"And once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about."
― Haruki Murakami
Nicolai felt himself falling, the promise of landing anytime soon seemed unlikely. His body jolted forward and he felt his stomach drop when he found himself hovering just above solid ground. Something had been holding him up.
When the pressure emanating from his body released, he fell with a loud thud.
Groaning, Nicolai turned himself over onto his back, barely catching his breath before he saw Nennet standing over him and helping him to his feet.
"Are you alright, Nico?"
Nicolai nodded, "The others?"
Nennet motioned for Nicolai to look behind him. When he turned, Nicolai saw his fellow Wardens dusting themselves, looking up at the sky as if they had just fallen from nothing just like he had. Nani was the last to fall, a slew of curses flying from her as she stood up rapidly and shook away Wynne from trying to tend to any wounds.
Nicolai was about to go over to the others when a familiar voice resonated over them.
"What do we have here?"
The horribly disfigured body of Sloth stood before them, his lips seemingly ripped away to reveal sharp rotted teeth. Empty eye sockets stared at the Wardens as he pointed a bony finger at Nani.
"A little plaything thinks they can solve the maze of Sloth...no matter. I shall put you all back, I'll do better this time." Sloth said, tilting his strange skeletal head. Then he caught Eshne and became angry, "This one...this one broke my dream. This time I'll make sure you stay put."
"Not likely, you evil thing." Nani called to the demon, "We're ending this now!"
Sloth laughed, "Very well, little plaything, to your doom…"
From his fingers spurt black vines that grabbed for their feet. Nani blasted a gust of freezing air that stopped the vines in place. As they crumbled to the ground, Sloth roared angrily. He raised his arms and bursting from the ground came large spikes. One of them barely skewered Alistair before Nicolai tackled him out of the way.
Both Eshne and Nani used all of their strength to shoot their elemental spells at Sloth. The demon reeled back, a burst of fire lighting up the dry skin around his face.
Nennet and Thackery had managed to flank the demon, sinking their blades into his back. Sloth shook his entire body, sending the two flying into the air. Thackery had crashed into the growing spike, a few briars sticking into his back.
Wynne pulled him away, using her spells to heal the deep circular wounds.
Sloth had thrown the weapons in his back to the ground.
"No more games," He said, "Now you will see real power."
He scrunched his body, heaving a great mass from the back of his throat. A black ooze fell from his mouth, forming on the ground just as the old body fell to the dirt. The ooze flung up into the air. From the mass a great figure with crooked horns and bruises and boils formed just before them. Its great nostrils flared like a bull, and the demon charged after Nani and Eshne.
Melia ran for one of its pig-like legs. She stabbed both daggers at opposite sides of its ankles, she hung on for dear life as it kept charging. Zevran took the other leg, and once he hit tendon the beast fell down with a great thud.
Nani raced forward, calling forth a great blizzard and focused her energy for the frost to burst into the demons mouth. Slowly its body began to turn to ice. As soon as the cold hit its neck, Alistair brought down his sword, the frozen head severing from the rest of its warm body. A rush of its dark blood spurt forward onto the ground.
"Oh Maker…" Wynne looked at the seizing body.
Alistair fell back, his arms screaming in pain from the swing.
"Is it done?" Nicolai asked Nani.
"Not quite."
The group turned to see the shimmering form of Niall behind them.
"Niall, darling," Nani ran to him, "It's over."
"Not completely," Niall said, "You still must return to the Circle, defeat Uldred."
"What about you?"
Niall looked deep into her eyes, "It's too late for me."
"Don't say that." Nani felt a lump in her throat, "You can still come with us."
Niall shook his head, "I've been departed from my...body...for too long. It simply would have been an afternoons nap for you." He held her hand and kissed it, "Na'Nalia...I know I can never give you exactly what you want. You've always been so spirited, and me? I can never take you on those adventures you always talked about."
"Niall…"
"I'm so proud of you, Nani," Niall gave a weak smile, "Live your life, find someone or something that will make you happy. I know I never fully could…"
Nani felt her lip tremble, but she held back her tears.
"You know...you've made me proud too."
Niall didn't say anything else, but gave her a brighter smile.
