Chapter 7: Temptations

"Damn it, Cait, I can't just let it go." Anders ran his hand through his hair in agitation. "I need to know more about this thing. We can't be sure we sealed it off permanently."

Caitlin sighed. They had spent all morning arguing about the strange, evil creature they had found in the Deep Roads. More than anything, she just wished to be done with it, to get on with her life and forget it existed. "Well, what do you want to do? Your records didn't mention anything of that kind, did they?"

Bethany shook her head. "No, they didn't. But we had another idea..."

"This is somehow related to the Fade," Anders said tentatively. "So if we want answers, that's where we need to go."

"You want to go into the Fade?" Fenris raised an eyebrow. "How do you propose to do that?"

The mage sighed deeply. "Remember Feynriel? The ritual we did to reach him in the Fade?" They nodded. "Well, I think I can piece it together. I might need some help, though. If only Keeper Marethari was still alive."

Caitlin looked thoughtful. "Well, Marethari may be gone, but there is a Dalish clan that lives near here in the forest. Merrill spends part of the year with them. We could ask their Keeper, if you really think it is that important."

"It is, Cait." Bethany walked over to embrace her sister. "We can't just leave it at that, you know."

"I can't leave Rhianna again, not when we have just returned." Caitlin's lips were set into a firm expression. "You'll have to do this alone."

"I'll go." Fenris looked at her, just as determined. "They will need someone to take them there, to introduce them to the Clan. And maybe they'll need more help."

Caitlin opened her mouth to protest, but then she thought better of it. I am not going to discuss this in front of all the Wardens! "Let's send a message to Merrill first."

A week passed until their messenger returned with an invitation to the Dalish camp. While they were waiting, Caitlin spent hours and hours fruitlessly arguing with Fenris, but he wouldn't be budged.

"Cait, if this thing ever gets out, it will be a danger to all of us. Let me do this." He embraced her and held on to her tenderly. "I need to do this."

Fenris and the Wardens set out early next morning. It took them three days to reach the camp. The dwarves looked at the aravels set up in a large circle around an ancient oak tree with a kind of horrified fascination. It was a large camp for Dalish standards, and the hunters were vigilant. Three of them accompanied the visitors to a carved wooden seat under the oak, where the aged keeper awaited them.

Keeper Hadril greeted them with a wary politeness. "Andaran atish'an, Fenris. You and your friends are welcome." She eyed the dwarves with barely concealed distrust, but looked with respect at the two mages.

"Fenris! How are you? And how are Cait and Rhianna?" Merrill had appeared from one of the tents and was throwing herself at them with a delighted squeal.

"Merrill. Still not an abomination, I see." Fenris' tone was dry.

The little mage laughed happily. "Well, let's take a look. Not insane. Not deformed. Not attacking everyone. No, I think I'm still good!"

"Well, that's a relief." He smiled at her affectionately. "We need your help, Merrill, and yours, Keeper."

Hadril nodded. "Merrill told me you wish to draw on our ancient magic. This is not something we would do for just anyone, but we owe you and Hawke. You'd better talk to my First about it. Nienna!"

A very young, very pretty elf stepped forward and greeted them with a bow. She had long black hair and beautiful grey eyes. "We will need time to prepare. And you," she said, looking at Bethany, "will have to help. Merrill and I can't do this alone. I am not powerful enough yet, and we can't risk involving the Keeper."

Bethany bit her lip. "I had hoped to accompany Anders. He shouldn't go alone. And the dwarves can't enter the Fade."

"That leaves me." Fenris smiled sardonically at Anders. "It seems we just can't get rid of each other, mage."

Fenris shivered when they entered the Fade, the strange, barren landscape of dreams and nightmares. It wasn't a place he would ever feel comfortable in. The lyrium in his tattoos was tingling, and he prayed they would find what they were looking for, and find it soon. But then he heard Anders' stifled cry behind him and spun around. The expression on the mage's face was pained, almost tortured. When he noticed Fenris' worried frown, he tried to smile.

"I'm sorry, Fenris. Coming back here is... harder than I thought it would be. Justice..." The mage swallowed.

"Come on, Anders." Fenris' voice was harsh, but his touch was surprisingly gentle as he took hold of the mage's arm and led him forward. "Justice is gone. Don't think about the past. We have to focus."

Anders nodded and took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. The landscape around them changed and began to resemble the tunnels they had left behind only a few days ago. All around them, a pale imitation of dwarven stonework rose, and they pressed on eagerly, recognizing the lower floors of the old mine. When they reached the huge cavern where they had slain the magister, they stopped in their tracks.

Just like then, a woman was standing in the middle of the room. But this one looked different, taller, and if possible even more forbidding than the Tevinter mage had. She had long raven-black hair and large, exotic golden eyes. Her svelte body was clad in thin dark robes made from some unfamiliar material, and she carried a staff unlike any Anders had ever seen. And she radiated power.

When they stepped closer, the woman smiled at them, in a not unfriendly way. "Well, well, what have we here? 'Twould seem I am not the only one who is interested in this intruder."

