Disclaimer: I do not own the Dragon Age Series!
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Untitled 7
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"Hello, old friend… or new friend to be more precise," Damien said quietly, gently patting the front beak and bridge of the young, white griffon. And though he is young, he was already quite big. "It's been too long, Revas."
"He likes you." Valya, the Warden–Recruit mage noted as she had just walked up to them. "Perhaps he should go with you."
They were in a remote weyr far away from any civilization with two others, training to be rootmasters and learning to take care of these griffons. Reimas and Caronel were the other two if he recalled.
Reimas overheard her and went over. "Valya! What are you thinking? It's bad enough this stranger knows the Griffons exist and just waltz right in, but now you're going to let him take it?"
"There's hardly anything I can do, Reimas! And look!" Valya pointed out. Revas the griffon was purring loudly and had leaned in to nuzzle the human's face. "A Griffon chooses his rider and none other shall ride the loyal beast."
Reimas was still unsure but Damien then said to him, "Don't worry. I will not reveal the location of this place. Not ever. I'll leave that entirely up to you…"
Caronel then returned with a finely–made saddle, designed for a griffon. She handed it to him and Damien took it, putting the saddle on the beast. Caronel directed him and he pretended to listen, but he already knew how to fly one.
He remembered it was in Dragon 9:46 was when he first met Revas. A beast of nature and untamed, only nice to Valya but never listened to anyone… But then, they met. Revas was wounded that time and Damien had healed him, but even then, they only had to look at each other in the eyes… and they knew.
He recalled how miffed Dorian was since the beast wouldn't let anyone near him. It took quite a few weeks for the griffon to be even remotely nice to Dorian. Then when the final battle against the Qunari happened, he made one mistake and his griffon died to save his life.
He will not let that happen again.
Damien got on top of Revas, patting him a bit as Valya approached him.
"You will keep this place a secret?"
"You can count on it."
Reimas then chuckled. "You know, the world's going to be shocked to see a griffon flying."
"I expect them to be… Good luck," Damien said to them. Then he took the reins of his griffon and shouted, "To the sky!"
Revas screeched and his wings spread wide and long, then he took off in a second, leaving only a few feathers from the launch.
Back to Haven now.
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"Lord Seeker Lucius… was a demon?" Cassandra asked, shocked at this revelation.
"Yes… we noticed too late," Ser Barris explained with forlorn. "They fed the men red lyrium and… they were far long gone. We are the last remaining Templars from Theirin Fall Redoubt, uncorrupted."
Sera then blurted out, "There abominations everywhere! All of them glowing red! It ain't right. Shiny got in there though before these were killed." She gestured to the Ser Barris.
"Shiny?" Josephine questioned.
Warden Blackwall then spoke, "The Herald, my lady."
Cullen was stricken with anger and sadness, but he controlled himself. He reminded himself that these few were saved by none other than the Herald.
"…The Herald… he came for you all?" The Commander asked.
"He did. He… saved us. I don't know how he knew, but we are glad that he did. We would like to offer our services to your Inquisition, if you could have us," Ser Barris asked.
The Templars were all standing there in line inside the chantry, waiting for their decision.
Dorian then spoke, "They have no place to go, and besides, the Herald sent us all here."
And there was also the matter of speaking to these three people that claimed they were with the Herald and that the Herald had ordered them to bring the Templars here.
"Your help will not be turned away," Cassandra began to say. "So long as you all should know, we have recruited the mages already to help close the Breach. You will join them and work together––not as their wards, but as allies."
The Templars were shocked to hear this, but then they could hardly protest since they're the ones that needed a place to stay. And they also owed everything to the Herald for saving their lives.
Ser Barris, honorable man, agreed to the terms. "We will not bother the mages."
"Good. We'll find a place for you to stay in. Dismissed." Cullen said and the Templars saluted to them before leaving the chantry.
It was silent now as all that was remaining in the Chantry were the inner circle and the Advisors of the Inquisition, since they have vacated this place to do a meeting.
