*****Sorry this is so late. I could blame work for being hella busy, but instead I'll blame Astlyr for making this a longer chapter. See, I wanted to end the chapter, but she wanted to keep exploring. You try and reason with a qunari, even one as civil as Astlyr! I feel like this slowdown made me edit faster and there are going to be so many spelling errors. Oh well. Anyway, we have it here, ready for 'yall. Read on, gentle readers!*****
Part 13
Under The Fortress
"Are you certain about this?" Cullen asked. He was standing with Astlyr atop the Skyhold's north wall examining the small dip that was indeed forming there. It was hardly noticeable unless you were looking for it. Now that she was kneeling, studying where some of the stones were beginning to buck together, she knew that Rogers the dwarf had been correct. This was something that needed to be dealt with, and soon.
"I am," she nodded to her human companion. Cullen leaned out to examine the sheer drop from the outer wall. The snowy ground below was obscured by a white mist, or were they low clouds? His brows came together, but he said nothing more. He had heard tales, no doubt, of the inquisitor's propensity for rock climbing. Several times on their adventures her own team and simply stood back and watched as she scaled cliff sides. "We have strong ropes and safety measures that will be in place," she reassured him.
"I feel so much better about this," he muttered sarcastically. "You have your supplies? Torches, water? Spider venom antidote?"
"We do," Astlyr nodded, gesturing to a traveling pack on her back, almost concealed by the shield she wore like a shell. "And a light lunch, in case we find something and are there longer than expected."
"Good." he said, though his voice was quiet and he didn't look up at her. He hesitated a moment, "Well...I have things to attend to." He turned and headed down the wall steps.
Astlyr leaned on her elbows over the inner ramparts, eyes scanning the preparations below. She watched the warrior stop to examine the ropes. Was it her imagination, or was there a reddish tint to his hair in the winter sunlight? He turned and strode into Skyhold without looking back at her. She wondered if he was not eager to watch her launch herself off of a wall, and subsequently an extremely high cliff. A half smile tugged the corner of her mouth. She remembered Cole's comment about Cullen wanting to kiss her. She shook her head. Obviously he didn't want it too badly, and she wasn't certain how she felt about it anyway. She hadn't really considered him in that way before. Well, she admonished herself, once, when they had first met, she had attempted to flirt and he had shot her down so utterly that she let the notion leave her mind. Perhaps he felt differently now, but did she?
"The ropes are ready, Ma'am!" called one of the men below her. Thick, long, ropes with leather harnesses had been laid out on the snow to ensure there were to tangles or frays. She made her way down the steps, looking over the party that intended to accompany her. There was Rogers the dwarf, of course, and two other workmen. A young elf named Timmon and a human called Christopher. Both enjoyed climbing and were eager for the challenge. She had also asked Guardswoman Jones along. Astlyr knew that they would likely encounter spiders of impressive size in any cave they might find, and it would be a good idea to have someone more experienced with a sword. She thought of asking Blackwall, but she knew he hated heights and she wanted to give Jones more in the field experience. That, and she knew the man was eager to get out to the nearest village to help out the people there still struggling with the snow.
Astlyr had selected a new sword and shield for herself from the well stocked armory, though they felt strange in her hands. She recalled her old sword, how she had left in stuck in the leg of a gigantic monster. She supposed it was an honorable enough way to lose one's weapon, but she still missed it. She missed her shield more. She had had it made special for her. The one she used now was almost too small. The straps were adjusted as far as they would go to accommodate her arm.
As she knelt to check over the harness she would be using, a voice got her attention. "Inquisitor?"
She looked up to find Fen'Harel standing before her, with Myfanwy a little behind him, watching with interest. "What can I do for you?" she asked, standing up and feeling suddenly as though she towered over the man. Elves were so short, she thought ruefully and she planted her hands on her hips.
"I was merely curious," Fen'Harel said, his eyes drifting over the ropes and harnesses, as well as the blade and shield strapped to Astlyr's back. "I take it you are going climbing?"
"I am," she said. She told him of her plans for the day. She could see no harm in letting him know why she was about to suspend herself over a cliff.
When she had finished Fen'Harel nodded. "I see. May I make the request to accompany you?" he asked.
"What?" she raised an eyebrow, "why?"
"Skyhold is an elvhen place. Created by The People to be nearer to their gods. Humans later discovered it and made changes to it. I believe that there are entire sections of Skyhold as yet undiscovered by us, the current residents. Places which may even lead to information about the elves of old...and the gods they worshiped." he explained, looking up at her with an earnest, open expression.
"Oh Maker," Astlyr rubbed the back of her neck and groaned. She wished that Cullen was still out there. She needed a voice of reason before she decided whether to bring a potentially dangerous person with her into a definitely dangerous situation. She looked him over. He was a mage, and they might encounter wards, or worse, if they found a cave. On the other hand, it would be a an excellent opportunity for him to kill her and make it look accidental. She could take one of her other mages. She didn't know many of them well, and Dorian was still recovering from his wounds. She didn't want to mention this expedition of Viv. She knew the enchanter would immediately deem her insane, and insist that someone else go, rather than the leader of Skyhold.
"If my lord goes, I go," Myfanwy spoke up. To Astlyr's surprise she looked excited. Perhaps she too loved a good climb.
