They soon entered the Blackmarsh and Faren could see where it got its name. It was more like a swamp than anything else and in the distance he could see the ruins of what he assumed was a small town or village.

Nathaniel looked around to the surroundings with great interest. "They say this marsh was once inhabited, until the day everyone disappeared."

"The darkspawn have been here. You can already smell them," said Faren, looking around.

"Well you two are just full of doom and gloom, aren't you?" Anders said.

Nathaniel shook his head. "My father used to tell me stories about the Blackmarsh when I was young. He said evil magic killed everyone here. This was just before the rebellion—a great mystery at the time."

"Did he tell you anything else about this place?" Faren asked.

"They never found out what happened here. Once the monsters appeared, the marsh was abandoned." Nathaniel chuckled. "I used to dream of coming to the Blackmarsh and setting things right. Little boy dreams."

"You're doing it now, aren't you?"

He laughed. "So I am." He shrugged. "If someone had told me I'd end up here, I would have laughed at them. But times change. When I was in Kirkwall, I thought I would return to Ferelden to take command of my father's garrison. Now here I am, a Grey Warden and fighting both darkspawn and demons. Interesting."

Faren shrugged. "Stick around. This happens all the time."

"And the fun never ends, I suppose? Good to know." He nodded. "Anyway, the haunted marsh awaits."

"Maker, can we go back to the doom and gloom? The cheerful is a little creepy," Anders said.

They found the first dead darkspawn only a little way into the swamp. It had been dead a while, perhaps as long as a couple weeks. Several others were scattered nearby.

"Dead. Kristoff's doing, maybe?"

Anders nodded. "That answers that, I suppose. The darkspawn are definitely here."

Something entered the edge of Nathaniel's senses. "Commander… ghouls?"

"No." Faren sighed. "I'm afraid it's a bit worse than that."

Then coming round the corner were blight infested werewolves charged. They look even more vicious than the ones he saw Brecilian Forest, because they didn't exactly stop to talk.

"I thought you all had fixed that werewolf problem," Oghren said, as he pulled out his axe.

"It appears the effect was more limited than we thought," said Faren knocking one side with his hammer.

"What are you two talking about?" Anders asked as he sent a fireball setting one of the werewolves on fire.

"Well, it's not the first time we've seen a werewolf," said Faren as he tried to defend one off.

"Is it always like this?" Nathaniel asked as he fired an arrow from his bow.

Faren shrugged. "Pretty much."

They were about to be overwhelmed, but then out of nowhere a giant bear came out of nowhere and began tearing the werewolves the pieces. Once the last the werewolves were finished off it turned to face them.

Nathaniel was already taking aim at it, but Faren realised something.

"Don't!" he yelled. "I don't think that's a bear."

He was right, the bear soon transformed into a handsome mage, one he knew all too well. It was Daylen Amell.

"I would appreciate if you don't kill me," he said. He then saw Anders. "Anders, I see you finally found a way to escape the Templars."

"Not what I had in mind, but I'll take it," Anders shrugged.

"Robes, what are you doing here?" Faren asked putting his hammer away.

"The Veil's weak here and I came to investigate, you?" Daylen asked.

"We are looking for a Grey Warden by the name of Kristoff, seen him?" Faren asked.

Daylen shook his head. "You're the first Wardens I've met. What was he doing out here?"

"Investigating the darkspawn, they're not retreating as they should be and what's worse they seem to be talking."

Dayeln stared at him. "That is completely unheard of."

"Yeah, I'm hoping that Kristoff found something, I could use the help," said Faren.

"And you'll have it," said Daylen.

As they walk through the ruined town, Faren worked at Daylen curiously.

"Are you any closer to finding her?" he asked.

Daylen shook his head. "You know Morrigan, if she doesn't want to be found then I'll have little luck of finding her."

The camp had been empty long enough for mushrooms to be growing in the shelter of the tent. He'd been fairly certain Kristoff was dead when the man had not reported in, but he'd held a slight hope. An abandoned camp surrounded by more of those 'children' made it fairly clear what had happened.

They were disgusting looking rings, they look like worms with legs and Faren wasn't even sure if they were actually true darkspawn, but that wasn't the most disturbing thing. They found Kristoff all right, or his rotting corpse.

"He's been dead for a while," said Daylen examining the body.

