Part 01: Tainted Hero
Chapter 3: No Time for Regrets
The wind shifted, rustling the trees and disturbing nearby leaves. One leaf landed on Brina's face. She blew it off and attempted to sit up. Pain shot through her side, and she cried out in surprise. Memories of the battle flooded her mind. Brina lay back down, pushing her sorrow deep into the pit of her stomach. She covered her face, not daring to look at the beauty of the day.
Some time passed before she could get up. The sunlight was breaking over the treeline. She brushed off the dried paste, taking care around her fresh burns, and shook it from her hair. Some of the green paste remained in its bowl. Brina gently brushed it onto the wounds, breathing relief at the refreshing touch. There were just enough bandages in her pack to cover the worst of the injuries.
Brina dressed and braided her hair back before turning her attention to her pack. She stopped in front of the altar. All that remained were a few charred logs and bones. They looked so alike it was challenging to figure out which was which. A small amount of heat still radiated from the remnants, slightly smoking.
She wrapped the massive horns in a cloth before tucking them deep into the pack with the bowls. Brina tossed the bag over her shoulder and took one final look around the clearing. Some of the grass was blackened and smoked like the altar did. Rocks covered the entire clearing. A pile of ice remained. The demon had disappeared, back to the Fade. A light caught her eye, blue light in the grass near one of the sear marks. Brina knelt. The lyrium? I- I did it without the lyrium! Realization of her accomplishment struck her in awe. Has that ever happened before? "I need to show Augur!" The vial still had the cord attached, so she slipped it over her head and tucked it into her tunic.
Brina ran as fast as she could down the rocky mountainside. The wind shifted again, bringing a foul smell in its wake that took Brina aback. She stopped and gagged before covering her nose and mouth with her arm.
As she drew closer to the hold, thick black smoke filled the air. What's going on? Her heart pounded, bursting from her chest. Brina tore a shred of cloth from her tunic and tied it around her face over her mouth and nose. She secured the bag on her back and readied her bow with several more arrows in her hand.
At the head of the trail, Hulda's hut blazed furiously. A body was sitting upright on her knees with her arms covering her head. It was utterly charred and barely recognizable. Brina's breath caught in her throat once she realized it was Hulda. In horror, she looked in the other nearby huts, also in flames. A few more charred bodies lay around in various positions of fear or attempts at fleeing.
A screech in the distance startled Brina. Fear ran its icy fingers down her back. She hid just in time. A beast rushed past with great speed only to stop nearby where she hid. It appeared somewhat canine with a short muzzle, pointed ears, and long forearms. Its skin was mottled grey and black. The armor it wore was pieced together from several different sets and covered in what looked like black pitch. The gauntlets on its forearms had long sharp blades that pointed upward, and it held two daggers in each hand. It smelled of death and rotting earth.
Nightganger . . . The creature looked around, sniffing the air. It can smell me. Horror gripped at Brina. She covered her mouth and held her breath, hoping it couldn't hear her. The creature cocked its head toward the burning village, then dashed toward a group of figures far to the other side of the hold.
Brina stayed frozen for several hours, afraid to even cry. The fires were dying by the time she dared peak out of hiding. She trod carefully, afraid the creatures were still around. Every hut had burned, leaving empty black husks. All the plants had withered in death or thoroughly incinerated. Elderly, children, some of the women were charcoal around in their homes. All around her was the acrid smell of burning flesh coupled with the coppery scent of burnt blood. The unmistakable smell of sulfur clung to her nostrils. She found the warriors and hunters gathered near the center of the village, weapons in hand.
Brina found a trail of black blood and followed it. The path led to her hut, which had also burned. Leaning against the rock wall at the side of the shelter was her father. His veins were black, and his eyes and skin had gone white. A massive cut across his torso oozed black blood.
"Da!" She ran toward him, thinking he was dead.
He blinked, struggling to breathe. "C-Cub? Is that you?"
"It's me, Da." She cupped her hands around his face. His skin was icy to the touch.
"I- I don't . . . have much longer . . . There's . . . a sickness . . . in me."
"Shh. Don't speak."
With great effort, he raised his hand to touch her cheek. "I'll . . . I'll give . . . Aela . . . your love."
His hand began to drop, and she held it tight to her face. Her eyes filled with tears and she couldn't keep them back. Grief immobilized her.
By the time she could compose herself, it was nearing nightfall. Brina shut her father's eyes and tore herself away. She made her way back to the center of the village, attempting to contain fresh waves of grief and trying to figure out what to do.
Where do I go? I could go to another hold. Would they take me in? I'm not sure where the nearest one is. They could be deep in the mountains.