"What are your names and how did you three meet the Herald?" Leliana asked, walking up now to the three.
Now they had to be careful of what they say. They are not to speak one word of that odd place the Herald owned. He explained it was a place of sanctuary and that only few people should know about it.
"Dorian Pavus, at your service," Dorian began. "This here is Sera of the Red Jenny and Warden Blackwall. The Herald actually found us and recruited us."
Warden Blackwall? Leliana noted. So he disappeared because of the Herald. For the next hour, they talked about it, how the Herald found them, saving them from inconvenient, dangerous circumstances, and bringing them into a safe house of some sort before asking them to join. So concisely, they just met yesterday afternoon before they were off to the Theirin Fall redoubt to recruit the Templars, only to find out that they have gone insane with red lyrium.
"I told you those things are not to be messed with," Varric said, hearing the red lyrium in the story. "Where did they even get all the red lyrium?"
"We'll figure that out later. Right now, we need to know… Where is the Herald?" Cassandra asked, and it felt like she was asking that question for like the hundredth time now, but this time she hoped there would be an answer.
Dorian provided, "He said last night, three days from now––so this is the first day––that he would return. And, on the third day, he'll attempt to close the Breach."
Solas raised a brow at that. "Where would he go that the Breach happened to be second priority on his list?"
Dorian shrugged a bit with his shoulders. "We didn't ask. As you know by now, the man goes… everywhere."
Cassandra and the Advisors scowled a bit. Him being gone was driving them insane because they wouldn't know what he would do next… though so far, he had been improving a lot of the Inquisition's reputation.
Meanwhile, the apostate elf had no idea what to make of this. Even his own spies couldn't track down the Herald well enough, but they said there were traces of ancient magic whenever the trail would disappear. Solas knew now that the Herald was using the mark to travel through portals. But how can he do that? How would he know how to do that?
Blackwall then said, "And I hope you won't mind, but we will be staying. We want to make a difference and if it means joining the Inquisition, then count me in."
"Same here. Need to get things back to normal around here, and only you people are the only ones doin' anything!" Sera exclaimed.
"I'm on board as well," Dorian piped in.
Cassandra held in a frustrated groan, but thinking over it, this should be good. The Herald trusts them, she suppose. Again, she reminded herself that the Herald had not steer them wrong yet, even though he is always absent.
"We will welcome your help then," Leliana said, thinking the same thoughts as the Seeker. "Warden Blackwall, may I speak with you privately?"
He was nervous then of the woman but he casually responded, "Certainly."
With that, everyone went their separate ways. Josephine worked on getting the newcomers places and rooms for them to stay in. The Mages allied with the Inquisition were surprised to hear that Templars have to come to join them. Strife began but quickly died out here and there. Many were reminded that the Herald intends for them to get along. Ser Barris and Former Enchanter Fiona talked and decided that until they close the breach, their differences are settled. They need to cooperate.
Still though many are anxious, frightened and nervous. What if a Mage and Templar battle would begin again in Haven? Everyone was worried and the stress was getting to the Advisors. Josephine continued to ensure the staff and the people, while Cullen and Cassandra worked to keep peace between two different groups.
The Mages often reminded them that they allied with the Inquisition first and that the Templars are not to harm them. The Templars also often reminded them of how easily they can become abominations thus they must be in control or else.
Three days couldn't end any faster.
"So… you must be the Vint."
An earthy voice spoke and Dorian turned around to see none other than the Qunari. He remembered he was called the Iron Bull from what he heard the Chantry sisters whispering about.
"And you're a Qunari. Pleasant. Are we going to have a problem?"
"They say you came with the Herald, along with the quirky elf and a grey warden," The Iron Bull began to say, getting straight to the point. "Tell me. How did you three end up together?"
"Were you not there to listen?" the Altus asked before sighing as he decided to be gracious and answer, "We were…saved by the Herald. We were in troubling circumstances from what we could recall and we woke up in a cabin––"
"Sera said you all woke up in an abandoned mansion."
