing he needed was her shoving him back into a sickbed. "Then Tamlen could be sick, as well?"

She gave a worried frown. "If he encountered the same thing you did, yes. The Grey Warden said he found you alone outside a cave, already stricken. Duncan thought there may have been darkspawn creatures inside the cave. Is that true?"

"There were walking corpses and other strange monsters." Brehan thought back to the bear creature. Surely it couldn't have been that. The thing hadn't managed to touch him or Tamlen.

"Walking corpses?" Marethari shook her head. "Dark magic, but not darkspawn. I know not what the other creatures might have been. What else did you find? What is the last thing you remember?"

"A mirror." The memory was fuzzy around the edges. He rubbed his forehead. "Tamlen touched it."

"A mirror?" Marethari folded her hands, then paced a few steps before looking back at him. "And it caused all this? I have never heard of such a thing in all the lore we have collected. Sigh. I was hoping for answers when you woke, but there are only more questions. And Tamlen remains missing. He is more important than any lore in these ruins. If he is as sick as you were, his condition is grave. Duncan returned to the cave to search for darkspawn, but we cannot rely on him to look for Tamlen as well. We must go ourselves, and quickly." She gave him another worried look. "Do you feel well enough to show us the way, da'len? Without you we will not find it."

"I am up to it, Keeper. I feel fine." The way she looked at him when she spoke, Brehan was sure she knew he was lying about that last part.

She gave him a reluctant nod. "I am relieved to hear it. I am ordering the clan to pack the camp so we can go north. Take Merrill with you to the cave. Find Tamlen if you can, but do it swiftly."

"Take Merrill to the cave and find Tamlen." Brehan tried to give her a reassuring smile. "I understand."

"Go quickly, for Tamlen's life hangs in the balance."

"Pray for us, keeper," Brehan said as he grabbed his bow and quiver.

#

Fenarel fell into step behind him as he walked towards where the first was standing. "I want to go with you. Keeper Marethari probably won't approve, but I can help find Tamlen."

Brehan nodded. "All right, come with us."

"Good. I'll follow you, just to make sure Merrill doesn't go running to the keeper when you tell her I'm coming."

They made their way through the camp, and Brehan saw Merrill staring into a fire. He walked towards her, and she turned and gave him a nod. "The Keeper told me I'm to accompany you back to those caves. As her apprentice, I may see something you missed. But our main objective is to find Tamlen, of course." She bit her lip. "We must make haste; he may not have much time."

"Fenarel is coming with us. Any objections?" Brehan asked.

"That depends on the keeper," Merril said dubiously. "I thought we're supposed to go alone."

Brehan glanced over his shoulder at Fenarel, and decided it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission. "I did ask. She's fine with it."

Merrill arched an eyebrow, and for a moment Brehan was sure she was going to call him on the lie. "She is? I suppose I needn't worry about it, then. Are you ready?"

"Let's head out now," Brehan said. His friend was out there. As bad as he was feeling at the moment, Tamlen must be far worse.

#

Fenarel saw the darkspawn first. Brehan drew his bow, firing at the same time as his companion. His shot missed the mark by inches. His second struck the creature, but it took a third for him to drop it. Fenarel shot him a worried look, and Brehan gave him a reassuring nod.

He led them up the game trail. The body of another darkspawn was laying just outside the cave entrance, it's head nearly severed from its neck. He stepped inside the cave, and looked around.

"So these are the ruins?" Merrill asked. "Interesting." She looked around. "They're definitely of human origin. Yet elven artifacts are scattered amongst them. Nothing explains the monsters though. But we must find Tamlen - or what's left of him. I can't imagine he's still alive with those creatures about."

"Don't talk like that," Brehan said. He saw her flinch back from the anger in his voice. "You don't know."

She gave him a remorseful look. "You're right. We should explore further before I go on about my fears." She swallowed. "I'm sorry."

Brehan opened his mouth, then tore his eyes away from hers and headed further into the cave. More darkspawn moved towards them. This time, at least, his arrows flew true. There were enough that he had to drop his bow and move forward with his blade, holding back a short, squat darkspawn while Fenarel and Merrill aimed their attacks at the others.

He spared them only a brief glance before continuing on, stepping over the corpses of some darkspawn that had clearly been killed earlier. All wonder of the place was lost now. Without hesitation, he moved towards the chamber that had held the mirror.

#

Duncan's senses pinged. He could sense the taint approaching, yet the feeling wasn't quite like that of the darkspawn. He laid a hand on his blade and waited. The figures that came through the door were dressed in Dalish armor. "So you were the one fighting darkspawn. I thought I heard combat." He thought he recognized the leader of the small, and then focused his senses. The taint in the young man's blood seemed to pulse. "You're the elf I found wandering the forest, aren't you? I'm surprised you have recovered."

The young man gave him an angry look as he came deeper into the chamber. "I don't know you, human. Nor do I owe you anything."

An elven woman shook her head, and her voice was chiding. "Even if you didn't owe this human your life, a Grey Warden deserves respect."

