Catching the Grey Warden

Disclaimer: Still don't own Dragon Age

Kallian paused as they reached a patch of trees that looked familiar. Merrill stopped silent, for now, waiting to see why Kallian had stopped.

"Tamlen and I killed the Shemlen just here," Kallian remarked, "The bodies aren't here anymore…"

"Oh, some humans from the village moved them," Merrill piped up, "The clan cleaned up afterwards as best we could, messy business"

Kallian looked over to Merrill, slightly exasperated. While she had answered the question that Kallian was pondering, the odd mixture of intelligence and absent-mindedness bugged her. Put simply; Merrill was an odd one.

"I see," Kallian said softly, "Tamlen and I travelled down this path here"

Kallian pointed out the direction, then she and Merrill retraced her previous path to the cave.

They didn't get far before they were beset by two wolves and two creatures. The wolves appeared stricken with some disease, and the two creatures were repulsive. Resembling a half-sized person they had slouched over so much they were half of their halved size, each carried a warped bow that looked quite deadly.

"Look out!" Merrill called as she sent out a blast of magic towards one of the wolves that had gotten close to Kallian while she was distracted by the disgusting creatures; freezing the wolf in place.

Shaking her head slightly to help refocus her mind, which was uncharacteristically slow all of a sudden, she nocked an arrow and launched in at one of the creatures which was reacting to Merrill's shout. Getting lucky Kallian's arrow whistled in the air as it embedded itself in the creature's eye.

Merrill was focussing on the wolf that was determinedly heading for her, attacking it with her magic before simply hitting it away with her staff as it got too close. Kallian whirled around and released an arrow into the haunches of the wolf, slowing it a great deal in pain allowing Merrill to create some distance.

An arrow cut across Kallian's arm, making her painfully aware of the other creature which had finally got around to returning fire. Kallian whirled on the soles of her feet and unleashed another arrow at the creature, grazing its leg.

Kallian was vaguely aware of the defrosting wolf almost right by her side as she exchanged fire with the creature from across a small ravine. Merrill had dealt with the injured wolf and had turned her attention to the creature as well, and between the two of them they killed the other creature just as the wolf broke free and leaped towards Kallian. Kallian managed to get her bow between the wolf's jaws, stopping it from reaching her neck, as Merrill tried in vain to pry it off of her.

Kallian managed to keep the wolf at bay with one arm just long enough to pull her dagger from its sheath and send it through the wolf's temple, killing it instantly; Kallian whirled around to face Merrill.

"Fenedhis! Why didn't you use your magic to kill it?" Kallian accused, "I was lucky that I had my dar'misu on me that time!"

"Abelas, I didn't want to hurt you," Merrill replied weakly, "You already looked rather sick, I didn't want to risk hurting you along with the wolf…"

Taking a deep breath Kallian tried to relax as she allowed Merrill's words to sink in.

"What do you mean sick?" Kallian asked, "I feel fine"

"It's just…" Merrill faltered, "You are very pale"

"I feel fine," Kallian reassured her, "Let's go and find Tamlen, get back to the clan, then I can rest if you still feel so strongly about it"

Merrill nodded her agreement before they both headed off down the path, careful of the dead creatures that lay in their path.

…..

After reaching the cave the two elves found it inhabited with spiders that had wondered into the previously empty webs, along with some elves that had been infected with some sort of illness that Merrill commented looked similar to Kallian's own illness. The two were unfortunately forced to kill seven of these elves out of self-defence as they attacked with lethal force, and each time both Kallian and Merrill tried not to kill them but failed.

Finding the room where Kallian remembered the mirror being the two walked inside to see a Shem in odd armour contemplating the mirror. Kallian immediately readied her bow but Merrill did not follow suit, instead standing off to the side with her staff still away.

"I do hope you don't plan to shoot me," the Shem said without turning around, "Especially after I saved your life"

Kallian lowered her bow slightly, blanching at the thought that she owed the Shem her life. But his voice sounded familiar, as though heard in a half forgotten dream.

"You saved me?" Kallian repeated, still suspicious of this Shem "Then why did you leave Tamlen behind? Why save only me?"

"I found you alone, outside this cave" The shem said, turning around to show his face "If I had found anyone with you, I surely would have brought them along"

Kallian studied the Shem's face. His greying brown hair was pulled back to form a tail, and his facial hair had been left to grow out but kept neat. His armour was as strange as the Shem's behaviour, looking like a mix of some sort of Shemlen formal wear with armoured pieces covering the torso and thighs. A sword hung from his belt but Kallian was sure that it was not his only weapon.

"I am Duncan, leader of the Grey Wardens here in Ferelden" The Shemlen continued, "And I need to ask what you know about this mirror?"

"I know nothing of it, other than it is evil" Kallian spat, "I have no care for it, tell me where Tamlen is!"

"I do not know where your friend is," Duncan replied calmly, "I have searched this place over, but have found no sign of him"

Kallian dropped her weapon, Duncan and Merrill giving her odd looks, as Kallian looked at her shaking hands. Tamlen wasn't in the cave. Ma vhenan was lost to her. Kallian fell to her knees as they gave way, but from shock or illness no one was sure.

"I understand your distress," Duncan said giving her a pitying look, "But this mirror must be dealt with before it can taint others like you and your friend"

Turning his back on the near-catatonic elf, Duncan unsheathed his sword and destroyed the strange mirror with a strong blow straight into it. Kallian noted that she felt some sort of grim satisfaction while Merrill gasped in horror making Kallian vaguely aware that Merrill was protesting in some way but Kallian found she didn't care. The sliver of hope she had allowed herself to feel was torn from her person, and found herself completely numb to the world.

Translations:

Fenedhis – A common curse

Abelas – Sorrow, used as an apology

Dar'Misu – Elvish dagger