"Or that. Whatever means a place." Fasta Vas. Perhaps they should have discussed what place they woke up in so they would all have the same answer.
"Alright. I'll take that. How did the Herald gather you all?"
Dorian could understand the suspicions. How did the Herald know they were in trouble or was it all just perfect timing? He answered honestly, "Your answer is as good as mine, but like I said, he saved us first. Then, he asked for our help, and we offered our services to him."
Bull could sense he wasn't lying but he continued to pry, "This… Herald seem to know things that others don't. He knows what the enemy is up to, doesn't he?"
"He…" Dorian trailed off a bit, thinking about that question. There are times when he did know but then when they get there, it's not planned out the same way. "…He knew the Templars were in danger too, but not how to be precise. We did get there a little too late."
The Qunari mercenary just raised a brow. "Why didn't he get there earlier if he knew?"
Dorian snapped at him a bit, "He is only a man, not a Herald sent by a God. He did all he could."
"You're defending him. Why?" Bull wondered how this Tevinter seemed to have a lot of trust in this Herald. Did the Herald do something for him?
"Because he did a lot of good deeds!" Lame reason, but it's mostly because he stopped his former mentor, Alexius from doing anything stupid as well as curing Alexius from the blight. How can he not be so grateful? And how can this Herald have any wrongful intentions after doing something like that? Plus, Felix seems to trust him wholeheartedly, and even called him by name.
"So he did something for you." The Qunari surmised.
"And now you can do something for me. Shoo!" Dorian waved him off but when he wouldn't leave, the mage left first, heading elsewhere.
In another area, Varric had the pleasure of meeting with the quirky elf. She wasn't that bad, just…quirky all the same.
"What are you looking at, Weirdy?"
"Hahaha! I'm weird? Alright, that's fair. Just wanted to know how the Herald's doing."
She raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"I mean is he holding up alright?" Varric rephrased his question. "It's not actually fun to be a prisoner in one day waiting to be put into trial for execution and the next day to be risen up as a Herald sent by a holy being… And then, he disappears from Haven only to find he's actually on a holy mission."
"Sounds like he wasn't supposed to be on a mission?"
"No, no, no, that was a lie that the Spymaster and the Seeker made, but it worked like a charm, considering what he's doing… How did you meet?"
"Weirdly! One second I was shooting arrows at this prissy noble mage, and the next, I was in a room with men. Ugh!" She still found it unnervingly strange of how that happened. She did recall a fireball coming at her way and she couldn't dodge it, but then to not remember the next. Moreover, she's not supposed to speak about the place that the Herald brought them.
Friggin Herald…
Meanwhile with Blackwall, he had just finished talking to Leliana how he hadn't seen any of the other Wardens, or how he hadn't made contact with any of them for a couple of years now.
The Spymaster accepted his story, but she also had one more question.
"You and the Herald met and fought together?"
"Yes. Against the abominations in Theirinfall Redoubt… It was unpleasant, and a shame to what happened to the other Templars," Blackwall answered, honest to the core. "It is fortunate we were able to save the few."
"The Herald couldn't have done it on his own?"
"Pardon?"
"We've heard that the Herald had wiped out both the Templar Encampment and the Apostate Hideout in the Hinterlands, thus ending the feud, all on his own," Leliana told him, and to do it all on his own was a great feat. Too great.
"I have heard about that… but going to Theirinfall Redoubt was… different. These Templars weren't just wearing that red lyrium stuff, but they were also turning into monsters. Cutting them down was not easy if not for the Herald," He began to say, but he stopped right there before he would say anything else. He did take notice that when they were fighting, the Herald knew how to cut them down as quickly as any of them. He knew their weaknesses, and knew how they are. He fought them as if he had fought a hundred times before.
It's… unnerving. Still…
Blackwall continued, "…Out of anyone else in the Hinterlands, the Herald and the Inquisition has done more good to the people than its own King could have offered. You and the Herald are bringing hope to the people. That's all that's needed."