"Go easy on the 'my lord' stuff, Myfanwy. Especially out here where people can hear you. You two are really putting me in a tough place here," Astlyr grumbled. Fen'Harel may have been correct. There could be elven ruins to explore, and who better to have with them than a man who might have been alive when those ruins were new? She found she also wanted to trust Myfanwy. The woman had stood up for herself, and what she believed, in the face of swords, intimidating qunari, and Sera's murder attempts. Astlyr desperately wanted to believe that Myfanwy was on her side. Then Astlyr caught sight of someone out of the corner of her eye. A small figure standing alone by a wall. "Cole!" she called.
He popped into being before her with a rush of icy air, "yes Astlyr?"
"I know you have trouble reading Fen because of that deep, old sadness you told me about."
"Yes," said Cole, watching her from under the wide brim of his hat.
"But could you tell if he meant to harm me?" she asked.
Cole seemed to consider this for a moment. He stared at Fen'Harel and to Astlyr's surprise the god looked away first. "I believe I could," Cole answered her.
"You could certainly tell if Myfanwy meant to harm me?"
"Oh yes," Cole's mouth twitched in a slight smile. Obviously pleased that there was something he could easily succeed at.
"Alright," Astlyr said, feeling as though she really should not be left alone to make decisions on her own. "The two of you may accompany us. Myfanwy, you and I will go to the armory and retrieve your bow."
"May I have a staff?" asked Fen'Harel.
"No," Astlyr said, perhaps a bit too frostily.
"I can cast magic without a staff," the mage-god pointed out, though there was no threat in his words.
"I know," Astlyr nodded, "but the staff helps. Perhaps not having one will slow you down enough that I might be able to kill you before you kill me."
Fen'Harel did not bother to tell her that he did not intend to kill her. He merely nodded, fixing her with his sky colored eyes. Astlyr instructed Cole to keep watch over Fen while she and Myfanwy went to the armory. When they returned, the elf's elegant bow now hanging from her shoulder, Astlyr introduced her climbing team to the new members. As none of them knew much about Fen'Harel or Myfanwy, they nodded and greeted the newcomers. Some did shoot a few suspicious glances at Cole, however. Astlyr smiled. These fellows had no idea which individual deserved their fear. Cole was as dangerous to them as a hug, while they should all be worried about the self proclaimed god standing in their midst.
More ropes and harnesses were gathered and laid out. Then the group set about anchoring the ropes. As this was being done Astlyr procured a few more packs of supplies for the new members of the expedition. By this point onlookers had gathered in the courtyard, curiously watching the goings on and eagerly chattering to one another. Many of the peasants pointed out the Inquisitor, telling their friends how they had seen her in the great hall, or eating at the pub. As if proximity brought them some kind of celebrity. It confused Astlyr, but she supposed if it made them happy, who was she to stop them?
Astlyr and her company climbed the wall steps and fastened themselves into their harnesses. As she check the buckles on her own Astlyr felt a rush of excitement that she hadn't felt in a while. Like she might feel when charging a dragon's territory. She took in a big breath of frigid mountain air. Her lungs were a little displeased with this, but she ignored the tightness and beamed a big smile to her fellows. Even Cole was going with them using the ropes. He had explained that he could not teleport somewhere he was not certain existed, and he had never seen that side of Skyhold well enough to determine if there was a cave or not.
Rogers was talking and Astlyr tried to pay attention, "best case scenario, it is a cave, and it is man made. Perhaps an unexplored part of the fortress. That'll mean it might be accessible from inside Skyhold itself, and it will be easy to shore up. Worst case, it's not a cave at all. Part of the mountain is just sloughing off, and before you know it the whole structure will side right down with it. Not much we can do about that."
"Let's hope for the best then," Astlyr said, extremely pleased that the dwarf had not voiced his concerns down on the ground where the onlookers could hear him. Even the thought that her beloved fortress could easily find itself tumbling from its perch didn't dampen her mood as Astlyr stepped up onto the outer rampart and turned around, so her back was to the drop, feeling nothing but open air behind her and nothing but the rope and harness around her. The crowd below gasped in unison. The wind whipped at her and almost drew her from her perch before she was prepared. "Be careful up here," she warned her company, some of whom were already looking a bit green around the edges. Now that she was standing there it seemed to be hitting them that they would have to do the same. "Alright," she gripped her ropes expertly. "Now, as you fall back, ensure your ropes are braced. Then-" and she was floating over the open air.
She braced her feet against the wall and reveled in the feeling of nothing below her. The sensation of flying, at once terrifying and thrilling. She felt the wind assault her again, trying to dislodge her from her position. She scooted her feet wider apart and braced there, waiting.
Cole came next, copying her movements exactly he was soon braced beside her, looking all around with an interested expression, the wind ripping at his hat and make the brim move like a living thing. The rest of her team trickled down to join them. Rogers was last, and it was obvious he was terrified out of his skin. "I thought leaving the Deep Roads and seeing all that sky would have prepared me for this," he muttered in a tight voice. "I was wrong." He looked ready to be sick.
"Alright," Astlyr barked over the rushing wind, eager to distract the more frightened members of her group. "We're going to move down. We practiced the motion on the ground while we were harnessing up. Remember?"
"Yes," answered Cole. And he demonstrated by beginning his descent skillfully.
"Easy enough for him," Muttered Jones. "If he falls does he even die?"
"Yes," Cole called up to her, no hint of fear in his voice.
"Don't let the boy show you up," Astlyr urged, sensing a motivational tool. "Come on! The sooner we find that cave, the sooner we can be in it and have our feet on the ground again."