Then out of nowhere they were soon surrounded by darkspawn. A hurlock in sturdy armor moved towards them. It was disturbing, seeing a gloating expression on such a face. "Yes, that is your Grey Warden. The Mother told it to me that if he was lured to this place, and slain, that in time you would come." It laughed, a sickeningly wet sound. "And the Mother she was right. The Mother is always right."

"So, it's true, talking darkspawn," said Dayeln in awe.

Faren rolled his eyes intended attention on the Hurlock. "Who is this 'mother'?"

"The Mother is the one that sent me, she that wished you to come. To here, this place." He then laid in closer. "I… here before you is the First, and I am bringing you a message. The Mother, she is not permitting you to further his plan, whether this you know or not. So she is sending you a gift." It held out its hand, and crushed a silvery-green orb. Light burst forth.

They were still in the swamp. Boats seemed to float in the air, and the trees occasionally shifted and changed. The Fade. Oghren and Nathaniel were looking about curiously. Faren looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Anders looked about ready to wet himself. Like him he realised that they were in the Fade.

"No!" The darkspawn howled. "We have come to the Fade as well? It cannot be this!"

Faren turned on him. "What have you done? I want answers!"

"As do I!" the First roared. "This was not as she said, I am betrayed!"

"I never could trust my mother either," Oghren said sympathetically.

"Now I am being trapped in the Fade with you! Ah, I am the fool!"

Daylen pulled out his staff and pointed it at the First. "We'll deal with you first, and the Mother later."

The First glared at them. "I am thinking the Mother, she cares not what happens to the First so long as the Grey Wardens are defeated." It gestured at the other darkspawn. "I will be leaving you to the Children. I will be finding my own path back into the world! Back to the Mother!"

It fled as the other darkspawn attacked.

Their attack wasn't the most impressive, but the Children were quite disturbing. Whenever they got close enough they latched onto them and began biting down on them and they had razor sharp teeth.

With the aid of Faren, and the other Wardens, Daylen had an easy enough time to kill them all.

Oghren smashed the last of the creatures to the ground with his axe. Then he looked around. His eyes went to a floating boat and widened. "Wait, what did that snarly bastard say? The Fade? We're in the Fade? That's where humans dream, isn't it?"

"Yes," said Daylen.

"Dwarves shouldn't be here. We don't dream. We sleep like the Stone!"

It wasn't the first time that a dwarf had been dragged into the Fade. Back during the Tower both Sereda and Faren had been dragged in to it. "Maybe you've been on the surface too long," he suggested

Oghren glared. "Explaining why bad things happen doesn't help. Bad things happen, you want them to stop." He gestured. "And what happens to my body while I'm here? Someone could outrage my modesty! What little's left of it!" He hit the dead darkspawn again. "Sod."

"I can't say I'm happy about the notion that I'm lying face down in the mud somewhere," Anders said.

"The Fade? We are actually in the Fade?" Nathaniel shook his head. "I thought only mages could enter the Fade?"

"Normally yes, but that darkspawn must view some powerful magic if was able to drag Faren and Oghren into it," said Daylen.

"Can you undo it?" Faren asked. "I mean we escape last time."

"The last time we were under the thrall of a sloth demon, this time I'm not so sure how we escape," said Dayeln.

"Looks I were doing a bit of exploring," said Faren.

Killing the desire demons didn't seem to do the trick. Neither did activating the runestones and killing the rage demons. Slowly, they made their way to towards the village. The gate was locked. For a moment, he debated adopting the golem form and simply smashing it open. Faren glanced at his comrades. Probably not the best idea. "Let's head around, see if we can find a way through."

Memories faded in and out as they walked through the manifestation of the swamp. Conversations that had taken place decades ago played out for them again. He was torn between gratitude and concern that the other had not manifested. It had not been able to enter the dreams of the others as he had, due to them being domains of particular demons and none inside calling to it.

He was glad that Daylen was here, he had more experience about the Fade then anyone here, except maybe Anders.

They soon came across a woman at some sort of grave. It looked like she was digging or maybe burying something, but she start when she saw them approach.

"You… you're not a spirit like everyone else. How did you get here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"This is where my grandfather's ashes are buried. I come to visit him often." She gestured at the cairn. "He was the last person to stay in Blackmarsh. Once he passed, there was nobody left in the village who remembered."

Daylen sighed. "You know this is the Fade, right?"

"This? Of course I know that. This isn't—" She ducked. "Oh no! They've come back again! Quick, come hide in the crypt!" She fled through a door.

