"Sssshhh," hissed Da'Assan as she looked up and saw Sylvar in a tall tree. He was ready to pounce at any moment with his two daggers, ready in hand. His gaze shifted from Da'Assan to a very large bear a short distance away. The bear's back was turned to the group. Occasionally, it lifted it's head on alert, but detecting no threats, it returned to pawing the ground.
They had fought and killed large bears before, so they were naturally positioned. Da'Assan slowly raised her hand above her head, preparing to give the signal. Seeing the movement, Sylvar coated the blades of his daggers in a bright green, slick liquid. Zilyana grabbed the hilt of her greatsword and made a step forward, trying her best to keep quiet as her boots crunched the leaves beneath her. Vesryn prepared his shield, settling side to side with Zilyana. He was several inches taller than her, but she held her own whenever they sparred. Vesryn used his shield as his main weapon, bashing into the enemy to break their guard before stabbing them with his sword. Several feet behind the party, Naevys stood prepared to apply healing magic at a moment's notice if they may need it. Her magical staff glowed with embedded crystallized runes that enhanced her spells.
Da'Assan was crouched low to the ground when she swiftly dropped her hand. Immediately, Sylvar dropped down from the tree, daggers aimed at the bear's neck. He felt the blades penetrate thick skin as the bear reared up on it's hind legs and began to shake off the intruder. Unexpectedly, Sylvar found himself flying through the air and slamming his back into a tree. He laid limp in the shrubs. The bear spotted Zilyana approaching a moment too soon. She made a quick thrusting movement, and her blade sliced through the side of the beast. It roared viciously, not ready to quit. Naevys was ready to heal Sylvar, and he made his way to his feet. Quickly, he climbed into the nearest tree, holding his position as he prepared for his next strike.
Da'Assan was agile on her feet, jumping side to side narrowly avoiding the bear's enraged blows. Her bow acted as an extension of her arms. She was so incredibly precise and quick, witnesses could only see her dark red hair as she pounced around the field. She never stayed in one position long enough to be caught. Arrow after arrow, shots found their mark into the bear's thick hide. Vesryn used his shield to bash into the beast, stunning it. When the bear became vulnerable, Sylvar jumped in from his position for the killing blow, slicing deep into the back of the bear's thick neck. The bear emitted a low gurgling noise before slumping over, having it's spinal cord severed. It twitched for several seconds as the poison reached it's heart.
Da'Assan knelt down and touched it's soft fur, softly stroking it. It was roughly 6 feet tall and weighed at least 900 pounds. She examined it, respecting all the blows it had taken before finally succumbing to it's end. A gash on it's side, multiple arrows stuck in it's rough hide, and poison dripping from several back wounds. Killing was never easy an easy task for Da'Assan, but she knew it had to be done.
"Ir abelas. Dareth shiral," Da'Assan quietly spoke, then rose to her feet. "We will use what we can of this creature. Do any of you have room in your bags?" She asked assertively, gesturing to the group.
"Of course I do, dear." Sylvar grinned while walking towards her, shaking the blood off his knife. "I'll even do all the hard work for you, da'len."
Da'Assan looked at Sylvar intensely and strode over to meet him. She was much shorter than him, but stared straight into his sharp, dark green eyes intensely. He took a step back, knowing he had hit a nerve, "Alright, alright. Relax. I was just trying to lighten the mood."
"No, please. Be my guest. You can do it all. We shall set up camp," Chuckled Da'Assan as she turned away and started picking up large, dry logs. "I prefer setting up the fire and cooking the meat anyway."
Zilyana walked over, soaked in blood. "I have to admit that that wasn't as big of a challenge as I was expecting." She started setting her equipment down in a clearing, close to a nearby creek. She then walked to the creek to wash off her sword, removing her heavy metal armor so it would also be cleansed of the blood.
The twins, Naevys and Vesryn, nodded to each other and then followed Zilyana to the clearing. The two of them started unpacking their bags. Naevys's was the most organized. She always kept all of her belongings packed neatly, everything had it's place. She brought one item out at a time, meticulously placing it before grabbing the next. Vesryn, however, simply untied the top of his large bag and turned it upside down, letting all of the contents spill out. He shuffled through the scattered contents on the ground and finally settled with everything in a huge pile, only needing his small compartment of seeds as a snack.
Zilyana returned to the clearing after her task was completed. She rolled out her thin blanket and set her baggage on the fabric, and began to air dry her weapon and armor. She decided that constructing the tents was the main priority since they would all need rest for the last day of their journey. It had been a rough two days leading up to this moment. They had seen a handful of templars and rebel mages, along with dozens of large forest creatures. They all tried their best to stay out of sight and remain quiet, but it got exhausting having to constantly worry about an attack. This was new to none of them though. They have had many unintentional confrontations while out hunting.
