Thank you for your patience! I am so sorry it took me this long to update!

"Messere, he is missing! My son Sandal is missing!"

Bodahn Feddic was frantic as he approached Hawke. She had been lacing up her boots in preparation to scout a new route for Bartrand. The path had been blocked and it was up to Vivien and her companions to clear the darkspawn and find a way to the thaigs. Anders had been near by and approached to hear what Bodahn was upset about.

Vivien gave the dwarf a reassuring smile and said, "We'll find him and bring him back. Don't worry. Why, I bet the little scamp has already found a new path for us!"

Bodahn desperately wrung his hands as he returned to his wares. Fenris brushed past the fretting dwarf and shot a dirty look at the hirelings who whispered about darkspawn enjoying a dwarf stew. Varric and Isabela approached Vivien and Anders with their weapons prepared to spill darkspawn blood.

Anders followed close behind Vivien as the party ventured through a large gap a few meters past the caved in opening. Anders could tell that the deep roads were starting to take a toll on Vivien's spirit. She was jesting less with her companions and looked tired. It was obvious she longed for sunlight and missed her family.

Vivien stopped dead in her tracks. Anders and the others nearly bumped into her. They all looked into an open ice cavern with darkspawn corpses strewn about. The monstrosities were freshly dead but showed no signs of injury. Hawke turned to her companions with an eyebrow raised.

"What the hell happened here?" Varric said as he cocked Bianca.

Vivien drew her daggers as she cautiously crept into the cavern. The entire party was ready to be attacked by something horrible. Suddenly, and voice rang out in front of them.

"Enchantment!"

Isabela shrieked and threw her dagger. It whizzed over Sandal's head and lodged into the chest of a frozen ogre. Sandal laughed and clapped. Anders stared in disbelief. The dwarven teen stood in the center of dozens of darkspawn corpses with a frozen, eleven foot tall ogre towering behind him.

Vivien approached the ogre in awe. Sandal giggled and pointed to it; "Not enchantment!"

"That is … impressive!" Vivien said as she scooted Sandal away from the towering beast, "Now, run along to your father and bring the expedition party this way. I think this path leads around the cave-in."

Sandal had a big and goofy grin as he made his way back to camp. Fenris, Isabela, and Varric followed the young dwarf closely while watching him warily . For something so meek and touched in the head, Sandal sure had a knack for being found completely unharmed amongst dead monsters.

Anders was about to follow too when he noticed Vivien was still standing by the Ogre. She stood directly in front of the the massive form with her head tilted back to look into its eyes. Vivien's own eyes were distant and sad. With a feeling of sorrow for her, Anders realized that she was remembering Carver's death.

He slowly approached the eldest Hawke sister and put and arm around her shoulders. Her eyes blinked as the gesture of comfort broke her daze of bad memories. She smiled softly and leaned into Anders as she accepted the comfort.

"Was it really one of these that took my brother's life? I just … back then they seemed so much larger. I could have stopped one of these from stealing him away from us. He acted so bravely, challenging a sodding Ogre all by himself to keep his mother and sisters safe."

Anders used the sleeve of his robe to dab away the tears on Vivien's cheek. His body froze when Vivien grabbed his hand and held it to her face. His body soon relaxed as he laid his head on her shoulder.

The two jumped apart in surprise when they heard the march of the entire expedition party approach the cavern. Bartrand looked agitated and restless in the front with Varric at his side.

"We will travel twice as fast and for twice as long! I will come back rich from the god forsaken trip, even if it kills you all!" Bartrand's red-faced bellow rang out and echoed through the cavern. An unhappy grumble weaved through the hirelings and Varric put a palm to his face in disbelief.

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After three days of relentless walking through the deep, the expedition party finally had a spark of hope and anticipation. The cavern opened wide and began to glow an eerie blue from the bio luminescent mosses that clung to the stone. Signs of an ancient dwarven thaig began to show. Bits of broken vases and other rubble were spotted frequently. They followed the signs of past civilization until they found themselves at the top of a steep and wide stairway.