"Who are you?" Anders was fascinated.

"She is no simple mage, that much is certain." Fenris was growling, the hairs on his neck standing up.

The woman laughed, throwing back her head to reveal a pale, perfect neck. "You may have heard of me. I am Morrigan. Or maybe you know me as the Witch of the Wilds. 'Tis of no import what you call me."

Anders' eyes widened. "The Morrigan? Flemeth's daughter? The one who travelled with the Hero of Ferelden? They say you disappeared after her death."

Morrigan smiled, a little wistfully. "They say true then. I have prowled shadows that you never dreamed existed and travelled to places you can't even begin to imagine. This world is about to change, mage, and the answers to Thedas' troubles can't be found here. They lie beyond this world, beyond the Fade even."

Anders nodded slowly. He could feel the strange waves of power coming from her, power unlike anything he had ever encountered. "Why did you come back?"

Morrigan's face hardened. "That... thing you found. It shouldn't be here. I think it has slipped through from another place. I may have... inadvertently caused this. And now you are here and so am I... 'Tis certain this means I should help you with it." She cocked her head over to the end of the cavern and smiled a haughty smile at Anders.

"You have some power, mage, but not enough to deal with this kind of threat." Ignoring his angry snort, she turned from them. "I will see to it. Now you should go back." At a simple snap of her fingers, a faint golden barrier rose up behind her as she walked away toward the stone archway.

Fenris and Anders tried to follow her, but the barrier held firm. With a frustrated sigh, the elf turned to his companion. "I have seen powerful mages, spirits, and abominations. But I have never seen anything like her. What is she?"

Anders shook his head. "I don't know. I have never felt that kind of power. But I'm afraid she's right. We need to go back." He cast a worried glance at Fenris. "It won't do us any good to stay here too long, you know."

They turned back, but they had only walked a few paces, when a familiar figure appeared before them. Both stared in disbelief at the red-haired dwarf with the huge crossbow strapped to his back who was walking up to them with a friendly smile.

"Varric?" Fenris sounded incredulous. "What in the Maker's-"

"That's not Varric, Fenris!" Anders tried to pull the elf back, but it was too late. They were already too close.

"Come on, you two. Make yourself at home. Have a drink, I'll put it on my tab." The dwarf's voice was soothing, and his eyes were staring at them with a curious expression. Then everything went black.

Anders awoke slowly, yawning and stretching. A bright autumn sun was shining down on him through a window above. He was lying on a bale of soft hay in an old wooden barn, and next to him, someone moved.

"Hey, lover!" The pretty young redhead next to him laughed up into his face.

They were both naked, he realized with a start. He looked the girl over, trying to recall her name and how he had gotten here. Ah, now he remembered. He had run off from the Tower again, but this time they wouldn't have been able to trace him. His phylactery was gone, destroyed, lying at the bottom of the lake. He was free. And he had celebrated his first night of freedom at a tavern with this sweet, pretty girl. With a happy sigh, Anders reached out for her and let his hands roam over her firm young body.

"Hmm, don't stop." She stretched voluptuously, purring like a cat. "Will you do that electricity thing again?"

He laughed and pulled her closer. "If you like..."

She was soft and warm under his touch, and the sun was hot on his back. Anders sighed with pleasure as he rolled over and pulled the girl on top of him. A cute little kitten was playing up in the rafters, slipping and dangling from a beam. Just like Ser Pounce-a-lot... Damn the Wardens for taking him away. He frowned. Wait a minute. Wardens? What Wardens? Something is... wrong. How did I get here?

And then suddenly it all came rushing back and he flinched. I am a Grey Warden. The Taint. Justice. The Chantry. Caitlin. Bethany. The Deep Roads and... the Fade. He pushed the girl away with a sigh of regret. Just an illusion. He should have known it was too good to be true. As he shook himself, the scenery around him dissolved slowly and he looked down to find his robes back in place. He was back in the bizarre landscape of the Fade, but he was alone.

"Fenris?" With a worried frown, Anders walked over a small rise and found himself facing a pleasant whitewashed building. From inside there came the soft whinnying of horses. He sighed and entered.

Fenris was standing with his back to him in one of the stalls, carefully grooming a beautiful white stallion. When the elf turned around to face him, Anders gasped in surprise. The lyrium tattoos were gone. Fenris' face and arms were bare, free of the snaking lines that had covered them as long as Anders could remember. And the expression on his face was open, friendly, relaxed, if a little surprised at seeing someone come in.

"Greetings, stranger." The elf's deep voice was pleasant and melodious. "Can I help you?"

Anders swallowed hard. Fenris looked so happy, so whole. It was heartbreaking knowing what he had to do. But then he thought of Caitlin, of their child. "Fenris, it's me, Anders. You have to snap out of this. It's an illusion, created by a demon." The mage shuddered at the flash of pain that momentarily crossed Fenris' features.

"An illusion? Why would it be an illusion? And why do you call me Fenris? I am Leto. And this is my master's favourite stallion, Ragnar. Aren't you, my beauty?" The elf petted the horse's soft nose affectionately.

