Most abominations had been blood mages, weak fools desperate for a shred more power. Some had been monsters long before giving themselves over to the demons. Others were simply mad, or easily tempted, ruled by their emotions.

This one, by all accounts, had simply been an eleven year old girl, desperate and terrified as the darkspawn came for her family. Her elder brother had pleaded with them to end her suffering when he told them where she could be found. A makeshift cabin, on an island in the swamp, where both blackberries and cranberries grew wild.

"Maker forgive you, and keep you close," he said, looking at the remains.

The demon had not been strong. Haywood had a burn on his arm more from being careless than anything else. Ivan had lost his footing on some slick rocks and was nursing a broken wrist and a wound on his shoulder. Darius, new to their ranks, had acquitted himself well, stepping in to save Ivan before the shade could finish off the fallen man.

Emory gave the order for the corpse to be burned, then yelled at Jasper and Corbin for picking berries. Both men were completely unapologetic in ignoring him. Graham couldn't really blame them as he helped himself to a few of the blackberries.

They built the pyre, and gathered the ashes to take back to the family. "Getting late," Emory said. "We'll camp here tonight."

The words were barely out of his mouth before Corbin had his helmet off and was using it as a bucket, stripping branches of berries. Jasper managed to get a couple rabbits with his sling, and they settled in to a nice meal.

#

"They sent twenty of you after a single young abomination?" Ser Alec asked.

Graham sighed. "They sent twenty of us because it involved a trip into the wild, where darkspawn are still present." He shook his head. "And in the end, twenty wasn't enough."

#

He wasn't sure what woke him. Ivan and Jasper had the watch, and both men appeared to be awake. He climbed out of his bedroll, and stood. Neither man so much as looked up at him. They simply kept staring out into the swamp. Ivan was drawing lazy circles in the mud with a stick, while Jasper whittled something. "Ivan?" Graham called out quietly.

The man didn't respond. Graham went for his sword, and sounded an alert.

The camp erupted into an as lightning rained down on them.

#

"Report," Emory ordered.

"Ivan and Jasper are dead, ser," Haywood said. "They were ensorcelled, didn't move when the storm came. I think Corbin is too. He was trying to drag Jasper to safety and got hit."

Graham looked around. They'd numbered twenty. Three were dead. He counted twelve. "Eben, Ansel, Darius, Ulric, and Osbert are missing, ser."

Emory nodded. "When the lightning started, they had to flee the other way. Nobody said anything about there being another mage here."

"The Witch of the Wilds roams this swamp," Haywood said.

"I have no time for children's stories, Haywood. We have wounded, and missing men." Emory shook his head, and then looked back towards the ruins of what had been their camp. "And no supplies."

A chill went up Graham's spine. Few of them had managed to grab all their armor, and two of them didn't even have weapons. And no supplies meant very limited lyrium. He had maybe a half dozen of the little vials. "We should be able to make it to the village in a week."

Emory nodded. "Let's locate the others. We will regroup, resupply, and come back for the maleficar."

#

They found Ansel hanging from the branch of a tree the following day. He'd been bound to the branch by what at first looked like thick ropes. Graham heard Haywood vomit into some bushes, and for a moment, thought he would do the same.

"Maker's breath," Travers said.

"What tracks do you see?" Emory said.

Graham examined the trail. "It's hard to make out. Some fighting took place, but I can't say for sure what attacked them. Some fled." He pointed. "Deeper into the swamp."

Emory glanced back at Ansel's body. "Cut him down. We don't have time for a pyre, but I'm not leaving him like that."

"Yes, ser."

#

"They ran deeper into the swamp?"

Graham nodded. "They were young men, turned around in the darkness. And seeing a friend killed like that... I imagine they panicked." He winced as he coughed. "Ansel had no armor, nor weapon that we could see. We should have headed back then, but... they were our boys, and there was a good chance they were unarmed and unarmored and..."

Ser Alec patted his shoulder. "We'd have done the same."

#

The next day, they found another. Eben's body was floating, face down, in the murky water. Haywood started wading towards it, and then there was a soft groaning noise. The trees around them suddenly seemed to shift.