Zilyana walked around and picked up a few large logs. "I am going to get more. I figured we can use these to set up some small tents for ourselves. I suggest we make them close together," she said loudly, while dropping the logs in the middle of their camp. "Naevys, can you please start setting them up?"
Naevys nodded, and got to work. She had always been rather quiet, and kept to herself most of the time. Her and her brother were the eldest of the group at 29 years. Naevys took on the nurturing role, which came naturally to her. She started training Spirit magic as soon as she was able to walk. She always worked quickly and efficiently. Before long, the tents were set up.
"We have had a long day. By this time tomorrow, we should be at the temple," Da'Assan said emotionless. The others could see the exhaustion in her face. "I suggest we rest as much as possible, since none of us know exactly what to expect." She had started the fire, and shifted her gaze to Sylvar who was almost done cutting the untainted flesh off the bear. "We will all be doing guard watches tonight in rotation, since we all need to sleep. Vesryn, would you like to take the first watch?"
"Yeah...that is a good idea," sighed Vesryn. He had never enjoyed doing watches alone, even though he understood why it was necessary, given their current circumstance. They never traveled very far from camp, so it was rarely needed.
The sun started to set, and just in time, Sylvar arrived with fresh meat. After the meat was prepared, they quietly sat around the fire that Da'Assan had built. The only audible sounds were those of the biting and ripping of bear meat from the bone. They ate quickly, stopping only to savor the taste. The night brought on the winter's chill, and it wasn't long before they could feel the cold seeping into their bones. Each sat on the ground, moving closer to the fire until they were all just an arm's reach away.
Five tents circled the fire. Each of them a similar size, but none larger than what any of them would need for the night. Da'Assan's was the smallest, as she was naturally quite short for an elf and never carried much with her. Measuring in at a humble 5'3", her stature helped her immensely in most situations.
After their portions had been eaten and rotation schedules discussed, they went to their tents to sleep. Vesryn stood in the middle of the camp and proceeded to kick dirt onto the fire to put the flames out. He knew that they were not to be seen. The wind howled through the night, but it didn't bother him much. He sat next to where the fire had been and spent his time humming songs quietly to himself. A couple hours into his shift, he walked to Da'Assan's tent to wake her for her shift.
Da'Assan had always been a light sleeper. Ever since the hunting accident that killed the Keeper's partner, she hated the thought of being vulnerable. This mentality was needed for battle, but it hindered her mind in a way that made something as simple as sleeping a difficult task. She was on constant alert, and she never let her guard down.
She sprang out of her bedding when she heard the opening of her tent. Vesryn stepped back surprised at how quickly she got up, but Da'Assan paid him no attention. She gathered a small bag, and looked up at him. "Go, sleep now. Sylvar will wake you when it is time to move out." She then waved him out of the tent, so she could finish her task.
As Vesryn slowly walked over to his tent, Da'Assan had gathered her bow, a few arrows, and a blanket. Unlike Vesryn, she walked just outside the tent area and nestled by a tree. This gave her a better position to look over the area.
She had picked up a few leaves and twigs just to keep her hands busy. While looking upon her newest creation, which was a small stick figure, she heard a rustling by one of the tents. Her ears twitched, like they always did when she heard a sound unexpectedly. She squinted and quickly grabbed her bow and sling of arrows. Keeping low to the ground, she stalked around the perimeter of the camp before approaching the source of the noise. When she was right behind the rustling, she pounced!
A nug noisily squealed and ran toward the darkness of the forest. Da'Assan sighed heavily, and put her weapon away. Walking back to her spot, she heard leaves crunching behind her and turned to see Zilyana.
"I can't sleep, especially when I know how anxious you have been the last two days," she muttered before sitting down on the blanket that Da'Assan had laid out on the ground. "How are you doing?"
"Tired." Chuckled Da'Assan lightly while she sat down. "I'm just wondering what this will do. I think this war is bigger than the Keeper thinks it is. I just have...a bad feeling, is all." She hung her head and started to fidget with her hands. Zilyana looked at her suspiciously then grabbed both of her hands. Sitting in silence, they were hand in hand for several moments before Zilyana spoke.
"I know what you mean, but you can't live in fear forever, lethallan. I know it's more than just this mission. Ever since you have taken on more responsibility within the clan, you never seem to be happy." Zilyana looked upon Da'Assan's face and studied the scarring on her cheek, her most prominent scar. It went from the bottom of her left ear, across her cheek, and up towards the bridge of her petite nose. She knew it had happened the day her father died.
"This mission isn't just for you, Da'Assan," spoke Zilyana quietly. "We all have our part in the success of this mission. After all, my mother chose only the best. I know that my father would be proud of us."