Anders closed his eyes as he dipped deep into his mana. From his staff, a long burst of flame engulfed the ceiling beyond to light what lay at the bottom of the stairs. The crowd around him erupted in cheers! When his eyes opened, Anders could see what his flames had revealed. An enormous thaig that hid there; untouched for centuries. A forgotten city so far beneath the surface that promised them all riches and glory.

"At last," Bartrand whispered, "we will make house Thethras proud." Varric smiled widely at his brother and gave him a hearty thump on the back. Isabela pulled a flask of liquor from in-between her breasts and passed it to Hawke after taking a swig. Hawke smiled happily as she drank deeply and slid down to sit against stone. Anders, Fenris, and Isabela all sat down with her to partake in the celebratory drink while Bartrand ordered the hirelings to make camp and Varric started to draw up treasure searching plans.

By the time the hirelings had finished setting up, Hawke and her party were feeling quite drunk. "Tomorrow is gonna be a busy day," Vivien slurred, "we best go get some rest."

Isabella giggled and hiccuped. She and Hawke tried to stand up and stumble over to their tents. The two women barely made it ten feet before colliding into each other and collapsing into a giggling heap. Fenris and Anders sighed in unison as they got up and stumbled their way over to collect their friends off the floor. Isabela groaned in agitation when Anders tugged at her arms to stand her upright and Hawke snickered when Fenris scooped her up in his arms. Anders finally managed to get Isabela's arms slung over his and Fenris' shoulders and they began moving the women towards camp.

Vivien's tent was closest. The few hirelings still awake to tend the fires watched with amusement as Anders and Fenris struggled to get the inebriated pair inside. Once inside, Isabela slurred a 'thank you' and staggered over the the bed. She quickly fell onto the bed and began to snore softly as she sprawled on her stomach horizontally.

Hawke had fallen fast asleep while she was being carried. Fenris gently set her face up on the bed alongside Isabela. With both women asleep, Anders began to feel his agitation rise at being alone with the brooding elf. They glared at each other briefly before a wave of exhaustion hit them. Without a word, the mage and the elf crept away to opposite ends of the tent and passed out on the floor.

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Vivien and Varric were bright eyed a bushy tailed when morning came. They awoke everyone in the tent and Anders immediately felt a headache. "We're all scouting ahead!" Vivien said as she pushed a plate of eggs and a mug of ale into Anders' hands.

"That means first come first serve, Rivaini!" Varric cooed as he tried to coax Isabela from her surly and drowsy state.

Isabela groaned and wrinkled her nose at her breakfast. "Oof, there better be riches in there or I'm going to be a grumpy girl!"

…

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Hawke and her little band of misfits had geared up quickly and made their way deep into the abandoned city of the ancient dwarves. All but Anders and Varric looked around in amazement. Anders had seen old thaigs before with the Warden Commander/Queen and he never felt their history to be worth all the darkspawn and whispers from the taint. He only felt dread in these places. Varric on the other hand felt bored. Unlike his brother, he had never known the deeproads as his home and felt no connection to his past.

They were approaching what appeared to be a dwarven chapel with large double doors. It cast a foreboding shadow across their path. Fenris and Varric each grabbed a handle and pulled. A sinister red glow seeped out of the room. Anders could feel a familiar tingle in his spine. He sensed a strong presence of lyrium. Justice's thoughts surfaced momentarily and warned Anders to be cautious.

Vivien and Varric took the lead. The room had a stairway that covered the entire width. At the top they could see a pedestal. On the pedestal, they could see an object that pulsated and glowed with a magical energy. It was an idol.

"Lyrium?" Varric asked. Anders nodded solemnly. He did not like the magic that flowed from the idol. It felt menacing. Before he could express his concerns, everyone turned towards the door. A stout shadow was pounding its way in with heavy footsteps. Varric smiled.