Cole looked up at the dwarf, who was still rendered motionless, even as the others began to make their way slowly downward. The boy spoke over the sound of the icy wind, which battered his hat back and forth so strongly that Astlyr wondered how it was staying on. "Remember when you walked from your halls of stone and felt the breeze for the first time? You thought you drown in all that sky. That the wind would pick you up and carry you away like a feather. But then it didn't, so you took another step, and another. You knew you had nothing to fear from the sky. You were brave then. You can be brave again now."
Astlyr looked up to see if Cole's words has worked, and to her surprise and pleasure they seemed to have. Rogers, back still rigid, gloved hands still tight on the rope, began to inch his way downward. She turned to where Cole had been, but he was already below her again, still without any evident fear for himself. Fen'Harel and Myfanwy came even with Astlyr. "How are you doing?" she asked.
Fen looked more nervous than Myfanwy who answered, "Daveth and I used to climb very tall tress when we were children. Sometimes we slept in them, when we knew it wasn't safe on the ground. This is very different, but somehow, it still feels safe. As though no one could reach us to harm us here."
"Your god-ship?" Astlyr quietly questioned the other elf who hung beside her.
Fen'Harel chuckled dryly, looking a bit paler than usual, though not as panicked as Rogers. "I have a few of Daveth's climbing memories. They are...not helping me in the same way as they are for Myfanwy."
Astlyr laughed, her lungs again filling with the fresh, frigid air of the mountains. The wind was biting as it whipped at her again, and it almost dislodged the lighter, elvish climbers. The leather armor they all wore (no good trying to climb a wall wearing anything heavier) did act as windbreakers of a sort. Still, every joint in the armor was vulnerable to the grappling fingers of wind which sought to toss these upstart climbers from its territory.
As Cole moved ahead, Astlyr hung back with the stragglers, as though she and the boy had an unspoken arrangement. She offered her encouragement, and her lack of fear was seen as bravery, rather than unnerving and odd, as Cole's was. She even had a few of them laughing. Jones was frightened at first, but seemed to come into her own, finding her rhythm for moving down the wall faster than the others. Soon she kept pace with Astlyr, trying to encourage the others.
The climb took perhaps twenty minutes. Now they hung below the wall, faced with ragged mountainside. It took Rogers a good while to join them as they scanned the aged stone for cracks or faults. To Astlyr's relief they did not see any obvious sign of the side of the mountain braking off. Skyhold seemed to be perched on an extremely sturdy hunk of stone. Astlyr squinted further down into the cold mist that surrounded them. The moisture got into every crevice of her armor and her clothes were quite damp. "I think I see something down there," she reported.
She lowered herself further and heard several annoyed grumbles from her party, but they followed. "Are those..." she squinted, "stairs?" Below her she could make out what appeared to be a landing and steps made of white stone. They protruded from the rock wall, then ended abruptly where age and weather had clearly broken them off. "Did those used to go all the way to the ground?"
Fen'Harel reached her side and took in the view, scrutinizing. "I imagine they did, once. I think we will find the cave we are seeking at the top of them."
"I would imagine so," Astlyr agreed, lowering herself skillfully.
As she and Fen'Harel had predicted, at the head of the stairs a doorway stood like an open mouth. There may have been doors at one time, but Astlyr suspected they had been wooden and the elements had done away with them as they had the stairs. She carefully set her feet on the landing before the doorway, Cole doing the same beside her. The boy trusted his weight to it first, reasoning that if he did begin to fall he could teleport into the opening. The landing held. It appeared to have been built out from the mountain stone, rather than added to it. Astlyr stood, her weight not affecting their perch in the least. One by one the climbers came to rest, like strange spiders sliding down threads.
"Is this elven?" Astlyr questioned as she took in the doorway. There was no question that this opening was not a natural one. It had a fine arch, obviously carved from the white stone. She had another thought, "would people actually climb all those steps to reach this door?"
Fen'Harel leaned briefly to look over the edge, seeking the ground with his eyes. When Astlyr did the same she wasn't certain she saw it. Was the white below them snow, or more mist? "I believe they would. Likely to show devotion to the gods they were coming to honor." Fen'Harel said.
"Seems very inefficient to me," Jones remarked. "I can just stroll into a chantry if I want to pray."
"And yet you humans built a temple to your Andraste here in these mountains, rendering it very difficult to reach," Fen'Harel retorted.
Jones gave him a quick smile, "I suppose you have a bit of a point there. Still...all those stairs. Phew. No thank you."
Rogers and the other two builders were already moving into the opening in the mountain face. Astlyr hurried to catch up, with her remaining companions in tow. Astlyr pulled her torch from its place, strapped to the top of her pack. She offered the end to Fen'Harel, "alright. Let's see if you have any fire magic."
The elf stepped back, surprised. Then he seemed to consider, raising a slender hand to the torch. Myfanwy watched as well, brows raised. After a long moment Fen'Harel took his hand away looking shame faced, "I believe we have our answer."
"Daveth never was any good with fire," Myfanwy confirmed, smiling faintly. Astlyr suspected she had told her god that, but he had still hoped.
"Alright. I'll have to light these the old fashioned way," Astlyr said. She beckoned Jones, then turned the woman around and fished in her pack for a flint and tinder. "It's easier than taking my pack off to go through it," she explained when odd looks and chuckles followed her action.
With lit torches in hand the group pressed on further into the tunnel, for a tunnel it was. Not a cave at all. Even Rogers admired the craftsmanship as his sage eyes scanned the smooth walls and skillfully arched ceiling. "This place was meant to withstand a goodly amount of weight on up of it, that much is certain." He noted with an appreciative rub of his beard.
