Part 01: Tainted Hero
Chapter 8: Ruin and Rumination

Somewhere ahead in the darkness, a cry echoed. "Help! Help us!"

Brina stopped to listen. "Did you hear that?" The others stopped as well.

"Please! Somebody!"

"It's coming from that way. Let's go!" Alistair rushed headlong into the trees. Brina, Jory, and Daveth followed right on his heels.

The trees parted to reveal a clearing. Broken stones and columns laid scattered and vine-covered. A female soldier was kneeling next to another fallen soldier with a deep leg wound. "Who's that? Grey Wardens?"

Brina saw the kneeling soldier's red hair and freckled face. "Av-Aveline, aye?"

"Brina?"

Alistair gestured. "Brina, do you know this soldier?"

"Aye, well, somewhat. I met her briefly when I left the infirmary."

Aveline glanced up at Alistair. "I'm Aveline Vallen. My husband is Wesley Vallen."

Alistair's face lit up. "Ah, Wesley, one of the Templars! Yes, I know him. Fine soldier. I should have known. He's described you. What's happened here?"

"It was an ambush. We were scouting to plan for the coming battle; charged with monitoring the horde's movements. We didn't realize they were also watching us. We're the only two that escaped. His leg is badly injured. Normally, I could carry him back on my own, but my arm is injured as well. I heard your voices and took a chance."

"I have more bandages and tonics in my pack. Daveth, can you help me?" Brina shook her pack from her shoulder. Daveth took it and opened it for her.

Aveline eyed Brina's arm. "I see you didn't escape unscathed either. You didn't have that wound the other day."

"Lucky shot on their part. I didn't freeze the bastard fast enough." Brina handed Alistair several large bandages and a poultice.

"Hold him down. If he wakes up, I don't want him thrashing around." Alistair packed the wound on the fallen soldier's thigh. "It's a nasty cut but appears untainted. The mages back at the compound should be able to patch him up quickly. If he rests, he could probably still join the battle. Who is he?"

"He is a recruit out of Lothering. He and his older brother came on their own. Tired of waiting for the lords to come around, I think. Can't say I blame them. I don't remember the name . . . Some kind of bird. Eagle? Swan? Lark?"

"Hawke . . ." The soldier whispered. "Car-" The man broke out into a long coughing fit before wheezing "Carver. Hawke." Alistair and Jory lifted him to a sitting position and handed him the tonic. Carver managed to choke it down and made a face. "This is awful."

"Boy's still green around the ears, isn't he?" Jory glanced back at Aveline who merely nodded.

Daveth wrapped Aveline's arm.

Brina pulled two tonics from her pack. "These do not taste good, but they will dull the pain and aid healing."

Aveline held up her hand. "I'll be fine. Just focus on the boy, here."

"Can you get back on your own?" Alistair held out a hand, helping Aveline to her feet.

She gripped his forearm. "Yes, I think so. Now that he's conscious, he can lean on me for support. I don't think we have the strength to defend ourselves, however."

"Don't worry; there are no darkspawn between here and Ostagar. Most have run off, back to the horde. We cleared out the last of the stragglers. There are some ahead of here, but we can handle them."

Aveline nodded. "Thank you. May Andraste guide you. Come, Carver. I've no doubt your brother will want to know you're safe."

Jory and Alistair lifted Carver to his feet, and Aveline put his arm around her neck.

Carver scoffed, "I'm sure he would. I'll never hear the end of it. Garrett's a bastard . . ."

Brina, Alistair, Jory, and Daveth followed them back to the trail and watched until they disappeared.

"Think they'll be all right?" Ser Jory asked.

"They should be. Come, there are darkspawn ahead. About . . . ten or so of them." Alistair rubbed his temple. "We can handle it."

"T-ten?" Daveth stuttered. "You can't be serious."