"Bartrand!" He said cheerfully. "Look at this thing, I'll bet it is worth a fortune!" Varric grabbed the idol from the pedestal and proudly presented it to his brother.

Bartrand displayed no emotion as he took the idol and examined it. "Hm, you could be right, Varric. How about I take this back to camp and see what Bodahn's boy says about it? Keep scouting ahead, there has to be more where this came from."

Varric silently agreed and began to ascend the stairs again. His smile soon disappeared when he heard the deafening creak of doors closing and locking behind them. They all ran to the door and shouted for Bartrand.

Their hearts sank when the heard his greedy laugh from the otherside. "The location of this place is worth a fortune alone even without this pretty little idol. I won't be sharing any of the riches or glory with you fools. Take care, brother!"

Varric pounded on the door with red hot rage. "Bartrand! You sodding bastard! I'll kill you myself!"

Anders watched as Hawke sank to the floor on her knees. "Bethany," she whispered, "I let you and mother down!"

The mage quickly kneeled if front of her and embraced Vivien warmly. "Hey," he whispered softly, "don't give up yet. We are all going to make it. I'm here beside you and I won't let anything happen. We are going to get out of here."

She took a deep breath and smiled. "I'm sorry, I don't usually panic like that. I miss the sun so much. And every day I am away is another chance for the templars to discover my sister."

Anders helped her stand up. "We will see the sun again soon, I promise. And then you will be your old, sarcastic self again, except living in Hightown and going to the bland noble balls with your sister."

Vivien laughed, "Thanks, but I think I will leave the fancy balls to Bethany. Nothing will stop me from slumming around the hanged man with my friends." She regained her impish grin and kissed Anders on the cheek before rounding up the rest of the party.

"We're getting out of here," she said with confidence, "and we're going to find our fortune along the way. When we reach the surface, drinks are on me!" She winked at her friends and searched the room. In the far back was a hole a small child could slip though. Fenris channeled all his anger and began to smash away more wall with the hilt of his sword. Each blow chipped away large chunks. Before long, he left a large gap that all of them could squeeze through.

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The passage behind the ancient thaig held many horrors for the group to face. Demonic creatures of rock were a constant threat as the party searched all day for a way back to the surface. The slimy tendrils of despair tried to sap their spirit here in the deep. Vivien was near ready to make camp when she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

"Maker! Would you look at that!" She was pointing to a small cave that was filled to the brim with coin and gems.

Everyone rushed forward to gaze in awe.

"Ha! Bartrand can have that sodding idol! This is more treasure than we ever imagined!" Varric beamed in the shimmer of the gold that lay before him.

They all embraced and cheered, knowing their hardships had finally paid off! Isabela playfully gathered an armful of gold and threw it in the air. The shining metal clattered all around them as it hit the floor and bounced off their armor. One coin managed to fall into Vivien's shirt and she gasped and laughed as she tried to remove the cold invader from her cleavage. The cavern erupted with everyone's laughter.

A horrible crackling noise of rocks and static suddenly silenced them. Anders turned first and stared in horror as a fearsome Rock Wraith formed itself and towered above the group. With a feeling of dread, he noticed that in the heart of the beast was the same menacing glow of the lyrium idol.

The lyrium teemed from the center of it's stone body and lifted the beast into the air. Vivien narrowed her eyes and drew her blades. She prepared her body to lunge and attack. Before she could charge, the Wraith let out a pained and guttural cry as a burst of deadly lightning strikes sprayed from his body and hurtled towards the exposed party.

Anders was prepared. He stepped forward and flung out his arms in front him. A magical barrier formed and enveloped the group. The lightening struck his barrier fiercely before recoiling back into the Wraith's chest. It fell to the ground and bellowed with pain. Anders gritted his teeth as he let the barrier dissipate. He felt three bodies whoosh past him. Fenris was in the lead with his greatsword raised high above his head. Isabela and Vivien followed.