His form began to dissipate, and at the same time Nani felt her body become light once more. The bright lights wrapped around her legs, and the next thing Nani saw was the floor to the Circle tower.
She groaned, rolling herself onto her back. Eshne was immediately at her side, helping her onto her feet. Eshne signed to her.
'Nani, I'm so sorry…'
Nani looked at the floor, seeing Nialls body lying before her. She frowned, going over to kneel by him. She set her hand on his cheek, almost reeling back by how cold he was. Clenched in his hand was a parchment. Nani slowly took it, unrolling it to see that it was the Litany of Adralla.
"So it's true…" Wynne said sadly, "Blood magic is at work. I had denied it for so long…" She sighed.
Nani held the Litany close to her chest, "We need to find Uldred." She stood up, then looked back to the others, "Is everyone alright?"
Melia was checking Thackery, noticing the small wounds in his back.
"I thought we don't sustain real injuries from the Fade?"
Eshne shook her head, "Sloth had us under a particularly powerful spell. We were lucky to get out."
"Let's just keep going," Nani said, "The stairs to the next floor aren't too far away."
Nani and Eshne ran through the tower with renewed fervor, paying no mind to who was actually following them.
They ran through room after room of expansive libraries, some of which Eshne hadn't even seen in all her years at the tower.
By the time they had gotten to the last door that led to the stairs, the others were calling for them to wait.
Nennet stopped them before they opened the door.
"Look, I know that everyone knows Nicolai uses blood magic. But outside of his practices we don't know what we're dealing with."
"Blood magic is a very powerful thing," Nani said, "Never trust your eyes...but with hope the Litany will help protect our minds."
"Most likely all of Uldreds mages were dabbling in the craft, so we need to steel our minds." Nicolai added.
"Blood mages can really control your thoughts?" Zevran asked.
"Yes."
Everyone looked at Melia, Thackery furrowed his brows but said nothing.
Melia shifted her stance, averting her eyes from everyone, "It can...make you form thoughts that aren't truly your own. And you'll believe them, even if there's a small part of you that knows it's wrong..." She swallowed hard, "But if Nani says this Litany will help, then I have confidence in her ability to wield it."
Nani nodded at Melia, "We'll do the best we can."
"I know." Melia said.
Nani turned back to the door, creaking it open before standing up to her full height. As if what she saw on the other side had chilled her to the bone.
"Nani?" Eshne looked at her.
Nani stared straight into Eshne.
"I…"
"What?" Eshne pushed the door wide open.
"Eshne, no…"
Nani flinched when she heard Eshne's blood curdling screaming.
"Cullen!"
Nani ran in after her sister.
Eshne had raced towards the large magical barrier where Cullen lay a prisoner. He held his head in his hands, barely looking up to see Eshne.
Without care, Eshne ran straight into the barrier, her body flying back with an electric pulse.
Nennet held her hand up to her mouth we she saw Eshne covered in magical burns. Wynne tried to pull Eshne away, but she was already crawling back towards Cullen.
"Cullen, my darling," Eshne wept, "You're alive…"
Cullen reeled away from her, "Stay away from me demon!" His eyes were wide in horror.
Hot tears ran down Eshnes face as she tried to set her hands against the barrier, only to be shocked once more.
"No, it's me, sweetheart…" Eshne cried, "Please, look at me." She stood up.
"I will not trust your tricks again, you foul thing!" Cullen yelled, "Keep away…" His voice faltered.
"No, Cullen, it's Eshne, please," Eshne begged, "You know it's the real me." Then she thought desperately, "You used to lay flowers on my pillow...orange lilies. You said they matched my hair…"
"Any demon would know this if they searched my thoughts." Cullen bit back, "You tempt me with things I could never have. Why must you always come back to me as her? Don't you know I am already ashamed of my own thoughts? An ill-advised romance…"
"Ashamed?" Eshne's voice broke, "I never felt that way about you…"
"I am tired of your cruel jokes, demon." Cullen glared at her, eyes wild with desperation, "If anything in you is human just kill me now, or begone!"
He closed his eyes for a long moment, almost shocked to see Eshne when he opened them again.
"You're still here?" He asked incredulously, standing up to meet Eshne.