Alistair glanced at him. "Ser Jory won the grand melee in Redcliffe. Brina fought off and defeated a Pride Demon. You've taken on six soldiers at once on your own. Trust me; we can handle them. Once we get closer, I can tell what exactly we're dealing with; then we'll formulate a plan. We'll have to move quickly though. They likely already know we're here."

They continued to follow the trail. Before long, a large stone archway, similar to the ones at the Ostagar ruin, appeared ahead of them.

Alistair held up his hand. "There's at least three Genlocks . . . No, four . . . And. . . Three or four Hurlocks . . . And an Emissary. Brina, you and I will take out the Emissary. Jory, you take the Hurlocks. Daveth, you take the Genlocks. Brina and I will help both of you once the Emissary is gone. Brina, stay back as much as you can."

Daveth gestured wildly. "I thought you said there were ten."

"I said, 'about ten or so.' Close enough." Alistair shrugged. "Why are you complaining? There's fewer than I originally thought."

Jory shifted his weight. "Right. Let's get this over with. How far are we from the treaties?"

"They should be just past the archway on the other side. In a chest."

They all looked where Alistair pointed. The archway they stopped at opened up to another clearing like the one they had found Carver and Aveline. This one was larger and more rectangular with columns and partial walls along the sides.

It was at this moment Brina noticed strange architecture. A giant bonfire burned in the center of the clearing. Around it was what appeared to be makeshift tents. The tents were low to the ground. At first, she thought the tent poles were wood, but upon further inspection, she realized some of them were bones. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the composition of the tent's black material.

There were large chunks of meat spitted over the fire. A pile of armor laid nearby.

Are they . . . Eating them? Brina felt queasy at the thought. She noticed Jory and Daveth also looked away.

"Where are they? The nightgangers?"

"They are waiting. They know we know. Some have moved behind us. We have to fight them now. Running is not an option." Alistair gave a pointed look at all three of them in turn. "Daveth, the Genlocks are the ones behind us. Move fast. Jory, the Hurlocks are hiding behind the tents. Brina, the Emissary is waiting near the treaties. Let's go."

Daveth pulled out powder from a different pouch than before. The dust glittered silver in the afternoon sun. He tossed it at the ground where it exploded in a puff of smoke. When the smoke dissipated, he was mostly gone. Only a faint shimmer of his image remained. Even so, Brina had to concentrate to see him. Alistair and Jory drew their swords.

"Come on out, you stinking cowards!" Alistair slammed the side of his sword into his shield repeatedly. The beats echoed through the courtyard. Two Hurlocks emerged from behind the tents, followed by a larger Hurlock. It wore thicker and heavier armor than the other two. "Jory, take out the vanguard first."

Jory nodded and pointed his sword at the vanguard. "You're mine, scum."

The vanguard growled before charging at Jory with the other Hurlocks close on its heels.

Brina could feel the magical energy emanating from the nearby clearing. This Emissary is much more adroit than the one Duncan, and I faced. Was it really one week ago? Time moves fast these days.

The wind picked up as they approached the smaller courtyard, drowning out the sounds of swords clashing against armor.

Static electricity began to build around them. Brina gathered some of the energy into herself. Careful, Brina. Not too hasty. Let it follow your heart's wine.

The Emissary emerged, also gathering electrical energy. The electricity swirled up its arms. The Emissary opened its maw into something resembling a sneer.

Just as Brina was about to release her energy, something caught her sense. Another energy. It felt different; hollow and cold. It pulled magic away from her.

Alistair held out his hand, parallel to the ground. Light swirled around him. "Move away from me."

Brina took two steps. Then two more. Then ten more, until she could no longer feel the pull. She strained to hold the energy within her.

"Can you hold it?"

Her body was beginning to shake from the strain. "Aye, but not for long."

A runed circle of light spun on the ground around Alistair. Another formed beneath the Emissary, also spinning slowly. The Emissary began to lose control of the electricity. Bolts of lightning lashed out.

"Hold! Hold! Hold!" Alistair's hand shook.