Those who had weapons drew them. "What was..."

A tree branch wrapped around Haywood's throat as the forest came alive around them. The templar had just enough time to scream before the branch shoved him underneath the murky water.

Other trees moved, their roots coming out of the ground as they closed. Travers severed the branch holding Haywood. A heartbeat later, another branch went through Travers' chest. The man looked down in surprise, then was jerked off his feet and hurled into the distance. Haywood floated to the surface, his neck bent at an odd angle.

"Run!" Emory shouted.

They hadn't made it more than a few steps before more trees came to life, blocking their path. Those armed made a circle around the others. The trees grew closer, and the templars prepared to sell their lives dearly.

There was a shout, and fire exploded in the midst of the trees. The trees gave great shrieks as they flailed about.

"This way!" Graham recognized the voice of Darius and started heading in that direction.

Some of the trees tried to attack again, and a wall of fire sprang up to cover their escape.

#

"Fire? Another mage?" Keenan asked.

"A strong mage," Graham said. "Contrary to belief, most of them can't summon that kind of power, not without blood magic or calling upon demons."

Keenan glanced up at Skyhunter. They'd seen both Anders and Velanna call up similar. Of course, given what happened with Anders, he may not have been the best example.

#

Darius led them to some elven ruins. Osbert was inside, laying on a dry pallet. A poultice and bandage covered a wound on his side, and he appeared to be unconscious.

The mage entered behind them. She was an elf. He would have assumed she was Dalish, but she wore no facial markings. An apostate then. An apostate who had come to the rescue of a dozen templars. Emory glanced at the wounded man, then at Darius. "Ulric?"

"Dead," Darius said, shaking his head. "The trees..."

"Sylvans," the mage said. When Graham turned towards her, she explained. "The veil in this area is weak, and weakened further by the abomination you slew. Demons crossed over, and took possession of the trees." She walked around them. "There are old wards here. This place is safe enough."

Emory stared at her a moment, then sheathed his sword. The rest of them followed suit. "Thank you for your assistance."

She shrugged. "Thank him," she said, gesturing at Darius. "I've no particular interest in aiding templars, but he was most persuasive." She moved towards a firepit, and ignited the kindling with a wave of her hand before busying herself adding things to a cooking pot.

Darius looked at them. "I stumbled in here, carrying Osbert. Nearly tripped over her." He glanced at the woman, and then sighed. "She agreed to help, and to get us out of the swamp safely. I... had to promise we'd let her be, after."

Emory nodded, but Graham could tell from his face he had no intention of honoring the younger man's promise.

#

"Any idea who attacked our camp?" Emory asked the elven mage. She'd declined to give them a name.

"Most likely, the girl or her mentor," she replied.

Graham blinked. "No mention was made of the girl having a mentor."

"It wouldn't exactly be a secret if everyone went around telling the templars now, would it?" she asked. She began ladling them out bowls of the soup.

He considered turning the meal down. She was, after all, an apostate. He sighed. And if she'd wanted them dead, all she'd needed to do was stay her hand. He took the bowl she offered.

"What do you know of this mentor?"

"I mind my own business," she said. "With the spawn, many dark things have had to flee the deep swamp to safer areas."

"And you?" Emory said.

She laughed, and then gestured at their surroundings. "These ruins have lain untouched for hundreds of years. I'd hoped to find treasures within." After a moment, she shook her head. "And no sooner do I get the door open, than the templars arrive."

Osbert stirred, and she started towards him. Emory leapt to his feet, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "You can let me tend him, or you can watch him die."

"He was poisoned, ser," Darius said. "By one of the trees."

Emory sighed, and stepped aside to let the apostate check on the wounded man. Then suddenly he blinked. "What did you mean by, 'the girl or her mentor'? We slew the girl."

"Sure of that, are you?" The apostate shook her head. "Hard to tell them apart, once they get that far gone. That girl wasn't the only one who'd rather fall to demon than darkspawn." She finished tending to Osbert, using herbs as much as magic. Then she stood, and looked the rest of them over. "You can sit there with your bruises and scrapes, you can have a draught, or you can let me heal you. Choice is yours."

