A/N: Hey all! Sorry about the delay; personal stuff has been happening. Who's ready for a flashback? Cuz that's what this next segment is. As I've done in the past (and you likely missed it) I've dropped a reference to another fantasy series in this chapter (hint: the last reference involves the Inquisitor himself), let's see who figures it out! Also, I'm introducing two more OCs (I promise niether of them are Mary Sues lol). Now without further ado, here's Chapter 8!
The Deep Roads were quiet. Too quiet, if one were to ask the current Grey Warden company travelling through them. The Couslands led the way, with a company of three following them. The first of them, a human man with a small, trimmed patch of hair under his lower lip, stared nervously at the back of Kieran Cousland's head. His tugged at his armor, a heavily customized set of Warden Scout gear. "Commander, are you sure bringing your next-of-kin on this mission was a wise idea? What if something were to happen to him or to both of you?"
Aedan Cousland removed his helmet and turned to face him. His massive black armor set – the Armor of the Sentinel – made him look more like a golem than a human. Silver-whites were starting to show in his dark hair, giving him an experienced look. "Nathaniel, my friend, you worry too much. My son can handle himself. He may not be capable of undergoing the Joining, but he is as much of a Warden as you and I."
A tattooed dwarven woman spoke up. Her ornate heavy armor and dual waraxes belied her roguish nature and past. "Kieran's proved himself in the past, Nathaniel. Give the boy the benefit of the doubt."
Kieran's violet eyes flashed underneath his helmet's visor. "Thank you, Aunt Sigrun." He turned to face Nathaniel. "I promise I won't let any of you down, especially not you, Uncle Nate."
Nathaniel Howe sighed. "I know you won't. I just worry because I see you as my own son as well. Ever since your Aunt Velanna and I lost little Thomas…"
"You don't have to say it, Uncle. I understand completely. But come, have a little faith in me. I'm not a child anymore." Kieran raised his arms to emphasize his point. The shield and armor were forged specifically for him by Master Wade himself, both made from the retrieved bones of Urthemiel himself, inlaid with silverite, more for aesthetic purposes than protection. The sword was almost crystalline in appearance, the frost that danced across its glowing, etched surface accentuating the look – Starfang, the meteorite-forged longsword.
The young elven woman in the back of the group kept quiet throughout all of this, watching the senior Wardens banter. She brushed her long blonde hair out of her piercing green eyes awkwardly, trying to keep pace while staying out of their way. Alleyne wondered why this tight-knit group had even asked her to come along in the first place instead of bringing another experienced member of the Order. Surely it wasn't just because of her talent for combat magic, she wondered as she put a reassuring hand upon her greatsword, a Dalish relic whose name had since been lost to time. Sure, she'd lived an interesting life to that point, but she was barely a Warden-Ensign! In her mind, she stood out in this group of hardened darkspawn slayers like an ogre in a room full of dwarves. Even the Commander's son, who was barely older than her, had air about him that said, I've killed so many darkspawn that it's a reflexive action now. Of all the times she'd felt out of place in her life, this was the most she'd ever felt it. They made camp for the night in an abandoned house within the thaig, and Alleyne naturally drew away from everyone into a corner.
After several hours of ale-drinking, reminiscing, and making jokes at Oghren's expense, the five Wardens fell fast asleep, leaving Alleyne alone in the dark, quiet thaig. While definitely not the creepiest place she'd ever been in – the Dalish ruins that had changed her life forever took the cake – this thaig was definitely a close second. The skittering of spiders in the distance and the occasional growl of deepstalkers didn't help at all. Elves were never meant to be underground, I don't care how many fled down here in the ancient times, she thought. Wait, is it me, or is that skittering close by? She pondered waking up one of the others, maybe Kieran, but decided that whatever it was, she could handle it herself. Taking her greatsword in hand, she walked in the direction of the noise.
"So you heard it too?" The sudden voice behind her nearly made her scream, which made Kieran Cousland chuckle. "You're not very stealthy, are you?"
"A-am too!" she managed to blurt out, still flush with shock and embarrassment. "Anyways, I'm just trying to find out what's making that noise. If it's too close to camp, I'll get rid of it."
"Not much for teamwork, I take it? We're Wardens, we operate as one unit, not individuals."
"It's not that! It's just…well, I guess I'm just used to being alone."
Kieran arched an eyebrow. "That's right, I remember now. Velanna found you living in a ruin in Amaranthine far apart from any other elves, city or Dalish."
"Ma and Da died of the plague when I was little," she said sadly. "I ran away and the Dalish took me in. Their Keeper's Second taught me a little of how to control my magic. I ran from there too when my friend Theron died of sickness. Wherever I go, death follows," she cried.
The violet-eyed Warden gave her a reassuring smile. "That can describe most of us, you know, in which case you fit right in."
That brought a smile to her tear-streaked face. Before she could thank the man, a shriek echoed in the distance, followed by the same skittering noises she'd heard earlier. Not wasting a moment, Kieran and Alleyne rushed off down the thaig's paved roadway. The scream came from a dwarf, armor not unlike Sigrun's old set, if not heavier. A dwarven-style skull adorned it, marking its bearer as a member of the Legion of the Dead. Nearby was a genlock, not-so –ecently kills by all appearances. From the shadows skittered the Legionnaire's assailant. Its face resembled a genlock's, yet it overall resembled an overgrown caterpillar. It changed course from the dwarf and began eating the dead darkspawn instead, devouring it as if it hadn't eaten in weeks.
Alleyne dragged the injured dwarf away while the opportunity presented itself. "W-what is that thing?! Kieran, what is it?!"
Kieran muttered something inaudibly, then shook his head as if to clear it. "It can't be…it looks like one of those unique darkspawn Father mentioned, made by an intelligent broodmother. But he killed her, so why is this grub still alive?" He drew Starfang, motioning for Alleyne to get behind him. Suddenly, the grub's body burst apart, giving way to spindly legs and scythe-like arms. "Andraste's knicker-weasels!" Kieran spat. The Childer bolted towards Alleyne with inhuman quickness, intent on having its meal, but was knocked back by Kieran's dragonbone shield, leaving a bloody streak across the dual Cousland/Grey Warden heraldry. Undettered, it charged again, razor shard arms raised to strike. Kieran blocked the arms with his shield. He spun off the creature's side and cut with Starfang, the frozen blade biting deep and leaving a frostbitten gash in the Childer's chitinous armor. He blocked a backswipe from the injured darkspawn, and kicked out one of its legs, before swiping down an taking the abomination's head clean off.
The threat now abated, Kieran went to check on the Legionnaire. "Are you unhurt?" The warrior nodded, eliciting a sigh of relief from a still-shaken Alleyne. "That's good," Kieran replied. "Do you have a name, Legionnaire?"
The dwarf removed the heavy Legion helmet, revealing short red hair, grey eyes, a duster brand…and the most beautiful face Kieran had ever seen on a dwarf. "My name is Serena," she said with a smile, "and thanks for saving my arse."
A/N: Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. If you did, don't worry, this is not the last flashback we'll be getting in our journey together. Chapter 9 will be up ASAP. Till then, read my other stuff, favorite, follow, and leave reviews!
- R.B.