Brina walked toward the Augur's hut, knowing it was futile. She was surprised to find his home untouched by flames. Several dozen of the creatures lay dead along the path, making it nearly impossible to pick her way through. At the top, the door stood wide open, and it was dark inside.
She took the torch from the door frame and lit it. "Augur?"
A voice rasped from the darkness. "Br- Brina? Is that . . . is that you?"
Brina found him on the other side of the dead hearth in a pool of his blood. A black dagger stuck out of his chest, and one of the creatures lay dead nearby. "No . . . no, not you too."
"You . . . you succeeded . . . You are . . . separated . . . from your . . . spirit guide."
Fresh tears welled in Brina's eyes. "Aye. It is done."
"Good . . . Good. I knew . . . you could."
"I- I want to help. How can I help you? Please, Augur. You're all I have left."
"It is . . . Too late . . . for me. But . . . Not. . . Too late . . . for you. The . . . Grey Warden . . . He went to . . . The tunnel. Go . . . Go to him . . . Help him . . . and his Wardens." The Augur gasped for breath and coughed up blood. "Take . . . this." He pointed to the staff just beyond his reach.
Brina picked up the staff, staring in the glowing wolf eyes. "I . . . I can't leave you."
Augur took her hand in his. "There . . . is nothing . . . for . . . you here. But . . . There is . . . One thing you . . . can do . . . for me." He put her hand on his forehead.
She nodded. A tear dropped from her chin. Brina closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. A soft light glowed in her palm on his forehead. Her breath shook when she exhaled. When she opened her eyes, Augur had passed on. Brina clutched the front of his tunic to her face, sobbing.
She sensed a presence in the doorway. She turned quickly, lightning bolts circled her hands and forearms, ready to strike. Brina couldn't see who it was. "Gr- Grey Warden?" She turned her back to him. "I'm sorry. I had heard you were going to the tunnel."
"Don't apologize, Brina. I am sorry for what happened here. What was it he asked for?"
"The Augur and his mate were apprentices together. She was supposed to become the Augur, but when the time came, Stone Bear Hold attacked. A hunting party had crossed onto Stone Bear's Territory. They had mistaken our hunters as a raiding party. The Thane at the time was known for being impulsive. Instead of finding out more, peacefully, he launched an attack. Augur's mate was killed." Brina looked back at the Augur's frail body. "He always said her favorite place was near the lake. Back then, our hold was located near a huge one. There was a family of ptarmigans that lived in the brush near the shore. He said she always imaged the Lady was watching over them from the eyes of the ptarmigan." Brina knelt by the Augur and picked up the feather that hung around his neck. "I gave him a memory. After my Ma died, he took me to the base of the mountain near an open field where the rams like to frequent. There was a family of ptarmigans he visited. He told me his story. The ptarmigan allowed him to come close and even let him hold the babies. It's how he remained close to her all those years."
"I know you've lost much today. Your Augur and Thane observed your trial. As did I. Brina, will you join the Grey Wardens? We need you. We can't replace what you've lost, but we can help you start a new life with the possibility of a future beyond the darkspawn."
"Those creatures . . ." She couldn't bring herself to use the word.
"Yes. Darkspawn."
"They are responsible for this. Aye, I'll join you and your order. There's nothing left for me here."
"Help me close the tunnel before we go."
They picked their way through the dark at the base of the mountain. The dense forest around them pressed close, suffocating Brina. How the Grey Warden stood it, she couldn't fathom. Brina could barely see the stars through the thick foliage. The forest belonged to Black-Wolf Hold and butted up to a valley to the east; the valley that would take them to the Korcari Wilds.
A fire raged in front of the tunnel where a single darkspawn sentry stood watch. It was quite tall, about as tall as Brina, with thick armor covered in pitch just like the darkspawn she had seen before. This one had a helmet on. There was a black shield nearby leaning against a tree and a black twisted sword tied to the darkspawn's hip.
"That is a Hurlock vanguard. It appears to be non-ranking, which is good for us. It'll be easy to take out."
Brina couldn't see his face in the dark. "What are you not saying?"
"There's a small retinue not far from here. Closing the tunnel will likely gain their attention. Most of them are just like this vanguard, but I think they may have an emissary among them. They are heading this way. We won't be able to escape before they arrive. We'll have to fight our way through. This Hurlock can't detect us; we're not close enough. But it won't be long before the emissary is aware of our presence."
"How can you know all that?"
"It's part of being a Grey Warden. I will explain later. Now, I'll distract the sentry. I need you to collapse the tunnel."