#

By morning, Vernon's hands were trembling. Graham was feeling a bit shaky himself. They'd at least a week's walk back to the nearest source of lyrium, and had a wounded man who'd slow them down. Assuming they could even bring him with. Osbert had yet to regain consciousness, but his color looked better. The mage showed Darius where the food supplies were, and left him to make breakfast while she tended to Osbert.

The normally garrulous young templar went about the task almost silently. Graham gave him a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

"Ansel and Ulric..." Darius sighed. "Eben didn't make it then?"

"We found him, near the trees. Haywood and Travers died there."

Darius added water to the leftover stew, and then added more ingredients. He glanced over at where Emory was sitting, glaring at them sternly. "The Knight-Corporal is angry with me."

"The Knight-Corporal is angry at the situation."

"He's not going to hold to the deal."

"I imagine once she's led us out, he'll take her into custody." He blinked as Darius paled slightly. "What's wrong?"

"She's powerful, ser. And... without lyrium..."

"Yeah."

Darius sighed. "Without lyrium, we won't be able to take her into custody. If she resists, he'll have no choice but to attack her. That's a bad idea."

"Guess we'll have to hope she stays reasonable, then." Graham sighed. "She saved our lives, Darius. The Knight-Commander will take that into account."

Darius only nodded.

#

Osbert awoke that evening. He was a bit on the delirious side and had little memory of what happened, but he was awake. The mage said he'd be able to walk, and she'd take them out in the morning. She reminded Emory that the deal was he'd let her be after. Emory reassured her. They all knew he was lying. Graham saw her eyes. She knew it too.

She held up her end anyway. They were past the blasted camp when he saw Emory start fingering the hilt of his sword. His hands trembled. They'd been without lyrium for days, and it was taking its toll on them. Some of them would have wandered in circles if they didn't have a leader to follow. Darius was pulling the travois that carried Osbert. Graham noted the man seemed to be in better shape than the rest of them. Maybe it was due to him being younger.

And that's when they saw the girl. Eleven, maybe twelve. She fit the description her brother had given, right down to the silver Chantry amulet. She looked up at them, smiled, and waved. The mage waved back.

#

"I drew my blade," Emory said. They turned to look at him. He sighed. "I drew my blade, and I accused her of being the one to attack the camp."

Graham sighed. "For all we yet know, she was the one that attacked the camp and killed Ansel."

Ser Alec sighed. "Darius was under her power, wasn't he?"

Emory bowed his head, and then sighed. "Darius was a foolish boy, a dumb kid with his heart in the right place. He'd made two bargains with her, not just the one he'd told us about."

Keenan blinked. "What do you mean?"

"The deal he told us about was what he said. She'd show us out of the swamp, and in return, we'd let her be," Graham said.

"But the first bargain, that was her saving us in the first place."

#

The elven mage just smiled when Emory laid the blade against her neck and began demanding answers. It was the child who cast, causing the ground beneath their feet to erupt and knocking them down. The elf stepped backwards, outside of the range of spells as the girl came towards them. She was laughing, a sweet and oddly innocent sound, as she tore the veil.

"You said you'd get them safely out of the swamp," Darius said, climbing back to his feet.

"In case you did not notice, he attacked me," she said. She laughed. "And I am not attacking him."

"Please. Stop her. We had a deal."

The mage held up her staff and the shades stopped their forward motion. "So we did."

Emory and the rest of the templars got to their feet. "Darius...?" Emory started to ask.

"You may go," the mage said. "From here, you can reach the village by morning, if you move quickly." She smiled, and nodded to the demons. "And I do suggest moving very quickly. I cannot hold them forever, after all."

Graham started to reach for his sword, and she turned her eyes to him. "If you attempt any violence against my person or my apprentice, I will release them now."

Emory held up his hand. "We'll go. Darius, get Osbert." When Darius didn't move, Emory blinked. "Darius?"