"Your master's... Fenris, you don't have a master. You are free. You have a wife, and a child." Anders knew he sounded frenzied, and he tried to keep his voice calm. "Please, Fenris, wake up. Think of Rhianna, of Caitlin."

The pain returned to the elf's face and got stronger. He closed his eyes and balled his hands to fists, his struggle clearly visible. Anders breathed a sigh of relief as the buildings around them grew dimmer, the same moment the markings on Fenris' flesh slowly began to reappear.

"Rhi... Cait... oh Maker!" Fenris shook his head in disbelief. "How could I..." He looked up at Anders. "What's going on here, Anders?"

A deep voice behind them made them both spin around. "What a pity! You two were coming along so nicely. Wasn't this just what you've always wanted? Why fight it?" A huge shade was rearing its ugly head before them.

"A sloth demon." Anders mouthed at Fenris. "Don't listen. Attack."

Fenris nodded grimly. With a savage cry, he raised his greatsword and closed in on the creature at the same time as Anders cast a petrifying spell. Together they easily took down the shade, but when it collapsed, it didn't dissolve. Instead, it curled up on the floor, rapidly solidifying into a huge, lumbering shape that rose above their heads. With a loud grunt, the ogre picked up a rock from the floor and aimed it straight at Anders.

"Get out of the way, Anders!" Fenris jumped in, burying his blade deep in the creature's belly. The ogre roared, but then its huge fist closed around the elf's slender body and began to crush inwards. Fenris cried out in pain. Anders raised his staff and a stonefist rushed straight past the elf's head into the ogre's chest. The monster staggered back, loosening its grip and Fenris slipped down to the ground, immediately stabbing upwards with all his might. The ogre went down almost soundlessly and Fenris took advantage of the brief hiatus to down a stamina potion.

This time they were prepared when the demon rose again, in the shape of an abomination. Anders kept throwing spells at it while Fenris danced around it in small graceful steps, inflicting bleeding wounds with his sword. This incarnation was a lot easier to deal with than the ogre. But how many more? Fenris could feel himself begin to tire despite the potion. With a high-pitched squeal, the abomination collapsed and transformed into a familiar, twirling shape.

"An Arcane Horror! Careful, Fen, it's casting!" Anders shouted, but it was too late. The demon had already finished its incantation and Fenris was screaming in pain, twitching between the energy barriers of a crushing prison that were moving in to squeeze him to death.

"Oh no, you won't! Die, bastard!" Anders' voice was furious as he focussed all his power on a single spell. With a strange sucking noise, a wave of blue energy washed over them. His mana streamed out to envelop the demon and bleed it of its power and its life. There was a loud pop, almost anticlimactic in its briefness, and then silence. Fenris' writhing body dropped to the floor, the spell broken with the death of its caster. Anders slumped down, spent but relieved.

"Let's get out," he gasped. They got to their feet and limped over to the portal that had appeared only a few paces from their location. With a last concerted effort, they locked hands and both stumbled through it.

When Fenris opened his eyes again, he saw the soft fabric of an aravel sway above his head.

"Good, you're awake." Anders' voice sounded exhausted, but content. "We made it back in one piece, it seems." The mage was sitting on a small stool next to Fenris' pallet, sipping from a cup.

Fenris sighed. "Maker, that was worse than I expected. A sloth demon, you said?"

The mage nodded. "I should have noticed right away. It was playing quite nicely on our... weaknesses."

"But why would it send me back to being a slave?" Fenris' expression was a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "Is this supposed to mean I would be happier there?"

Anders shook his head. "This is not about happiness or fulfilment. It was offering you the easiest option. A life without pain and responsibility. Trust me, it did much the same for me."

The door flap of the aravel moved and Bethany stepped in. "Fenris. Thank the Maker! Are the two of you well enough to tell us about what happened?" They nodded and followed her out.

When they had finished their tale, editing out some of the more personal bits, Oghren snorted. "Morrigan! Oh yes, I remember her well. Wasn't ever sure she was truly a woman, though. Or even human! Mind you, she wasn't ugly." He grinned at the memory of the witch in her flimsy robes. "But if she is dealing with the beastie, you needn't worry. I wouldn't want to be in its shoes."

Merrill nodded, her face serene. "Morrigan is a daughter of the Asha'bellanar. Of course she can do this."

"You're right." Anders' expression was sober. "Let's head back to the estate as soon as we can. Caitlin will be waiting."

Fenris pulled himself up to his feet. "Well, then let's go. No use lingering."

They said their thanks to the Keeper and set off. As they made their way through the forest, Fenris threw a brief glance at Anders. The easiest option. Well, good things are never easy. He smiled, thinking about his wife and child awaiting him at home. But they are worth all the effort you put into them.

And thus it ends. Hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed the writing. Thank you all so much for reviewing, faving or alerting this. You make me happy!

I have a new story coming up next week that is set in the same universe 20 years later, and I'm curious to see what you will make of it. It's called 'I can't forget you'.

Hugs and thanks to zevgirl for all her help with my stories.