Leliana listened to him and thought about what he said. Maker… if the Herald is so great, then why couldn't he save the Divine?
"Thank you, Warden Blackwall. That will be all… "
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The third day finally came, and tensions jumped higher. The Mages were practicing and they were preparing to close the breach, when two Templars used dispel on them, not liking what they were doing.
A strife began, and Commander Cullen and Cassandra were both trying to quell the fight.
"You are all too dangerous to be doing this without us watching!"
"We are preparing to close the breach! And you dare attack us!"
"You'll become abominations!"
"We heard it was your Templars that turned into abominations!"
"And we heard it was your mages that turned into abominations that run amok in Redcliffe!"
"They were Tevinter mages!"
"Tevinter or not! You mages are dangerous!"
"That is ENOUGH!" The Commander shouted out, cutting through the flaring argument. He turned to the mages, specifically to Fiona. "Look. These are dangerous times, and there's nothing wrong to make precautions."
Enchanter Fiona would have none of that, however. "Precautions?! Templars attacked my people with no cause!"
"There was a cause, Former Enchanter Fiona, and it's to protect the people of Haven," Ser Barris cut in. "In this instance though, my men were at fault for the misjudgment."
"Such careless misjudgment only fuels aggression and strife between your groups," Cassandra said. "The mages have offered their help and we offered an alliance. An alliance is an alliance, Cullen."
Cullen turned to her. "You couldn't possibly think we actually leave them alone?"
"I knew it. So you still act like our wards! This is obstruction to what we agreed––" Fiona began then suddenly was cut off by another Templar shouting back at her, "As long as you mages are dangerous, there's nowhere SAFE!"
The strife only grew, stifling both groups and soon they were gripping swords and magic staves. Cassandra had to use her power to lower the lyrium magic, holding the mages back and Cullen and Ser Barris had to try and calm the Templars down.
Then the bell was rung…
The bell ringing paused the strife just a bit, but it was enough when a scout came running, shouting, "GRIFFON!"
Griffon?
The strife went away as some shouted and pointed up to the sky. Cassandra looked up and sure enough there was a flying beast with wide white wings soaring through the sky and around Haven, letting out a cry.
Wait… Weren't Griffons supposed to be extinct?
"Someone's riding on it!"
"Is it Grey Warden?"
Cassandra peered her eyes, taking steps forward to examine this rider up in the sky as the griffon was slowing down, encircling the town village and was trying to land. That rider… was that…?
The griffon landed meters away from Haven's gates, and the soldiers cleared out of the way, knowing the stories that griffons were aggressive wild beasts, except only to their riders.
"That's impossible…" Blackwall breathed out.
"A griffon… and I'm going to guess that's the Herald..?" The Iron Bull questioned, seeing the man stepping off the beast. He examined the man is human, carrying a mage staff, and wearing quite an efficient armor of white, red, and a bit of gold color to it.
The Grey Warden nodded, "Yes… That's the Herald."
"His timing is too good…"
Damien got off of griffon and he reached out, patting the beast by its beak. Revas ruffled and shook a bit any feathers that may be shedding. The Herald smiled a bit as he started taking off the saddle, setting it aside.
"Thank you, Revas. You flew quite fast," He said.
Revas leaned in to bump his head gently then he saw someone behind him and hissed. Damien turned around and saw Cassandra, Cullen, and a gathering crowd attracted to him or the beast…or both.
He offered a smile before he took a step back. He bowed his head to Revas and Revas shook his feathers again. He spread his wings and took off elsewhere. They watched him fly off but then diving down to grab a nug. With it, he flew to the mountains to eat.
The Herald then faced the crowd and he walked towards them. He handed the griffon's saddle and reins to a soldier. "Would you mind putting this away near the stable?"
"O–Of course, Your Worship!" The soldier bowed his head, taking the stuff and being careful with it, as he went to put them away.
"Herald!" Cassandra called out, going up to him. Then she seethed at him quietly, "You–…!"