The group pressed on, moving quietly, torchlight illuminating everything in a washed out orange glow. Fen'Harel and Myfanwy came to walk beside Astlyr. She watched the god out of the corner of her eye for a moment, then leaned towards Myfanwy, "so, your brother was not a fire mage. What sort of magic did he specialize in?"
To Astlyr's surprise Myfanwy smiled a little cheekily. "Before we were banished form our clan, Daveth had some training," she explained in a hushed voice so the others would not overhear. "After we left the clan he trained on his own, trying to hone his skills as best he could. To be worthy of Fen'Harel. He is somewhat skilled with earth magic. However, his true talent lies in spirit healing. Our clan was even a bit sad to have to banish us for our heathen beliefs. Daveth was the best healer they had." She smirked.
Astlyr contained a short of laughter. She could see Fen'Harel let his shoulders droop slightly as he walked at her other side. She had to admit, knowing that the 'Dread Wolf' was trapped inside the body of a healing mage made her feel a good deal safer with him. She was also pleased to find he had this skill because the peaceful ability was rare these days, and in high demand. During the mage uprising, the healers were more likely to be killed because their abilities allowed them to help others, but often left them unable to protect themselves as well as the mages with offensive talents. Astlyr wasn't certain that there were any truly skilled spirit healers in Skyhold at all. Certainly some who had healing abilities, like Vivienne, but none with the specialty.
"Beggars can't be choosers," Fen'Harel said, smiling wryly.
"Here we are!" Rogers the dwarf called from up ahead. He and the rest of the group had stropped and were holding their torches up to reveal where the curved ceiling of the tunnel was collapsing. Large hunks of stone lay on the floor and the air was dustier.
"Can we shore it up?" Astlyr questioned raising her own torch. She was almost as tall as the tunnel itself, so her light easily shone over the damage.
Rogers and his builders squinted up and around. A long crack had formed in the wall from the ceiling to the floor. The dwarf rubbed his beard, thoughtfully. "I believe so. Yes. It will be a challenge if we have to lower tools and machines down from the walltop."
"So we should press on? See if this tunnel comes out anywhere inside the fortress?" Astlyr clarified.
"Yes," Rogers affirmed, nodding. He stooped, licked his finger and swept it though the dust which had settled on the floor. He brought his coated finger to his face a sniffed expertly. Everyone leaned in, curious. "This dust has been settled for at least a week. I don't think this tunnel is going to collapse today. Our mission to repair it is urgent, but it shouldn't topple onto our heads while we work."
"This crack is worrying, boss," said the elven builder, running his hand down it, brows coming together.
"What does that mean?" Astlyr questioned, eying the crack.
"Not certain just yet," the dwarf answered, moving to investigate.
Astlyr stood back, holding out her torch to add more light as the experts accessed. The qunari may have known her way around shingling a roof, but cracks in a tunnel wall were another story all together. Myfanwy and Fen'Harel stood with her, silent and thoughtful. Jones seemed to be making an attempt to get to know Cole a bit. She looked uncomfortable as they conversed in low tones, but Astlyr admired the woman's determination not to be deterred by the spirit boy's odd manner. Suddenly Cole's head snapped up, pale eyes bright in the torchlight. He spoke a single word. "Spiders."
Astlyr's shoulders stiffened. She hadn't encountered a cave yet that wasn't full of the gigantic creepy-crawlies. "Alright everyone," Astlyr spoke in her loud, commanding voice, which echoed impressively off the walls, "remember how we planned it."
As she had instructed them before they had thrown themselves from the wall, the builders hurried to stand behind Astlyr and her fighters. The qunari, Cole and Jones, who was equipped with a plain guardsman's sword and shield, stepped forward, ready to meet the eight legged beasties. Fen'Harel and Myfanwy positioned themselves slightly behind the small front line. Astlyr could feel the prickle of magic as Fen'Harel called it to him. This was the moment, she thought, when she found out if she could trust the two elves. Myfanwy had a clear shot at her back, and for all she knew Fen could bring the walls crashing down around them, or she could find a lance of ice suddenly protruding from her chest. She glanced at Cole, who was crouched, twin blades at the ready and gleaming, She knew he could sense her mistrust, but he gave her no indication that he sensed malice from Myfanwy or her god. Astlyr swallowed and focused her attention back onto the tunnel as a pack of large spiders scuttled their way down it.
The fat bodied ones were the most disgusting to kill, Astlyr thought darkly as she yanked her sword free of a bulbous abdomen. It was covered in sticky, disgusting spider innards. One of the smaller, quicker spiders darted towards her leg, and before she could turn to bring her shield down on the creature an arrow had transfixed it neatly. She knew the smaller ones were more venomous, so she tried to focus on them, but damn were they ever speedy.
One of the smaller spiders zipped in and jabbed ugly fangs into a gap in Jone's armor. The guardswoman snarled in frustration and brought her own shield edge down, slicing off several legs as the spider tried to get clear. It squealed like a dying rabbit and flailed backwards where Cole ended its misery with an expert dagger thrust before he vanished again, only to appear seconds later further down the tunnel to stab a particularly large brute who had been trundling forward with murderous intent.
Jones, taking advantage of a lull in the action, reached for her belt pouch where the spider anti-venom was held. Astlyr watched the guard out of the corner of her eye, intending to give the woman time to drink down some of the medicine. Instead, even as Jones' hands undid the little clasp on the pouch, a white light coiled around her, slithering down to her leg Astlyr saw the light pull a small trickle of blood, then a blackish gush of venom from the bite wound there. Jones squeaked in surprise as she looked down at her limb.