They turned to see some walking corpses. It took them only a minute to dispatch the creatures. Faren went to the door. "So." He looked back at the others. "Demon?"

"Demon," Daylen nodded.

"Demon," Nathaniel said.

"Definitely a demon," Oghren said, touching his axe.

"She could be a legitimate damsel in…" Anders started to say, and then sighed. "Demon."

"Shall we?"

"And so you came. Fell into my little trap." She turned around. "Such wonderful creatures, you mortals. So full of yearnings. So full of hunger."

"A hunger demon, I doubt she's the keeper of this domain," Daylen whispered to Faren.

Faren got the same feeling. She wasn't intelligent enough to hold a domain. "Do you truly think you can defeat me?"

She looked them over. "Hmmm… You do outnumber me now, it's true. Clearly you mortals are not frail." She started walking backwards. "Very well. Let the baroness have you. I shall feed on whatever remains." She fled.

Faren turned to his companions and raised an eyebrow at Nathaniel. "Baroness?"

"Blackmarsh was ruled by an Orlesian baroness when it vanished," Nathaniel said. "I'm afraid I don't know any more than that. She disappeared as well."

"I'm guessing she's the one we need to stab then."

"Maybe, I would feel more comfortable if we knew more about this place," said Dayeln. "We should try entering the village, we may have a better understanding of what's going on."

"You scared off a hunger demon." Anders shook his head. "You actually scared away a hunger demon."

They soon met the guard guarding the front gates and he explained that it was the baroness that was the one that caused the entire village to vanish. Also, a spirit seen to be helping the villagers for some reason.

"A spirit come to protect them?" Nathaniel said as they entered. "Another demon?"

"Spirits are different than demons," said Daylen.

"How so?"

"They tend not to want to possess and slaughter mortals, to begin with." He shook his head. "Some of them are actually helpful."

Anders looked at the him. The man actually seemed fairly comfortable walking through the fade, and now he was talking as though he'd actually had encounters with spirits. "Have you actually known any spirits?"

"A couple."

"Really?" He blinked. "What kind?"

"Valour, among others. And I'm still not entirely sure what the Lady of the Forest was." He shrugged. "Let's find this protective spirit. If nothing else, it may be able to lead us to the demon."

It was quite easy finding the spirit, since he was working up an entire crowd at the gates of a mansion.

"The mansion will not protect you, fiend! Come out and face your crime!" The spirit appeared to be an armoured knight, armed with shield and sword.

A crowd surrounded him. "We aren't afraid of you any longer!" "The witch hides! Break down the door!"

The spirit held up a hand to forestall them. "Be cautious, my friends. The baroness has power within her lair, and she well knows it. We rush in at our peril." The spirit turned, and saw them. "And who comes now? More minions of the baroness? Or yet more helpless souls she has ensnared?"

Faren took a step forward. "We are Grey Wardens, brought here against our will."

The spirit was white, vaguely transparent. He made for a strange, and vaguely disturbing effect. Maybe he was just used to the other one. "I cannot say what a 'Grey Warden' is, but clearly you are a stranger. Perhaps it is a sign." The spirit's eyes glowed just slightly behind the slit in the helmet. "I am Justice. I have watched the place and seethed at the wrongs visited on these poor folk, and now I seek to aid them."

One of the villagers stepped forward. "Once, we lived in the real world, and the baroness ruled over us. She took our children and used their blood to work dark and evil magic."

Another stepped up behind her. "And when we burned down her mansion, she cast one final spell that brought our spirits here. We have been trapped ever since, still under her rule."

"This spirit knows the Fade," said Nathaniel. "If we help him, he might help us in turn."

Anders shook his head. "I think that since the baroness trapped these people here, that she's our best chance of getting out."

Daylen and Faren looked at one another. They were thinking the same thing, it was hard to trust someone who used forbidden magic and sacrifice children. If nothing else carrying her might be the key to returning them to the waking world.

"Tell me, stranger, will you help is in this righteous task?" the spirit asked. "Being a Grey Warden appears to make you an able sort, and thus your aid will be most welcome."

Faren looked at Daylen, who nodded. He then looked back at the spirit and said, "I would gladly help you."

"Then we have the numbers to challenge the baroness directly."

Oghren smashed a fist into his palm. "Ooh, a direct challenge. I like the sound of that. Less talk, more killing!"