"I will explain soon," Damien promised her quietly, knowing she is mad for disappearing for so long and to return on this day.
The people eyed at him, and he recognized some important figures within them: Cullen, Fiona, and Barris. He could even see a large group of mages and another group of Templars.
"Commander Cullen."
"Herald…" Cullen hesitantly greeted then he remembered the lie they spread. "How goes your holy mission?"
"Halfway done for now… Former Enchanter Fiona. Ser Barris. Everything going well here?" Damien asked, turning attention now to the real problem at hand. He was no fool, he could see and feel the tension.
"…It is... stifling a bit. It would do us mages well if the Templars are far away," Fiona suggested.
Ser Barris then defended, "My men were only doing what they were brought up to do, Lady Fiona, and that is to protect the people."
"By attacking my people for preparing to close the breach?"
"They were out of line, I will admit, but it doesn't mean we are going to leave. We'll just be a bit mindful––"
"You are not our wards! We mages are free!"
"That is unrealistic, considering the dangers–––"
"Stop!" Damien halted both the two from arguing any further than that. "That is enough! Former Enchanter Fiona, Ser Barris and his people made a mistake. The injured party should be given an apology, isn't that right, Ser Barris? Have your men apologized yet?"
An apology? Cullen wondered. Something so simple as that.
Ser Barris was also stunned. "We–… No. You are right. We were at fault in this once…" he began to say. He owed the Herald after all and listening to him, he is… right. He turned to Fiona and said, "On behalf of my men, I am very sorry…for crossing over the line. We made a mistake."
He didn't say the last line as something dismissive as the previous one. He really meant they made a mistake, and something was almost as costly as ruining an alliance. Fiona did take not of his tone, and it was more… sincere than a while ago.
Plus, this is the first she had heard of a Templar apologizing to a mage.
"…Apology accepted… perhaps your men should step back now, Ser Barris? Herald?" She asked, looking for the support of the Herald.
But the Herald will have none of that. "No. The Templars stay and also help close the breach."
This shocked everyone.
"You mages are our allies. As Seeker Cassandra have set it up, we protect your people in exchange that your people will help close the Breach. I have made similar terms with these remaining Templars that the Inquisition would provide them shelter, so long as they also help close the Breach. But for some reason, you all are missing the point," He said. "We are all on the same side. There is no Mage side, and there is no Templar side…"
He paused a moment, looking around and looking directly at everyone in the eye. He raised his voice now, "This is not the time to take sides! Not the time to be divided by our beliefs, our differences! Not even by our fears! …There is only ONE side!"
Anticipation grew as all were there to hear him. This was the first time they have seen the Herald for weeks, and his voice seemed to ring and echo not only in the air, but also within their hearts.
Damien finished strongly, "We… are the Inquisition!"
And that last line bellowed through them loudly with pride and purpose. Cassandra was reminded of the pledge she had made when she argued against Chancellor Roderick. Yes. There was only one side. Differences shouldn't divide them. Moments of silence lingered on for a little while longer, letting that message settle within them.
The Herald glanced around, seeing the hostility fading away.
He spoke again, gently now, "Ser Barris? Please take your Templars to train. Enchanter Fiona? Please have your people ready."
Ser Barris saluted and Fiona bowed and nodded.
Damien then turned to Cassandra and Cullen, both speechless and awed of what had happened. He offered a warm smile to them at first and the crowd started going away. The two then moved to him.
"H–how? And that Griffon––where?" Cullen began first, but he can't seem to form any sentences at the moment.
Cassandra knew exactly what to ask, or to demand. "You need to explain everything. Now."
"Not here," he insisted. "Let's go to the War Room. I'll explain everything I can."
Well… he'll leave out some things.
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Note: Sorry! This took a long while for me to update, but here it is! I always wanted a Griffon, and looking up the novel The Last Flight, it seemed just right to bring a griffon in.
Now I must go~ Please do not forget to comment!
I shamefully need comments.