Astlyr followed the magic with her eyes, knowing it was emanating from Fen'Harel. He had been sparing with his spells in this fight, but he easily manipulated the healing magics to draw the spider poison from the punctures. Then the magic let the venom fall to the floor with a gentle splat. Astlyr, impressed, gave the elf a small nod. He met her eyes and nodded back before another wave of spiders hit.
Cole darted in and out, one moment visible, the next lost from sight. Astlyr stopped trying to keep an eye on him. She should have known better than attempting it in the first place. The spirit boy could move with inhuman skill and grace in battle. His speed could not be matched, but some of the spiders seemed a bit more intelligent than others Astlyr had fought. They were yellowish in color, with stripes of red on their sleeker abdomens, and they hung back from the main waves of attacking spiders. These nasties seemed to have figured out Cole's game and were focusing on him. Were they able to see him even when he was invisible? Astlyr wondered as she drove her blade into the writhing creature that had made a foolish swipe for her leg.
Cole appeared again, slicing viciously into a fat spider with a speed like lighting. His blades drawing back, both the weapons and his hands covered in dark spider blood. Before Astlyr could think to shout a warning, the yellow spiders had spotted the boy and shot webbing towards him, and their aim was excellent. "Cole!" Astlyr finally managed, but it was too late. He was trapped with web holding his legs and already the spiders were making more to grapple with his arms.
Astlyr made a frustrated growling sound that was more animal than anything as she kicked the spider before her with such force its face indented as it toppled over, stone dead. She slashed at the next beast, which was smacking its mouth-parts angrily as it climbed over its fallen brethren. Astlyr glanced back to her tiny battle line. Did she dare leave them to charge in after Cole? Myfanwy had spotted the situation, and while she was not as uncannily actuate as Sera might have been, most of her shots rang true. The yellow spiders that were not moving in to try to bite Cole kept flopping back with arrows sticking out of them.
As best Astlyr could tell in the dimness the boy was yet unhurt, though he was growing steadily more and more ensconced. The spiders had one of his arms now, and he slashed with the other, keeping them back. "Cole, teleport!" Astlyr shouted.
He didn't look up at her as he answered, slicing with his blade, "I cannot if I am trapped or held by something," he yelled back. There was no fear in his voice, only frustration that mirrored Astlyr's.
Fen'Harel stepped up behind Astlyr's shoulder, eyes narrowed as he examined the scene. "Much of Daveth's magic would damage the tunnel," he explained, almost so quietly that Astlyr didn't hear. "But I think I shall try..." there was a rush of magic past Astlyr and she felt the tingle of it, as though sparks had escaped a fire and touched her skin for a moment.
The shaped stones which made up the floor around Cole began to move. They slid out of place, then gathered around the boy's feet, almost like little creatures huddling there. "Teleport now!" the elvish mage shouted.
This Cole did. No longer anchored to the floor by the webbing he appeared behind the group in a small plume of dust, having brought web and floor-stones with him. Astlyr pulled a knife from her hip and handed it behind her to the mage, who rushed to cut Cole free of his bindings. Then Astlyr focused her attention back on the remaining spiders. Some had scuttled away up passages, obviously eager to hide away and recover from their wounds. The remaining yellow spiders again demonstrated their intelligence. They shot web up to the ceiling and scampered up it with alarming speed. Myfanwy shot two out of the air, but three more reached the ceiling. Astlyr swung mightily, as the only one able to reach the cavern's curved top. The spiders scurried out of her reach and then seemed to be watching with their many, bright eyes.
The remaining large and poisons spiders slunk back in obvious retreat. The yellows may have been overseeing this, Astlyr realized as she watched. Myfanwy shot another down and the remaining yellows fled as well, running upside down, still clinging to the ceiling.
The battle over Astlyr turned to her people and looked them over. Cole was still stripping web from himself. It was apparently extremely sticky, and he had to go slowly so as not to tear his clothing. She noticed that where he had to pull the stuff free of his skin it left ugly welts. The boy did not seem to realize this, or care. Instead he met her eyes and his expression was a question, "No," Astlyr affirmed, "we have not met spiders quite like those before."
"They were cleverer than the others," Cole agreed, using his own knife to cut himself free of the last strand binding him to a stone from the floor.
"We'll have to keep our eyes open for more of those then," said Myfanwy, practically. She moved about the tunnel, yanking her arrows from the spider corpses.
"Watch the ceilings," Cole agreed with a nod.
Before Astlyr even had to ask him, Fen'Harel was using his healing magic on Cole's hands, where the webs had hurt them. Then the elf moved about the group, seeing to any small injures anyone had. Astlyr watched appreciatively. It was just what Solas would have done. She shook her head. There was no Solas, there had never been for her. It had always been the Dread Wolf. He certainly didn't seem very dreadful as he used white magic to mend a small cut on Jones' hand. A smile played with the corner of her mouth as he worked.
"Well, that was an adventure," said Rogers, his tone good-natured. He seemed the least bothered by the spider attack, though he was ill equipped to defend himself. Perhaps the creatures were common in Orzammar, Astlyr pondered. The mice and rats of the subterranean city. A small shudder of revulsion raced up her body and she resolved to think about something else.
Fen'Harel, finished with his healing, turned to the pile of stones and excess web that Cole had finished freeing himself from. More magic coiled from the elf's outstretched hands. The stones, perfectly formed and symmetrical, and each about the side of a hand, rolled across the floor with a clattering rumble. Astlyr dodged smartly out of their way as they bounced and rattled past her, squared edges not meant for this type of movement. By the time the stones had reached their destination they had dislodged much of the webbing. One by one Fen'Harel magically placed them back where they had originated. With all the care of an artist he checked each to the groove it had vacated to ensure it was back exactly where it had begun.
