Chapter 13: Bound for Eternity

It seemed that the warden prison was destined to get worse before it got any better.

Hawke and company found themselves walking along a long cellblock, most of the cells had collapsed, but a few were being maintained through protective wards. Both Garrett and Carver could sense the magic in them.

Garrett recognized immediately who had set them.

These wards…they…they felt like Father.

The first cell they came across was dark, yet it was clear that something was moving within. Merrill leaned closer, hoping to get a better view.

The shade inside sprang forward, causing the Dalish to squeal, she retreated behind Isabela.

"Don't worry your pretty little head Kitten," she said with a smirk, "I'll keep you safe."

Garret t stepped forward, glaring coldly at the shade. He had no intention of leaving any of the creatures here alive. He did not know why Father had come here, but he would be damned if he would leave any trace that might come back and slander Malcolm Hawke's good name.

He reached out to the wards, seeking to disarm them.

They responded; a swirling blue mist appeared.

To be bound for all eternity, hunger stilled, rage smothered, desire dampened, pride crushed…in the name of the Maker…so let it be.

Garrett gasped, he…he knew that voice.

His magic shattered the wards, the shade surged forward. Hawke met the creature with ice. Carver lunged forward, denying the creature mana, or a means to attack, it managed to summon two of its fellows from the fade, but it was quickly cut down.

The creature fell crumbling into dust.

As the last of the protective magic faded, the blue mist returned, it seemed that Malcolm had left a message within the binding spell.

I can do nothing for the wardens' use of demons in this horrid place, but I will have no one say any magic of mine ever released a demon on the world.

Carver came up alongside his brother.

"Rett," he said quietly, "that…that voice…it sounds like…"

"Father," Garrett nodded, "It seems that he did not come here freely," Garrett shook his head, "I…I'm guessing that Father used his magic to strengthen these wards. I cannot say for sure if the wardens would have agreed with that."

Garrett smiled.

"I can only imagine the wardens' reaction when they tried to do something with these demons and found out that Father's magic had blocked them."

Despite the situation, Carver chuckled.

"I suspect they were likely most displeased," he added.

"Why would the wardens need demons," Arika asked, it was clear that the reaver found this all disturbing. She…she was proud to serve in the wardens, knowing that they had built a place like this…

She did not like it.

"Whatever it takes to achieve victory," Carver reminded her, "Perhaps this is part of the reason why this place was abandoned, perhaps the order did not want anyone knowing what had gone on here."

The reaver nodded, but clearly she did not agree, this…all of this…

It was wrong.

"That…is the same attitude that the mages in Tevinter have," Fenris said coldly, "demons are seen as pets there, held in check by the power of the magisters." He glared at the three wardens, "You masters should know better."

Lin bowed her head, her ears drooped slightly, she…she did not like that Fenris thought less of her for being part of the order that had created this place.

Carver was about to leap to their defense, but Garrett stopped him.

They had to push on; behind them they could already hear the snarling of darkspawn.

They had to hurry.

IOI

It was getting louder.

Arika could no longer deny it; the song…the wretched, wonderful, sensuous song was getting louder.

It…its effect on her was almost indescribable, she…she felt dirty, corrupted, but at the same time she craved it, it touched her mind and messaged her soul. It was not like anything she had ever experienced.

It was both wonderful and terrible all at once.

She heard the music so clearly now, it promised so many things. Freedom from the taint, freedom for her people, an end to the accursed chantry's persecution of the reaver clans, it offered all these things and so much more.

All she had to do was give in; all she had to do was bring Lord Corypheus the blood of the Hawke.

NO!

She shook her head, trying to will away the music, to resist the temptation and the pain. She was a reaver damn it. She thrived on suffering, she would master this…or she would die trying.

She could tell through her connection to her fellow wardens that they were suffering as well. Lin had missed a darkspawn she had shot at a few minutes ago. Lin never missed; the song was starting to distract her. Carver constantly took deep breaths, trying to center himself as Brother Nigel had taught him. The Templar training her beloved had received made him more resistant to mind control.

He was enduring this better than she or Lin was.

They came to another cell, once more the words of Malcolm Hawke rang through the shadows. Once again, Garrett Hawke dispelled the wards.

A hideous abomination bounded out of its cell. It threw fire at them. Arika drew on her anger at the song, and brutally attack the creature.

Her imperial edge ended the abominations life with a swift slash across the neck.

Arika felt revitalized, the violence, the blood gave her back her strength.

Once again the mist appeared, this time more solid, it…it looked more like a person this time.

Once again, it spoke.

I may have left the circle, but I took a vow my magic will serve what is best in me, not which is most base.

The mist dissipated.

IOI

Both Carver and Garrett looked spooked by what they had heard.

Garrett was the first to recover, he smiled wanly.

"What is best in me, not what is most base," he repeated.

"Father's old credo," Carver said thoughtfully, "I must have heard him say those words a hundred times to you and Bethany."

More like a thousand, Garrett thought wistfully.