Anders looked frightened. "They just said she was an evil, powerful witch! Do we really want to antagonise her?"

Faren looked at him. "We could defeat her and make her use her magic to help us."

"Hmm. Now there's a thought… all right. You've convinced me."

"My intention is to storm the gate," Justice said. "Are you ready?"

"We are."

"Good people, we take the battle directly to the witch!" Justice raised his fists triumphantly. "For too long have her crimes gone unpunished! Now is the time to reclaim your freedom!" He turned, and kicked the gate off its hinges.

The Baroness dressed in fancy clothes, and spoke with an Orlesian accent. Daylen could sense the evil from her on mile way, but what gave it away were the two ash wraiths on either side of her. "My, my. All that shouting outside and now you've finally decided to barge in? Without even a proper invitation?"

"Foul sorceress! You will release these poor folk and submit yourself to justice!" he demanded.

"Justice?" The woman actually sounded insulted. "Is that what you are calling it? What of their punishment, burning my home to the ground and me within it?"

"Because you were stealing our children! Using their blood to feed your vanity!"

"As was my due! You lived on my land, I your rightful ruler! Your blood was mine just as your lives are now."

Faren took a step forward, Daylen you how much he hated snotty nobles. "Their lives are not yours any longer!"

"What's this? The pathetic fools have actually managed to recruit yet more sympathisers?"

Justice stepped forward. "We are no longer alone, Baroness! Your reign ends here!"

She smirked. "As it happens, I am no longer alone either."

The First walked up behind her, and gazed down at them. "My path back across the Veil lies in victory over you and your new allies. Then the Mother will pay for her treachery!"

Daylen shook his head. "I figured you'd turn up again sooner or later."

It turned to the baroness. "We must be ending this! Now! The Grey Warden, it is more dangerous than you know!"

"Oh?" The Baroness gestured. "As you wish, creature. Slay them and you shall have the reward you requested."

Justice drew his sword. "Enough! The battle is joined!"

The ash wraiths fell before a combination of fire and ice from Daylen and Anders. The villagers dealt with the risen corpses, with the aid of Oghren and Nathaniel. Justice went straight for the Baroness. That left him with the First. It tried to summon its magic, and he sent a wave of his own energy to cancel the spell. It knocked the First off its feet entirely.

"No! You fool! Why haven't you defeated them?" the Baroness yelled.

"They are too much! It must be sending me back through the Veil! Now, before it is too late!"

"Oh, I will sunder the Veil all right! I'll send them all back! But you—your life is going to provide the power!"

The First wailed. "No! No!" The Baroness's magic wrapped around the creature, ripping its blood out as it screamed.

"Not again," Faren moaned as a bright light covered them.

Faren awoke and found himself in the waking world again and throw the others awoke as well. Aside from being muddy, they appeared none the worse for wear after their brief trip to the Fade.

And then Kristoff's corpse started moving. Nathaniel immediately reached for his bow, at once Faren held up a hand. He could sense… something. The corpse stood, and looked around in confusion. "What… where am I? What is happening?" It turned around. "No! This is the world of mortals, beyond the Veil! And this…" Its hand touched Kristoff's face. "This is a mortal body of flesh! I am trapped within!"

"This spirit of justice? How did you get here?"

"The witch sundered the Veil in her haste. All of us were drawn through. She has returned to this realm as well. Can you not feel it? The baroness is nearby."

"She must use powerful blood magic to create a tearing the Veil, but bringing us back here must in some sort of accident," said Daylen.

Faren drew his weapons. "We've defeated her once already."

"You misunderstand," the spirit shook Kristoff's head. The effect was disconcerting. "The baroness, she is not a mortal as you are or as were the villagers she kept trapped." He gestured angrily. "There was such a mortal, once, but now? That is a demon of pride. She assumed that role long ago to feed from the mortals she trapped. But here in your world, here she will be quite something else."

"She became an abomination," Daylen nodded. "If true we cannot allow her to walk free."

Faren nodded and looked at the spirit. "What do you propose, then?"

"The Veil is sundered, and the tears must be closed lest they continue to spill demons out into this world." He folded Kristoff's arms, then gestured. "I can alter your weapons for a time, allowing them to drive back the Fade's magic… but if we are to deal with the baroness, we must move swiftly."

It was a bit did disconcerting, attacking what was essentially just a strange shimmer in the air. But there attacks did make contact with something. Then a demon flowed out of it. Daylen sent the revenant back by blasting a powerful with a spell, then he then slammed his hammer right on top of it.