"I'm just so tired, Zilyana. Nothing brings me joy anymore, not after what I let happen to your father. I fear that I will fail again. I'll let the whole clan down.," Da'Assan blurted out. She shook Zilyana's hands off of her face and pulled her in for a hug. Zilyana knew she rarely ever showed weakness, even with her. She cradled her in her arms, letting Da'Assan release all the emotions she had been holding in for so long. Zilyana started rocking Da'Assan and began to sing their favorite song. Their mothers would sing a lullaby to them every night when they were young. It made them feel safe.
"Tel'enfenim, da'len.
Irassal ma ghilas .
Ma garas mir renan .
Ara ma'athlan vhenas .
Ara ma'athlan vhenas."
Zilyana sang the verse quietly, stroking Da'Assan's long, soft hair. Zilyana had always been jealous of it. It grew fast, and she rarely cut it. It had grown past her lower back now, and Zilyana would help her braid it back and put it in a loose bun most mornings. After a while, she could feel her start to relax and loosen the grip around her waist.
Several minutes passed before Da'Assan sniffled and lifted her head off of Zilyana's chest. She brushed the tears from her cheeks, and stared deep into Zilyana's eyes. "We will not speak of this to the others; you know how they can be."
"Of course I do," laughed Zilyana while straightening out her back. "Sylvar will call you 'da'len' for the rest of the day. Vesryn will laugh and continue eating. And Naevys will look after you like a mother halla, never leaving your side and asking too many personal questions."
Da'Assan tried to contain her laughter, but it was hard. She quickly quieted down and spoke softly, "I really want to thank you. I feel you know me better than I know myself. You know just what to do."
And in that moment, Da'Assan actually felt at peace. They both leaned against the tree together, and rested for the day ahead of them. The night was quiet and peaceful. They went into their separate tents, and Da'Assan woke Naevys for her turn to go on watch.
Morning came quickly, with Sylvar being the last on watch. He loudly sang a song that he heard on the outskirts of a town tavern, and the group woke up quickly, begging him to stop. This was, after all, their last day of travel before the Temple of Sacred Ashes, and the last thing they needed was a song about a drunken pirate stuck in their head. By tonight, they will have already started racing back to the camp with information for the Keeper. They were all hoping that it would be good news.
The day wore on. The hike to the top of a mountain in the Frostbacks was not easy, but they didn't complain much. Except Sylvar, of course. He always had a way of making bad situations worse.
"Why do they have this all the way up here? Why do the shems trek this far uphill? They really are odd. I'm cold and hungry. Can we stop again?" complained Sylvar while rubbing his arms and shivering.
Da'Assan spoke loudly, "Well, if you had packed heavier gear and quick things to eat, like I told you to, then maybe you wouldn't be so damn cold and hungry all the time! You knew it was going to be colder than what we normally would have to deal with." She continued her quick pace up the steep mountain, shaking her head. She pulled her scarf back over her lower face. No elf complained more than Sylvar.
Sylvar didn't say much after. Although he did make it a point to make his annoyance with the snow known by kicking his feet and keeping his arms crossed. He would occasionally look around and see if anyone was watching. When it appeared that no one was, he sighed heavily and quickened his pace to catch up with Da'Assan and Zilyana at the front.
After what seemed like hours of trekking through the deep snow, they could finally see the temple. It was unlike any structure they had ever seen before. Large windows of stained glass decorated its walls. The setting sun shone upon the entrance doors, reflecting rays of red and blue onto the snowy ground. Its size was that of a small town. Two giant stone statues stood aside the front gates, towering over them as they began walking to the doors.
Da'Assan coughed. They nodded at her as she explained going around to avoid being seen. On the side of the building, they noticed a small wooden door. Da'Assan shushed the others and touched her right ear to the door to listen for any noises. Silence. She beckoned them to her and they followed her through until they were in a large, open room. Each stood still, mouths agape at the high ceiling, before Da'Assan nudged them to move on.
Annoyed, she said, "If you all can't remember: we are here to spy, and get out as quickly as possible. Maybe on another day, we can all have a small picnic and marvel at the walls." She then lifted a finger to her lips, signaling them to keep quiet. She walked up to the door that was across the large room.
While shifting her body so that her back was against the wall, she turned her head outside the door and looked into the hallway. No one was there. She looked at the others and shrugged. It seemed odd to her, but she thought that maybe this wasn't a frequented part of the building. It was rather large; she knew they had to be more careful as they got closer to the middle.
"I will go out first. When I lightly tap my leg, come out one at a time. I will wave you on so that you know it's okay to move," she instructed. With one last look out, she quietly ran to the end of the hallway.