When he had finished sweat dripped from his brow and it took a moment for his features to relax from a tight expression of concentration. He put up a slim hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Cole appeared at his side and took his arm, looking into the elf's face curiously. "Why did you use magic? You could have used your hands to place them and it would not have drained you."
Fen'Harel smiled thinly at the spirit boy, letting his hand fall from his face. "I didn't want to get my hands dirty," he said to the group as a whole, his clever eyes sparkling. Astlyr casually moved closer to hear his true answer. He spoke in a hushed voice once he was certain Jones and the builders were otherwise occupied. "I wanted to see. I wanted to find out exactly how precise Daveth's magic could be. I could sense that his power lay in the technical, the precise, rather than the powerful." he shot Myfanwy a smile, "In this way he is a perfect fit for me. I suspect that, had I a staff, the task would have been all too easy. Unused to Daveth's magic as I am, and hindered without a focus item, I am still impressed."
Myfanwy beamed. Astlyr smiled as well, pleased that the elvish woman finally seemed happy. Myfanwy usually had an air of melancholy about her. Astlyr wondered if she was lonely, having so connected herself with Fen that she never got out to be with the other people of the Inquisition and make friends. She had bonded a bit with Astlyr's team while they were all in the infirmary together. The qunari resolved to invite Myfanwy out the next time they all went to the tavern for a 'family' meal.
Once Fen'Harel seemed to have recovered a bit, and the builders had given the tunnel a thorough looking over and were making quiet plans, Astlyr found that she was growing antsy. The dark tunnel led onward and her adventuring spirit was eager to explore. Cole stood at her shoulder, keen, pale colored eyes watching the darkness as she did. Jones came up to stand beside them for a moment, her mouth twitching as he clearly struggled not to laugh, "Look at the pair of you. Like two hounds waiting to be let of a leash."
Astlyr chuckled, though Cole looked a bit confused. "You did well in the fight, Jones," Astlyr congratulated her human friend.
"Thank you Ma'am." Jones' smile made her entire sweet, homely, face light up.
"You're very steady. I knew where you would be at any given time."
"We don't get taught a lot of fancy moves in the guard training. Not like the lad there," Jones gestured to Cole, who was listening to their conversation with quiet interest. "They basically hand us a sword and tell us to 'stick 'em with the pointy end.'"
"That is the protocol," Astlyr nodded, putting on her best sage expression, which Dorian had once told her just made her look half asleep. "All that fancy stuff, just for show."
"Mine isn't-" Cole began, but she rested her hand on his shoulder to stop him. Sometimes sarcasm evaded the boy. Not always, which was fortunate considering the company he kept, but from time to time it still got past him.
"How much longer do you think we'll be, ma'am?" Jones asked.
"Not certain. Once the crew is finished with their assessment I would like to see where this tunnel leads. I have my suspicions, and if I am right we won't need to climb back up to the wall.
Behind her Astlyr could hear Rogers the dwarf questioning Fen'Harel, "so then, mage. I see that you have a little skill with earth magics. Are you good enough to fix up this tunnel?"
Fen'Harel shook his dark curls and smiled ruefully. "Perhaps, if I had a good rest and a staff to aid me. Today I could not."
"Right. Then we shall plan on shoring her up the old fashioned way, and if we can get some magical assistance, well, more's the better," the dwarf said, sounding pleased with his plans. His fellow builders nodded and muttered that it certainly would be easier with a few mages on the job.
"Are we ready to press on?" Astlyr questioned the group.
"Further into the cave?" the human, Christopher, asked, eying the darkness.
"Come on now, lad," Rogers gave the man a smack on the small of his back which caused him to cough in surprise, "like the lady Inquisitor said. If we find a way up through the tunnel we won't have to go climbing on the ropes again, and I am very much in favor of that."
"That's because you grew up under ground," Christopher muttered, though there was no malice in his tone as he picked up his pack and slung it back on his shoulder. "So long as the lady doesn't mind continuing to murder any eight legged, dog sized beasties we might find."
"It brings me joy," Astlyr said, checking the buckles of her shield straps. They bit into her forearm some, having been made for human use, but she ignored this. Her blood was up, even after the rest period, and she was getting to do some good old fashioned exploring with the possibility of battle. This was her kind of thing. Forget politics and old gods. Give her a cave and a bunch of spiders any day.
The spiders, however, seemed to have decided that discretion was the better part of valor. Once or twice a many-legged shadow might be spotted, scuttling away at speed, but that seemed to be all for the moment.
The tunnel had several offshoots which led to smaller chambers or rooms. Fen'Harel said these might have been storage rooms, or a place to rest for pilgrims who would have journeyed far to visit Skyhold. "And climbed all those stairs, " chuckled Jones. "I'd need a rest too after that."
As they walked, carefully checking each side passage and keeping their eyes open for spiders, Cole appeared at Astlyr's arm. He walked silently with her for a moment, then spoke in a whisper, obviously not wanting to include the others in their conversation. "Astlyr, may I ask you something?"
"Of course, Cole," she smiled down at him. She couldn't see much of his face, thanks, as always, to his hat.
The boy hesitated, seemingly uncertain how to begin. "Have...have I been the same lately as I always was?"