Lightning danced.

"Now, Brina!"

Brina threw her good arm into the air. The lightning traveled from the ground, straight through her, up, and out. It arced down, connecting with the Emissary.

Unable to defend itself, it screeched and dropped to its knees, shaking violently. The electricity coursed through the nightganger's body until the last of it disappeared into the ground.

The Emissary remained upright, smoking. Alistair took his sword and swung with all his strength. The Emissary's head rolled a few feet away.

Brina was stunned. Was that magic? No, it couldn't have been. His energy was nothing like the mages at Ostagar.

Alistair wiped his sword before sheathing it. "I don't hear fighting, and we're not being ambushed. Let's see how Ser Jory and Daveth are."

"Wait, what was that?"

"What?"

"The light! That . . . that wasn't magic."

"No. Oh, that's right, I bet you've never seen a Templar's abilities before."

"You're a Templar?"

"Well, sort of. It's a long story. One better told back at the compound."

Brina sighed. Jory and Daveth jogged up to meet them.

Jory sheathed his sword. "Genlocks and Hurlocks are both taken care of, Ser."

Daveth rubbed the bridge of his nose, wincing. A bruise was forming. "So where do ya think these papers are, Ser Alistair?"

The four looked around.

Brina spotted the corner of a chest poking out beneath a pile of rubble. "There!"

"C'mon, let's clear this away." Alistair gripped a large rock, lifting it up, and tossed it aside.

Jory and Daveth lifted a massive rock, moving it aside.

Brina raised her good arm, straining from the effort, lifting a thick beam.

Jory glanced at Alistair. "Bad news. It's crushed."

Daveth blinked. "No papers."

Brina knelt beside the chest, sifting through the splintered wood. A velvety, feminine voice startled the group. Daveth jumped as Alistair and Jory turned in surprise.

"Well, well, what have we here?" The voice mocked.

Brina turned to see a woman standing at the top of a small flight of stairs leading nowhere. This woman holds powerful magic. She disguises it well, but I have no doubt she's much stronger than that Emissary.

The woman wore little more than rags, though the cloth seemed to be draped quite intentionally in a manner that Brina's male companions clearly found distracting.

The woman descended the stairs. "So, tell me: a vulture? A scavenger picking away at the bones of a prey long since rotted away? Or be you an intruder into my woods? You've easily defeated the darkspawn; certainly, any other opponent would fall before you. What say you?"

Jory and Daveth rocked uneasily. Alistair glared, with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Brina held up her hand. "Wait. I am Brian Ulriksdotten O Black-Wolf Hold. We are neither scavenger nor intruder. Who are you?"

"I'm simply an observer. What interest do you have in a place the forest reclaimed so long ago?"

"We're Grey Wardens."

Jory's eyes grew wide. "Don't talk to her!"

Alistair drew his sword. "She looks Chasind."

Jory also drew his sword. "She's a Witch of the Wilds!"

Daveth covered his mouth. "I've heard tales. She'll turn us into toads and put us in a big pot; she will!"

The woman crossed her arms. "Hush. I will not turn you into a toad for simple ignorance. Though I am quite tempted. You, there. You've not voiced your own thoughts and opinions. Tell me, why are you here?"

Brina gestured at the broken chest. "We're here for the contents of the chest."

"There now. Twas not so difficult. You may call me Morrigan."

"She must have stolen them," Alistair growled.

"I did no such thing. 'Twas in fact, my mother who removed them. For safekeeping."

"Your mother? Let's just get out of here." Alistair waved a hand before turning to walk away.

"Can you take us to her?" Brina sputtered.

"Now there is a sensible request."

Alistair pointed to Morrigan with his sword. "No, Brina. She could be leading us into some kind of trap."

"Do you want the treaties or not? Then let's go. Lead the way, Morrigan."

Morrigan nodded and walked straight into the trees. Brina followed without looking to see if her companions followed.