"Of course I am." Eshne began to cry all over again.
"But...the images, voices...you! They were all so real…" Cullen gave an exhausted sigh, then he looked at Nani and then back at Eshne, "Why did you come back?"
"We came to help…"
"Your cause is lost...you tell Greagoir the tower is no longer in Irvings control. I saw him go upstairs with Uldred and the others. They are long dead by now…" Cullen shook his head weakly.
"I don't believe that." Nani spoke up.
"Then go up and see for yourself...but you must kill them all!" Cullen said wildly, "They kept us locked in here like animals."
"Oh like the Templars have done for mages?" Nani bit back.
"They killed us all one by one, slowly driving us mad!" Cullen spat, "I am the only one left. He turned some into those...monsters…" He looked sick.
"Cullen, I'm so sorry…" Eshne tried to reach out for him.
"I don't need your sympathy, you need to go in there and kill every last person!"
Eshne reeled back, "But Irving…"
"He's fallen to blood magic by now...all the sounds coming from the chamber...oh Maker." Cullen fell back to his knees, "You can't save them."
"We can try…" Eshne suggested.
"You are a fool," Cullen said, "There is no saving what's up there."
"I don't believe that." Eshne said angrily.
"They're all turned...all those damned mages." He acted as if saying the word 'mage' were a curse.
Eshne couldn't feel her own legs, but her voice was even and firm. "I'm one of those damned mages, Cullen."
"You haven't been up there...you don't know what they've done. Blood mages and their wicked fingers crawling into your mind and poisoning your thoughts with…" He hesitated, "With what you wanted more than anything in the world...they take it and corrupt it."
"You don't mean that…" Eshne shook her head, "Please, darling…"
"Stay your honeyed tongue. You're just a mage." Cullen spat, "A wicked thing of magic."
"You really hate mages this much?" Alistair asked, almost disgustedly.
Cullens eyes never left Eshnes, "That and more."
Eshne felt as if an arrow has pierced her heart, Nennet came up behind her to keep her from falling. Nicolai had to hold Nani back from trying to tear Cullen apart.
"You son of a bitch!" Nani screamed, "After all you and she have been through."
"Please…" Eshne begged once more, "Don't let your anger and thoughts of revenge cloud you…"
"I am seeing clearly for the first time. Mages need to be put in their place."
"Your duty is to protect them…us…"
"My duty is to the Maker." Cullen said cooly, backing away from the barrier, "But go if you must. Let your compassion be your ruin."
Nennet pulled on Eshne's robes, "C'mon, sweetheart. He's no longer the man you knew." She glared at Cullen, "He's not worth it."
"But…" Eshne started.
"Esh," Nani said to her, "We have to help Irving."
Eshne said nothing else, and didn't protest when Nennet led her up the stairs.
Nani kicked down the door to the Harrowing Chamber, just as Uldred was closing in on a mage and turning his weak body into an abomination.
Uldred rounded on the group that entered.
"And look what we have here," Uldred said almost gleefully, he pointed at Nani, "Irvings star pupil. The Templars daughter, yes yes."
"Shut up, you crusty old fuck." Nani shot a bolt of lighting at his feet, "I'm not here to play games with the likes of you."
"Uldred never really did think much of you," Uldred said wildly, "And I'm inclined to agree."
"Oh I'm gutted, really," Nani scoffed, "And I think I'll just go ahead and kill you." She held the Litany tight.
"Very well." Uldred said, his body become white as it grew into a grotesque horned figure, not unlike what Sloth had become.
In a rage, Eshne came forward and immediately blasted all the mages that had become abominations, leaving little room for the others to fight.
The demon roared, preparing to convert another group of mages. Nani read from the Litany, blocking off the demons connection to the mages. The demon fell back as if it were stunned by something, which left the others time to step in and use their blades.
The creature rounded on Nani.
"The Litany." It growled, its voice guttural and unnatural.
Wynne blasted a few bolts at the demon, distracting it from Nani long enough for her to read from the parchment once more. Her words kept the demon from taking Wynnes mind, and the creature became enraged. It charged for Nani.
Zevran was the first to reach her, pulled her away before she was gored by the demons horns. Nani took pause and looked at Zevran, but then focused herself and shot arcane bolts at the demon.