"What do you mean? Have I noticed you behaving strangely? Well, strangely for you?" She raised an eyebrow. "Cole?" She noticed that the boy's daggers were sheathed and he was wringing his pale hands, a gesture he usually reserved for when he was noticing someone else's pain and didn't know quite how to help them yet. "Have you noticed anything?" she asked, eying him with concern.
"I...I don't know," he said after a moment. "Sometimes I feel...I feel different."
"You are different, Cole. That's why I like you," she smiled.
"Not different from others. Different from me...what I was before," his hand played with the protective amulet he wore. "It isn't much. Just a gnawing at the corner of myself. Like maybe I don't fit any more."
Astlyr was thoroughly confused and had no idea how to answer. She knew he could sense this, of course. Still, she felt that something must be said, "remember, you can't be corrupted, Cole. You have the amulet to prevent that. So however you're changing, or you think you're changing, perhaps it's natural for you?" she said it as a question and trailed off lamely. An idea struck her, "are you becoming more human, like Varric wanted before?"
"I don't know. I don't think so. I still don't sleep, or eat, or feel cold," he answered.
"Have you talked to Fen'Harel about it?"
"Yes." Cole replied, still not looking up at her.
"And what did he say?"
"The same as you have. That maybe it's natural. But I'm not natural, Astlyr." There was a tinge of anguish in his voice, of the kind she knew too well. He may have made himself forget his time with the original Cole, a boy dying alone in the dark, but Astlyr did not forget. When Cole had realized what he was, and what he had been and done for the first Cole, his voice had been raw with pain. It was not that bad as he spoke now, but the edge of it made her flinch.
Before she could press on with the conversation, perhaps finally figuring out what to say that would actually be helpful, the passage opened out into a large, main room. Astlyr caught her breath. It was impressive, with thick support columns and a ribbed ceiling high above. A ceiling she couldn't reach by raising her hand, she noticed with pleasure. The columns which towered towards that ceiling were different from any she had seen before, and from one another. Rather than merely being made of thick stone, these were shaped. Each was unique from its fellows. One was carved with perfect stone vines, complete with leaves. Another shaped to look like cascading water. The dwarf whistled, eyebrows raised as he strolled about, thumbs tucked into the chest-plate of his armor.
"Was this place made by the elves?" Astlyr questioned, finding a pillar shaped like a howling wolf.
Fen'Harel joined her, moving gracefully, as though he were at home there. He rubbed a hand fondly on the wolf pillar's paw and smiled, "Oh yes," he answered.
"Look at the walls!" Called Jones, who had brought her torch to the right hand wall of the room. Astlyr looked over to see massive paintings, like those in Solas' old study, adorning the stone. These were far larger and more intricate. Deer, or were they hala, raced across golden fields. Elvish hunters crept through quiet forests, and maidens wearing bright colors danced. Each painting blended into the next, depicting a life of splendor and joy. Astlyr began to move along the walls, looking at all the splendid murals. Each time she thought she had picked a favorite, a new scene would catch her eye.
One depicted a group of children walking with a black wolf. Each elven child had a hand on the animal as though they all wanted to claim it as their own. Astlyr shot a look towards Fen'Harel and found him watching her. At her look he smiled again, and dipped his head in a quick nod. This painting seemingly was a of time when The People did not fear their Dread Wolf. Below this picture stood a small basin made of stone. The inside was stained with ash and what appeared to be old blood. Astlyr squinted, running her hand across the inside of the basin and sniffing the dust it left on her fingers.
"The People made offerings to the gods here," Fen'Harel explained as he walked up to join her with that same easy stride she had seen Solas use countless times. "They sometimes burned the offerings, sometimes left them raw. They gifted me with a good deal of meat," he smiled thinly. "That is what I get for associating myself with a carnivore," he chuckled.
"You didn't like the meat?" Astlyr questioned.
"Oh, I did," he said, looking fondly at the basin as though remembering. "But I will admit I was jealous at times."
"Jealous?" Astlyr asked, wiping her fingers clean on the leg of her armor.
"Inquisitor, over here!" Jones called, excited.
Astlyr moved to join the woman who stood with Myfanwy, both examining something. The mural above them was of a woman, her head thrown back, hair framing all around her head like a halo of perfect black. Instead of arms she had the wings of a dragon sprouting from her shoulders. At her feet figures genuflected and gathered like children huddling at the skirts of a mother. Astlyr guessed that this was Mythal. She had seen statues of the dragon goddess in the temple. In the basin below the goddess were golden trinkets and glittering baubles. Astlyr shook her head, impressed, as her people looked to her for permission to collect them. "I doubt Mythal is coming back for them," she said. This was all the cue her followers needed, hurriedly stuffing trinkets into their packs.
Astlyr considered telling them that they would have for forfeit their treasures to the Inquisition coffers, but changed her mind. When she and her usual crew were on a mission, any small treasure they secured was usually theirs to keep. She drew the line at large hauls, but something like this, well, this could feed a family, but not a fortress. She smiled as she saw the glee on their faces, each stepping back with a glittering, if a bit dusty, token to call their own. Fen'Harel, Myfanwy and Cole took nothing. Though Fen did have an oddly smug expression on his face as the rest of the group made their selections.
Then the wolf god slowly strolled over to another god's basin, situated near the main door. This depicted a man walking with two ravens flying over him and a bear at his side. The man and his creatures seemed to be strolling peacefully through a glade. Around him words were scrawled on the wall. Some even directly onto his image. Astlyr raised an eyebrow at Fen'Harel, "Not a popular god then? People have marked up his painting." She glanced down at the basin built into the floor. It was empty save for a layer of dust.