Still nothing. No one. She started to feel anxious. How is there no one in this building? There has to be others roaming about, patrolling or guarding while this meeting is happening. But then she took a deep breath and remembered that she needed to stay calm. She refused to let the group see her be worried about anything.
She tapped her leg, and looked back to Zilyana. While waving her on, she gestured for the others to follow. One by one, only a few steps behind the other. She followed this same pattern until they encountered a long hall spanning both directions with a pair of large wooden doors in the middle. She knew that must be where the meeting was taking place. Her stomach dropped at the thought that they still hadn't seen anyone. They were in the main hallway now.
Da'Assan whispered, "Don't follow me. Stay on the look out. Vesryn, take the right end of the hallway and signal if you see anyone coming." Vesryn nodded before moving to his position. He liked the idea of not being too close to each other in case they were spotted.
"Naevys, go down the left, and tap your staff on the ground if you notice anything." Naevys quickly walked down the hall and looked back at the remaining group, shrugging.
"Sylvar, is there any way you could possibly get onto one of those top beams and look from above? I'm going to need you to make sure everyone stays in place and communicate if anyone is approaching." He looked at several large statues lining the long wide hallway, before settling on one that was only a jump from a lower beam. Da'Assan looked on as he climbed the statue and leapt from it, successfully landing on the beam.
Continuing to keep her voice down, she looked at Zilyana. Smiles formed on both of their faces. "You were right, Zilyana. I can't live in fear anymore. The Keeper will be so proud of us after this journey. Now it's time to do what we came here to do. Stay here, so that if anyone comes, you can quickly grab me," Da'Assan smiled, and gave her a hug.
"Hey, let's just get this over with. You know how shem buildings like this get to me. Plus, I'm getting sick of Sylvar's complaining," Zilyana winked at her and chuckled before pushing her down the adjacent hall towards the doors.
Da'Assan was several feet closer to the door when she heard a voice that sent chills down her spine.
"Now is the hour of our victory."
She froze. This wasn't a natural voice. There was emptiness, but also an aura of evil. It was thick with anger and death. The voice seemed to travel through her like the wind of a blizzard. However, she continued to move closer to the doors fighting the urge to run, her curiosity now taking over.
"Why are you doing this? You of all people?"
This voice was higher pitched, but much softer. She knew it had to be a woman, possibly an elder. She sounded to be in pain.
Da'Assan quickened her pace, but could feel her heart starting to pound. Sweat dripped from her forehead and down her neck. She could sense the magical energy growing as she moved closer. She started to notice a strange green glow coming from the bottom of the doorway. As she approached the door, she heard the unnatural voice speak again.
"Keep the sacrifice still."
Her legs almost gave away. Da'Assan's heart skipped, and then started to beat rapidly.
She stumbled to the door, before slowly leaning against the wall.
"Somebody, help me!" cried the woman's voice.
Da'Assan's impulsiveness took over. She looked behind her and locked eyes with Zilyana who looked at her strangely, questioning what she was about to do. When she turned back to the door, she rammed herself into it before almost losing her balance.
"What's going on in here?" she demanded, stumbling into the area. All eyes turned to her, and that's when she took in the scene. An elderly woman dressed in religious garb was held up and bound by magic. Da'Assan quickly knew that this was the Divine, head of the Chantry. Men and women were standing around her, arms raised, magic pouring out of them. They were dressed in armor, and she noticed symbols on the metal, but she couldn't quite make them out. Their faces were emotionless, and they seemed to have been under some type of spell. Her mind was focused on the strange red coloring of their eyes.
Lastly, a grotesque creature standing with it's arm raised holding a glowing green orb. It had what looked like red shards growing out of it's body. She could see the skeleton of the creature before her and could smell the stench from where she stood. Never in her worst nightmares has she ever seen anything as ominous as what stood just feet away.
Time slowed around her. She stood frozen for what felt like hours. Her mind was racing and she started to feel light-headed. She could feel her heart beat outside her body now. Locking eyes with the tall figure, she could feel it's power.
But then, the Divine swiftly swatted her hand and knocked the orb out of the creatures long pointed fingers.
It came rolling to the left of Da'Assan, and she instinctively jumped to the side to grab it. When the orb touched the tips of her fingers, she became engulfed in magical energy. She felt she was going to explode.
And in a flash, everything was different. She was suddenly next to a crumbling staircase. In a desperate glance she searched around her for any sign of her companions. Unfortunately, there was a multitude of spiders quickly collapsing upon her position. Dazedly, she climbed the stairs with haste only to encounter a radiant feminine figure with her arm outstretched towards her. Da'Assan reached for her hand and as their fingers touched...
...she was lying on the ground unconscious.