"He owes me nothing," Duncan said as he watched them approach. He took his hand off the sword, but kept it ready. "It was my duty to return an injured Dalish to your clan; your people have always been allies with the Grey Wardens."

"An understanding human?" The elven man's voice was full of contempt. "How nice for you."

He felt a trace of irritation, and forced it down. "My name is Duncan, and it's a pleasure to finally meet you. The last time we spoke, you were barely conscious."

The woman, at least, gave him a friendly smile and a courteous bow. "Andaran atish'an, Duncan of the Grey Wardens. I am Merrill, the keeper's apprentice."

"And I am Fenarel," the second man said. "Did you..." He looked around, and a note of respect entered his voice. "Come here alone, human? Battling all those creatures?"

"Yes. Though I must admit, you took a great deal of the pressure off me." Duncan gave them a nod of gratitude then he frowned. "Your keeper did not send you after me, did she? I told her I would be in no danger."

"We're not in the habit of rescuing humans," the tainted elf shot back.

"It's a good thing I don't return that feeling, wouldn't you say?" Duncan returned the young man's glare with a level look.

The tainted elf looked away first. "We're looking for our brother Tamlen."

Duncan felt a pang of sympathy. "So you and your friend Tamlen both entered this cave? And you saw this mirror?"

The tainted elf turned back towards him hopefully. "You've found some trace of Tamlen?"

"No," Duncan said. It was best not to let the young man get his hopes up any further. "Nor do I think I will. The Grey Wardens have seen artifacts like this mirror before; it is Tevinter in origin, used for communication. Over time some of them simply... break. They become filled with the same taint as the darkspawn. Tamlen's touch must have released it..." He saw realization dawn on the young man's face, and continued grimly. "It's what made you sick - and Tamlen too, I presume."

"We need to take it to the keeper," the tainted elf said as he headed for the stairs.

Duncan held up a hand to stop him. "The darkspawn are drawn to the mirror. Do you want to lead them to your clan?"

"I do not fear this sickness," the woman said. "The keeper knows how to cure it."

"She may have weakened it, but she cannot cure it. Your recovery is only temporary." Very temporary, if he was any judge. Without additional aid, the young man before him would be dead, or worse, by morning. "I can sense the sickness in you, and it is spreading. Look inside yourself and you will see."

The tainted elf looked away from him, and stared at the mirror. "Perhaps there is..." He swallowed. "something to what you say."

Duncan nodded. He was mildly surprised the young man was on his feet. The elf was strong. Perhaps there was a chance for him after all. "Confirm it with your keeper later, if you like. For now, we must deal with the mirror... It is a danger." He stepped towards the mirror, and before the elves could protest, drew his blade and shattered the glass. The tainted elf's jaw dropped. "It is done. Now, let's leave this cursed place. I must speak to the keeper immediately regarding your cure."

"How dare you just destroy the mirror!"

For a moment, Duncan actually thought the tainted elf was going to draw his blade. He took a step forward, using his greater size to loom over the other man. "I would dare more than that to stop such a threat," he said, his voice hard and cold.

The tainted elf's voice was bleak, almost pleading. "What about Tamlen?"

"There is nothing we can do." Duncan reached out to lay a hand on the young man's shoulder.

The elf jerked away, then began looking around the room again. "I'm not leaving until I find him!"

Duncan watched him for a moment. "Let me be very clear: There is nothing you can do for him. He's been tainted for three days now, unaided. Through your keeper's healing arts and your own willpower, you did not die. But Tamlen has no chance. Trust me when I say that he is gone. Now, we should return."

"Won't there at least be a body?" For a moment, the tainted elf looked as young as Jerath, if not younger.

"The darkspawn would have taken it," Duncan told him.

"Why would they take his body?" the second man said from the chamber entrance. Duncan had almost forgotten he was there. "Not to... eat it, I hope..."

"Darkspawn are evil creatures, and it's best to leave it at that. I'm... sorry." That, at least, was the truth.

"I'm not ready to give up the search just yet."

"If you prefer, I can wait just outside while you look around. But I assure you, he will not be here. I suggest, however, leaving sooner rather than later. You are sick, whether you feel it or not, and it does you no good to linger."

The look on the tainted elf's face was almost hateful. "Then wait outside. I'll be out when I'm ready."

Duncan sighed. "As you wish. I will see you back at camp." He left the three elves behind as he exited the cave. Though he searched his senses, the only remaining taint he could find was in the young man's blood. It was going to take them more than a month to reach Ostagar. Mentally, he kicked himself for leaving the joining supplies with Harl. The odds of the young man making it that long were slim.

Still, with the Keeper's magic... Lenore obviously was versed in healing, and Irving had said she knew something of alchemy as well. Duncan sighed. If he did nothing, the young man would die, and possibly infect others. And if he came with them, at the very least, Duncan's senses would allow him to monitor the progress of the taint. At the worst, he could give the young man a peaceful end.

He heard a sound from inside the cave. Fenarel had his hand on the tainted elf's shoulder, and it was clear it had taken both the other elves to get the young man to give up the search.