"This is Dirthamen, the secret keeper. The writing is the offering that was left for him," Fen'Harel explained, reaching up and touching the wall fondly.
Cole strolled over and tilted his head back to look over the wall, lips parting to speak the memories he found there. "I am in love with Cerdiwen, but she will not notice me. Yesterday I spilled my stew on her leg and she was so furious with me that she struck me. My cheek burned, but I pretended that she had held my face rather than slapped it." The boy's eyes flicked to another passage, scrawled in what Astlyr could only assume was ancient elvish. "I killed one of our clansmen today. Falon'Din take him serenly, I pray! I did not want to kill him, but he began acting strangely while we were on a hunt together, and he came at me with a knife. Mythal bless me, I cannot wash the blood from my hands! He has two daughters."
"Does he read the language?" Jones asked, looking impressed.
"No," Astlyr chuckled. "Cole is just a tough one to keep secrets around."
"I have been seeing someone without my husband knowing. Another woman. She understands me as no one else does."
Some of the group tried to hide their smiles as Cole continued to sense the often embarrassing ancient secrets. Then the boy paused, his brows coming together. "What is it, Cole?" Astlyr questioned.
"Someone...someone...I thought I found a memory I knew," Cole shook his head, a confused expression on his face.
"What do you mean?" Astlyr questioned, tilting her head to better see her young friend's face, washed paler than ever in the wan torchlight.
"I d-I don't know," Cole spun in place, as though searching for something. Like one attempting to catch a leaf swept away on a breeze. A look of anxiety crossed his face. "It flits, flies, like a touch, but gone. I can't hold it."
Astly glanced at Fen'Harel and found that he too wore a complex expression. She did not have time to ponder this for long because Cole moved purposefully to a small wall sconce, gesturing to it, "Veil fire," he said. "To see."
"Are there runes here?" Astlyr questioned, glancing around. The only sign of magical writing she had seen was the elvish on Dirthamen's wall.
"Here," Fen'Harel stepped in, twisting his hands in a few practiced motions. Green veil fire erupted in the aged sconce.
Astlyr took out one of her unused torches and passed it to the elvish mage. He lit it from the sconce, then turned back to Cole. "What are we meant to illuminate with it?"
"You know," Cole said, his tone firm. Now he was eying Fen'Harel with an intense, searching look in his pale eyes.
Fen'Harel held the boy's gaze for a long moment. Just enough for the group to start to feel uncomfortable, and some to stroll away, pretending to suddenly be intrigued by a carved pillar or searching in a pack for some bread. Only Astlyr and Myfanwy kept their eyes fixed on the two. Just as Astlyr was about to open her mouth and say something (though she had not yet decided what) Fen'Harel smiled wolfishly, then turned to the mural, holding up the veilfire torch.
"Bless me," gasped Jones, who had looked up from digging in her pack. She rocked back on her heels, head tilted back as she took in the wall.
The painting of the man and his animal companions was changed. The veil fire revealed new portions, obscuring others. No longer the image of a figure striding through a glade, but a massive map. Dirthamen's eye had become a lake. The crows mountains. Every mark or crease on the god's clothing was now revealed to be a river, or range of hills. Marked around the map with glowing runes were place names, Astlyr guessed. She couldn't be certain of any of them, not understanding the language, but she saw what she suspected were the Frostback Mountains in the fur of the great bear. On them was marked what appeared to be a small city. "Skyhold?" she asked touching the place.
"Yes," said Fen'Harel. His eyes had gone wide as he looked over the revealed work. "Inquisitor, this is impressive indeed. A map of ancient Fereldan as The People knew it. Here-" he touched a spot lovingly with careful fingertips, "This is a worship place. And this."
"Are these your temples?" Astlyr whispered to the elf as she pointed to several images on the map which looked like tiny wolves.
Fen'Harel chuckled, before quietly replying. "No. I had no temples. But they are places my followers would go to pray and leave tribute."
"Why are they glowing brighter than the others?" Jones asked, stepping closer and squinting.
Fen'Harel seemed at a loss how to answer the woman. Astlyr wondered herself, but said nothing. It seemed likely that they were brighter because of the presence of the god they represented. Something did prickle at the back of her mind, however, and she knew it had to do with the way Cole was still scrutinizing not the wall, but the elf. The god was not telling her everything.
"I've been to this one," Myfanwy said, looking pleased with their discovery as she pointed out one of the wolf statues glowing on the map.
"Ma'am," one of the builders spoke up timidly. "I er, I was wondering if we might move on. Not that I don't enjoy statues and glowing walls, but suspect it is going on afternoon above ground, and we still have no idea if he can reach Skyhold from the tunnel." he flinched away when he was finished as though he expected to be yelled at.
"You're right," Astlyr nodded. "If we find a way up into Skyhold proper we can come down here as often as we like to explore and really give this map a good looking over," she raised her voice, letting it echo off the walls and high ceiling. "Alright, crew. Let's get a move on!"
Everyone hurried to gather up anything they had taken out of packs, and to light fresh torches as the old ones were burning down. Astlyr gave the glowing map one more look, wishing she could stay longer and try to figure it out. She sighed, lit a new torch for herself, and turned to continue to search for a path to the surface.
*****You know, I have no idea why I decided to make the "air date" for these chapters Thursday. Aka usually my busiest work day. I might change it to Friday in the future if Thursdays keep being so busy, though it does give me something to look forward to on an otherwise crap day.
As always, your comments feed my soul, so feel free to send them my way! :D*****