Eshne and Wynne held their own, keeping the demon distracted while Nani tirelessly spoke the words of the Litany.
Slowly the demons power began to fade. In a foolish attempt it charged for Wynne, and in one final trust Alistair plunged his sword straight into the fiends skull before it reached the mage.
There was no thud when the demon fell, instead is dissipated into a fine mist, wafting up and out through the little windows of the harrowing chamber.
Nani wasted no time in getting to Irving, rushing to his side to see if he was even still breathing.
Irving coughed weakly, but was still able to stand when helped.
"Nani?" His eyes widened.
"Oh I'm so glad you're alright, First Enchanter." Nani said, "Eshne and I feared the worst."
"Maker...I'm too old for any of this," Irving said lightly, "But I am quite glad to see you all."
"Are you alright, Irving?" Wynne asked.
"I've been better I assure you...but I am glad to be alive. No thanks to you and your girls, Wynne. You should be proud."
Wynne looked between Nani and Eshne, both of them completely drained physically and emotionally yet still standing.
Wynne smiled and said.
"I am."
Irving and the rest of the surviving mages were led down through the tower. A reluctant Cullen following far behind. Eshne sped ahead, feeling sick and refusing to even look at the templar.
Greagoir could scarcely believe Irving was alive when the doors were finally opened, but embraced the First Enchanter like an old friend nonetheless
Irving relayed the betrayal of Uldred, Cullen quickly cutting in with his piece.
"The Tower is not yet contained, we don't know how many mages truly turned into abominations...the mages-"
"Saved your ass, Templar." Eshne glared at him, standing beside her sister with crossed arms as Wynne checked for wounds.
"As much as it pains me to ever agree with a Surana…" Greagoir began, earning a raised brow from Nani, "She's right. Irving is alive, and the wardens have swept through. I will order another sweep, but I'm confident that the threat is contained."
"But-" Cullen started.
"Last I checked, I was Knight-Commander, Ser Rutherford." Greagoir eyed the young man.
Irving intervened, "We must take this tragedy and grow from it. Be strengthened by our experiences."
"And I accept Irvings assurances that the Tower is well," Greagoir said, "I'll send my men at once to collect what they can." He left the group, a grim look on his face as he went to address the Templars.
"Mages and templars alike lie dead all through this Tower…" Eshne said.
"We should just be glad none of them are Redd." Nani told her.
Irving turned to face the wardens. Nennet took the front.
"First Enchanter, now that your Tower is secure I'm afraid we must uphold our duties sworn to us as wardens in order to fight the Blight."
"The treaties?" Irving asked, "Yes, yes...Duncan mentioned them when he took his recruits."
"But there are hardly any mages left." Eshne pointed out.
"One mage can account for 50 darkspawn if trained well enough," Irving assured her, "I know the risks of this, and will gladly help against the evil you all face so gracefully. I'd hate to have survived this near annihilation only to be consumed by the Blight."
"There is one other matter, First Enchanter," Nani said, "A young boy in Redcliffe is being possessed by a demon, we must seek your help to rid him of his affliction."
Irving seemed disturbed, "A young boy battling a demon alone? I will send for lyrium and inquire about a Templar escort to Redcliffe. I may have lost many mages here, but if I can help this child then I will do all I can."
"Thank you, Irving," Nani said, "Gather what you can, and we'll set off together immediately."
"I will meet you across the lake once I've spoken with Greagoir," Irving said.
Irving took his leave, Wynne followed close behind and engaged in their own private conversation. Nani turned to the Wardens.
"We should get across the lake now, the boat will need to come back for Irving and the lyrium."
"Very well," Melia nodded, then she added, "We'll take care to rest before reaching Redcliffe."
Nani didn't protest, suddenly feeling the pains in each and every one of her limbs. She noticed Eshne standing off quietly to the side, and immediately went to embrace her sister. The two of them wiped away their own tears.
"Some reunion." Nani said quietly.
"I didn't think it was going to be so hard, Nani." Eshne told her.
Nani pulled away, holding Eshne by the shoulders. She gave a half-hearted smile.
"Let's just get the fuck out of here, okay?"
"Okay."