"I can't, ser."

"Darius?"

The young man shook his head miserably. "We had a deal."

"Yes, she'd get us out of the swamp..."

The mage laughed. "Oh, that. That was in exchange for you leaving me be. That particular deal you have already broken." She nodded towards Darius. "He's talking about the other deal."

"What other deal?"

"Saving you in the first place, of course. Letting you live at all. A simple bargain. His life, for yours."

Graham felt a chill go down his spine. "No."

"Sers, just go. Please." Darius stepped back from them. "If you break the bargain, she'll kill you."

"Or worse," the mage agreed cheerfully. "And not to rush you, or anything, but I'm going to count to one hundred. Then, I'm releasing the demons."

"You can't have him," Emory said.

"One." She smiled. "Two."

Emory glanced at his men, then at the demons, then at Darius. And sheathed his sword. "I will kill you," he said to the mage.

"Five." Her smile became cruel. "Six."

#

"You left him," Ser Alec said.

Emory nodded, his face bleak. "There were seven demons, and two abominations. Had we stayed, tried to fight, we'd all have died. We'd eight swords among us, and maybe five who could lift them. What good would that have done him?" I thought... get to the village, get reinforcements. Maybe we could get back in time to save him from whatever..." He sighed.

"The demons caught up with you," Keenan said.

Graham shook his head. "No. I don't know if she even actually sent them after us, once we left. She kept her end of the bargain."

"After all that, it was darkspawn." Emory's laughter was bitter. "We ran right into them."

"There were four of us left when we stumbled upon the bandits. Walter and Grayson were infected. The bandits put them down, then locked us up."

Emory slammed his fist into the ground. "He gave his life for twelve. And only two of us made it."

#

The Packleader had gone to Ostagar, and Longtooth was dealing with bandits of his own. They gave the report to Elderwolf.

"We found the body of the man who'd been disemboweled, but lost the trail shortly after that," Keenan said.

"The trees did not move," Skyhunter added.

Loghain nodded. "I'm sure Greagoir will be appreciative of your actions. This, however, is a matter for the templar forces."

"She has her pup and prey," Skyhunter said. "Small matter to move her lair. In that swamp, we could wander a dozen paces from her, and not catch her scent."

"You informed Arl Teagan?"

"He said he'd put up a watchtower at the bandit camp and station some soldiers there."

"Darkspawn and bandits are slain," Skyhunter said. "The hunt was unsatisfying, but concluded."

#

She was heading into the keep when she saw a rider coming. Without the templar breastplate, it took her a moment to recognize the man. She walked to him as he dismounted. "Ser Emory."

He gave her a small bow. "Lady Skyhunter." He glanced around the Vigil, a bit hesitantly. "Would... Could I impose upon you to take me to the Warden Commander?"

The Packleader would be in his office. She nodded, and led Emory to the stairs. The Packleader was accepting a report from the Elderwolf, and she waited until they were done before entering. "Commander."

"Skyhunter." He looked past her to the other man. "A messenger?"

She gestured. "This is Emory. One of the ones we rescued from the bandits."

Emory stepped forward. "Ser Emory Hodson... formerly of the templars."

"Formerly?"

He glanced at Skyhunter, then back at the Warden-Commander. "I assume your wardens gave you a full report of the events in the wild?"

"They did."

"I got most of my team killed," Emory said. "And left another to the tender mercies of an abomination. They... they don't exactly let you stay a templar after something like that."

Jerath nodded. "So you've come to the Wardens."

"I've a sword and shield, and the ability to use them. I'm a trained templar, and there are magic users among the darkspawn. And..." He sighed. "And protecting people is the only duty I have ever wanted."

The Packleader looked at him for a long moment, and then turned his gaze to Skyhunter. "If he survives the Joining, I'd assign him to your team. Would you have him?"

She tilted her head to one side, watching the templar for a long moment. "Where is Graham?"

"Nothing that happened was his fault," Emory said. "I made that very clear in my report. He followed my orders, and served well. They transferred him to Markham."

After a moment, she nodded. "Yes. I will take him."