Brina nodded. She and Duncan ran out. Duncan kicked the Hurlock square in the gut before it could draw its sword. Brina stood before the tunnel and braced herself. She held the staff parallel to the ground, both hands on the grip. She raised the staff over her head and arched her upper body around in a full circle before stamping the butt of the staff onto the ground. A large crack formed and traveled into the tunnel and spiraled around losing rocks and debris. The ground shook. Roars and screeches escaped the shaft as it collapsed.
Once the ground settled, Duncan came up next to her. He crossed his arms, but there was the faintest hint of a smile on his face, "I think you'll do just fine. The emissary is here. Get ready."
Several Hurlocks, like the one Duncan killed, emerged from the trees. An even more massive creature followed behind. It was tall and floated above the ground. Its head was bald. The skin on the nightganger sagged and was pale grey with black mottled spots. Its ears reminded Brina of an elf, a detail that distracted Brina a moment too long.
"Brina, watch out!" Duncan shoved her to the side. A fireball larger than her head burned past her so close she felt the intense heat.
"The emissary?"
Duncan nodded.
The emissary opened its mouth, revealing two rows of sharp teeth, and let out a gravelly screech. It brought its hand up and connected its long fingers as if holding a ball. Lightning and energy formed inside and built up larger and larger.
"Brina, attack now!" Duncan rushed forward with his swords, spinning and lunging as hurlocks attacked.
Brina lifted her staff with both hands parallel to the ground and was about to conjure a protective barrier when a low growl to her left startled her. To her horror, another creature emerged. Is that a wolf? No, it can't be. . . "Duncan?"
Before she knew it, a blade stuck from the middle of its head. She spun back to face Duncan who was fighting the emissary with a single sword. Brina ran to the wolf creature and grabbed the sword. She had to place her foot on its head and pull hard. After a moment, the sword slid out.
Brina ran behind the emissary and breathed deep. She laid the staff down and with her newly freed hand she gathered up the energy in the clearing. Electricity tingled in her fingers, down her arm, and into her other arm, directly into the sword. Electrical currents pulsed through the sword and the blade became sheathed in lightning.
"Hey! Ass Face! Aye, you! Eat this!" Brina brought the sword up over her head and brought it downward. A long blade of light and lightning came out of the sword slicing and electrocuting the emissary. Duncan jumped back just in time to avoid the slash of the sword.
The emissary stood, staring at her before falling apart into two pieces. Black blood formed a large pool in the dirt and grass. Brina picked up her staff turned her attention back to the bear creature. "Duncan, what is this? It looks like a wolf, but something is . . . horribly wrong." She handed Duncan his sword.
"A blight wolf."
Brina couldn't help making a face. "That- That's perverse!" Now that they had a moment she was able to look at it really and could see it was, in fact, a wolf, but it was twisted almost beyond recognition. The fur was matted and patchy, covered in the same pitch-like substance that was on the darkspawns' armor.
"I'm sorry, Brina. I had forgotten your clan holds them sacred. I can't imagine what you must feel about these blight wolves. Unfortunately, there is no way to cleanse them."
"I . . . I understand. The hunters, they said the bears were gone . . . and all the other animals."
"Yes. Either tainted or fled." Duncan sighed heavily. "Stay alive. Another small group approaches."
Several more darkspawn emerged from around the clearing led by an Alpha Hurlock. Brina took a deep breath and pulled her arms tight into her body. She threw both arms out, casting balls of fire. Each ball of flames sought one of the darkspawn enemies, catching them on fire. Some went into a panic, running into trees and each other before falling onto the ground screaming.
The Alpha regained his composure and launched himself at her. She swung the staff around, using it as a control for various blasts before sending another barrage of fireballs. The Alpha managed to block several of the bursts but was unable to advance closer. She dropped the staff, exhausted. The Alpha drew his sword.
A crash through the trees gave her, Duncan, and the Alpha pause. Oh, Lady's Blessed Tits, I hope there aren't more.
Grønvik broke through the trees and tore into the Alpha. Duncan and Brina could only watch in helpless wonder. Grønvik crunched through the armor as the Alpha struggled. The Alpha finally stopped moving, and the wolf dropped it.
As Grønvik stepped away, he shook his head, growling.
"Grønvik? Are you all right?"
Grønvik howled and dropped to the ground. He tried to get up only to fall onto his side. Black blood dripped from his jaw.
"Grønvik? Grønvik? No! No, not Grønvik, too!"
"Brina . . ."
Brina ran to his side. ". . . Grønvik . . ."
"The Alpha's blood killed him . . . I'm sorry."
"He- He saved me . . ."
"He was a magnificent beast."
"He would have turned into a blight wolf. . . wouldn't he?"
"Yes . . . I know you are hurting, but it is better this way."
She put her hand on Grønvik's head. "May you walk in the light and be unafraid of the darkness." Brina stood and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "We shouldn't linger here."