"He wanted us to understand," Garrett nodded, "He wanted us to know truly what our magic was meant for. Magic is to serve not rule over him. Father believed those words, he may not have accepted circle rule, but he demanded that Bethany and I knew control."

"Brother," Carver said thoughtfully, "Is it wrong that I feel closer to Father here than I ever did back in Lothering? Knowing what he did, what he tried to do, I…I never understood his bravery until this moment."

Garrett did not know how best to respond to that, Father had always been his hero, his master. He knew that Carver resented Bethany and his connection to Father through their magic, but he had never heard Carver put in into words before.

He could respond truthfully, but that might lead to another argument.

Hawke did not want that.

"He is still with us Carver," he said placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. "In what he taught us, and in our blood, and…"

Garrett chuckled.

"In these weird magical message thingies, though I don't think he meant that."

Carver did not laugh, but he did smirk.

"You are such an idiot Rett," he snorted.

"Thank you Carv," he gave his little brother a saucy grin, "I do keep trying."

"We need to keep moving Hawke," Varric called out, he fired Bianca.

A hurlock fell from the shadows.

The group moved on.

IOI

The desire demon sprang from its cell.

The demon did not attack like the other prisoners; she raised the bodies of dead wardens and darkspawn who had died here. The corpses threw themselves at Hawke and his allies.

Of course, this was not the only weapon the demon possessed.

It smiled and reached out to their minds, touched their souls.

It filled Hawke and his companions' heads with visions of their darkest desires.

Promises of wealth and happiness filled their minds.

Garrett saw Isabela, not the Isabela that was here, but a perfect version of her, still fierce, still unyielding, but soft as well…an Isabela who would never deny him, who would stay and be his and his alone.

She reached out through the mists, eager to take his hand.

He reached out...

"Damn it brother, wake up!"

Carver's words shook him from his daydream. The Isabela had been a corpse about to shove a blade into his ribs. HE shot fire at the creature, it squealed at flew back.

He glared at the desire demon, his temper flared, how dare it reach into his mind!

He turned his staff on the creature, seizing it in a crushing prison.

The demon wailed.

Carver cleansed the beast of mana; it lost much of its beauty, the dark glamour that made it so appealing to the eye failed. The hunched hideous creature it truly was stood revealed.

Lin and Varric put arrows into its chest. The spell constricted further, black ichor sprayed from the demon's mouth.

Carver leapt, his great sword decapitated the creature, it fell. The warden bones it had animated fell to the ground with a clatter.

Dead again, for good this time.

Garrett gasped, he felt…dirty. The others glanced around, they looked as if they had all swam in filth and felt ashamed.

Another message from Father began to materialize.

Garrett was shocked, it was not a cloud of mist that formed this time, it…it was Father himself. Not the Father Hawke remembered, but a young man.

Malcolm Hawke was dressed in the armor of a crimson oar mercenary, his staff strapped to his back. The barest hint of a beard showed on his jaw. He was as tall as Garrett, but he seemed more like a boy than a man.

He gave his eldest son a warm smile.

I…I have done it Leandra. I have bought our freedom, for us…and the baby. We…we can be together!

Garrett's eyes widened, baby?

Malcolm's face turned sad.

I…I hope it takes after you my love. I would wish no magic upon our children. May…May they never know what I had to do here.

The image of Malcolm faded.

Garrett was speechless, he…he did not know what to say.

Father had not wanted magical children?

Carver was there.

"Well," he said dryly, "he got that wrong twice over didn't he?"

Garrett turned to him shocked by his little brother's quip.

Had Carver been trying to cheer him up?

Garrett chuckled.

"Stick with being surly Carv," he suggested, "Leave the jokes to me."

Carver snorted.

"You know for all the time that Father had to spend training you and Bethany he…he never shorted me on my training. I…I often wondered if he saw me as a burden. The one child who could not defend himself."

"Father never saw you in that way Carv," Hawke stated, "If anything, he knew you could take care of yourself better than Bethany or I. You never had to worry about being possessed by a demon."

Carver sighed sadly.

"I miss them brother," he murmured, "Father, Bethany…I…I even miss you, Mother's food…"

The younger Hawke snorted, another family member had sprung into his head.

"Uncle Gamlen can suck and egg," he growled.

Garrett laughed.

"You don't have to be a stranger you know," Garrett reminded him, "Mother would be happy if you visited more."

Carver nodded.

"It is hard brother," he said, "the war never ends for wardens. We…we must remain vigilant. The spawn will always be a threat."

"That does not mean you should abandon your family beloved," Arika said flatly, "You should cherish what you have. Sometimes…you just have to tell the blight to kiss your arse. You will have a life."

Garrett burst out laughing.

"Maker bless you Arika," he snorted, "I…I could not have said it better myself."

The reaver smiled slightly.

She forced her anger forward; it helped keep the song at bay.

She tried to focus, tried to stay true to what mattered most.

She was Carver Hawke's woman…she…she had to remember that.

She would not let the song take her.

She was Carver Hawke's woman.

Nothing would change that!