Fenris roared as he brought his sword crashing down on the stony head. To his dismay, the blade merely bounced off and left his enemy unscathed. Isabela and Vivien's attempts to slice it were also failing. With frustration, Vivien thrust her dagger between a gap in the rock armor. She grinned when the beast let out a deafening roar.

She was about to slice a gap again when the Wraith began to glow heavily! The lethal sound of electricity was building within the core. Vivien screamed "take cover!" as she ran to a thick stalagmite and slid behind it. Everyone ducked behind their own in the nick of time. The Wraith angrily flung it's chest open and let a roiling burst of energy consume the cave. Anders felt the hairs on his arms rise as the static flew by on either side of his stalagmite.

Glancing to his right, he saw Vivien ready her daggers and pounce from the shadows. Anders followed. The lyrium heart was exposed and vulnerable. He took a deep breath and sent a blast of fire deep into the Wraith's core. Vivien covered her eyes as flames consumed the foe. Varric jumped out from behind a rock and began firing wickedly sharp arrows into the source of power. Bianca's mahogany body looked deadly and smoldering in the light of the flames.

The flames died out and the Wraith shook with anger. The towering monster turned to Anders and began to levitate towards him! The mage quickly backed up and readied his staff. Vivien jumped in front of him and raised her daggers. She ran forward and lept upon the Wraith's leg. She sank one dagger deep into the joint of the knee and and lashed out with her other dagger as she tried to slice the vulnerable belly.

The Wraith's yell boomed like thunder as it shook Vivien off. She came loose with daggers still in hand and flew straight into Anders, knocking them both to the ground. The monster raised his gargantuan fist and prepared to pummel them both. It cried out in surprise when it felt Fenris' arm puncture all the way through the stone armor. Fenris glowed a fierce blue as he violently tugged at the strands of lyrium within the foe. The beast fell to its knees, weakened greatly by the assault to his power source.

Vivien took her chance, she sprang away from Anders' side and hurled herself high with a dagger raised. The beast screamed as it began to harness a fresh attack of electricity. It was too late. Vivien sank her dagger deep into the lyrium heart and placed a combustion grenade into a deep crook between the neck and shoulder blade. She yanked away her dagger and fell to the ground. She rolled away and pulled Anders from the ground as she ran to cover. Everyone huddled behind a stalagmite as the beast screamed in agony. A deafening explosion and blast of heat filled the room and the monster was blown to tiny bits.

They lay panting on the ground, covered in soot. Anders surveyed his companions to assess the damage. Isabela and Varric were mostly unscathed. Fenris bore an angry gash on his cheek, nothing lethal. Anders was more worried about Hawke who had been flung away from the beast and crashed landed. She seemed to be fine until she tried to sit up and winced. Vivien gripped her side and moaned. A few broken ribs, Anders thought.

"Oof … would someone please search for any indication of an exit?" Vivien groaned. "I've had enough of this place to last a lifetime."

Isabela turned to Fenris and Varric. "Boys, would you please find a way home for your damsels in distress? I'm going to figure out how to get all that loot home."

Anders propped Vivien against a stalagmite to examine her ribs more closely while the other three went off to their own tasks. She winced as he removed her upper armor and rolled the chemise away from the damage. He gently stroked the wide bruise with his finger and determined she had only broken three ribs.

"Don't look so concerned!" Vivien said with a little smirk. "Sure, it hurts, but I think I'll live!" She sighed as she stood up. "Just give me a health potion."

Anders shook his head and smiled as he rummaged though his sack. He finally found a magic poultice and prayed to the Maker that they would reach the surface soon. It was his last potion. Vivien thanked him and drank with a grimace. The health potion was hastily made and bitter. She peered down and watched as the bruise slowly shrank into a small mark.

Satisfied, Anders put her arm around his neck and helped her walk over to the others. Fenris and Isabela stood by a door with a huge chest filled with the most valuable treasures. Varric stood near a small door. He opened it and a blast of fresh air filled the room. Everyone sighed in relief, ready to see the surface again.