"How many more?" he asked Justice.

"I sense three," he replied. He pointed, and then began walking and like sheep they followed him.

They found her looking up at the remains of the manor. "So this is the world of mortals. How very dull it seems, so immutable and unchanging." She turned towards them, a triumphant smile on her face. "Yet… I am here! I have crossed the Veil! The spirits will watch in envy as the mortals of this realm bow down before me!"

"That will not happen, demon," said Justice raised his mace.

"Ah. It seems I was not the only one to be drawn here. How very tiresome."

Faren shrugged. "Defeating you one more time won't be a problem."

"Is that so? We shall see, won't we?" Her form suddenly rippled and shifted, then began to grow, until before them stood the monstrous form of a pride demon. It snarled, then tore another hole in the veil to release more demons.

He swept his hammer at a shade, and started for the baroness. Justice moved alongside him, and shifted to flank. The Baroness turned its attention to the spirit, clearly believing it to be the greater threat.

It was a fatal mistake.

Daylen had transformed into a bear again and tackled the demon. While it tried to fend him off Nathaniel shot arrows into it eyes and Oghren began hacking away at its feet. Then with a combined attack from Justice and himself they manage to bring down the demon.

Justice stood over the body of the pride demon as it faded away. Anders began tending to Daylen, who had reverted back to human form and had taken quite a few injuries from the demon.

He approached the spirit. He turned to face him. "For what it is worth, thank you. I have fulfilled my vow. May the victims of that woman's madness rest in peace, wherever they have gone to now."

"What are you going to do now?"

The spirit considered for a moment, then shook his head unhappily. "I cannot simply return to the Fade." He lowered the mace. "There are memories within this poor man's mind. They are difficult to see, but…" The dead eyes widened. "He was a Grey Warden? He was… slain by the darkspawn, the one called the First?"

"The darkspawn are who the Grey Wardens fight."

"It seems I am at a loss. I know nothing of this world, and have only a few memories of this Grey Warden to draw from. I do not wish to die." The eyes met his. "What shall I do, mortal? You seem to be a creature of good character, and you are of this world. Can you advise me?"

Faren had to think for moment, it was true he was shorthanded and he could hardly let the spirit wander off aimlessly. Also he could hardly condemn a spirit that was only trapped because its compassion had led it to try to help others. "Join me. The body you inhabit belonged to a Grey Warden."

"You mean continue this mortal's mission? As a Grey Warden?" He considered. "It was a darkspawn who murdered this mortal most ignobly, and the ones that commanded it yet live. To avenge his death…" He nodded. "Yes, that would be a purpose." He gave a small bow. "Very well. I will join you, Grey Warden, if you will allow it."

"I will. Should I call you Kristoff, then?"

"I do not have a name, only a virtue to which I aspire. If I am to need a name, then use that. I am Justice. And for now, I am pleased to travel at your side, Grey Warden."

"Glad that's sorted," said Daylen as he approached them. "I'll head back to the Tower, they should know what transpired here." He then looked at Justice. "I might even be able to find a way to separate you from Kristoff."

Justice nodded. "I would appreciate it."

He then looked at Faren with great concern. "The First mentioned this Mother, it sounds as if she is the source of these new darkspawn."

"Any idea who she is?" Faren inquired.

"Probably a broodmother," Daylen guessed. "But I would be wary these new darkspawn are nothing to sneeze about."

"We'll be careful," Faren assured.

"Then I wish you luck," he said.

He then transformed into a raven and flew off and disappeared into the distance.

Meanwhile, underneath a cavern, a broodmother, that had once been a human woman, laid their surrounded by Children. A hurlock slowly approached, cautiously.

"Mother…?" it said.

"It comes with sweet news, I hope?" she said in a half crazed voice. "Tell the Mother."

The hurlock look slightly nervous and backed away slowly. "The First, it is dead. The Grey Wardens are gone from the marsh."

"Wicked, wicked Wardens! They killed the First—killed him, cut out from the Mother's heart…" she sobbed.

The hurlock looked at her confused. "But… was it not the Mother who wished him dead?"

She sobbed once again. "Dead… no…" She then laughed maniacally. "Peace! I wished him peace! To find the song again… to hear the sweet call…" She then clenched her fists angrily. "We are all lost. But the day will come when the silence ends, even for me."