Sorry for the obvious misspellings and the fact i didn't get a chance to proof-read this. I'm rushing and honestly a thousand different things are taking my attention away right now. Honestly, start expecting only weekly updates instead of the 'few days' I've done in the past. In fact, start expecting 'Denerim's Shadow to get updated after 'The Last Dragon' (my other work). Anyway, I'm sorry but I'm trying my best. If anything big stands out, then PM or review me about it and I'll fix it. Either way, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
I find Morrigan and Duncan waiting for us atop the hill. Both of them silently arise when they see us and rejoin the group. I quickly take the lead once again and lead us back down into the cramped, tiny gully. We've barely entered it when we pass the spot where Leliana and I were talking, and multiple trees up ahead burst to life and begin charging us. I draw my blade and grab Duncan by the collar as we both charge into battle. Instantly, I regret my decision. The living tree slams its 'hands' into the ground and a wooden cage of tangled branches erupts around me and my Duncan. Tiny limbs work their way around me and completely immobilize me.
I can't even twitch my hands or feet. Likewise, Duncan can only whimper as he's frozen in his leaping motion. My vision is obscured by the tree's branches around me, but I can hear the battle going on. Roars of rage from the tree monsters; cursing from Morrigan as her spells fire off; and Leliana screaming something that I can't hear because of my trap. I briefly try to turn my sore and exhausted body around and free myself from the wood; however, it quickly becomes apparent that nothing I do is going to make any difference. So, for once I'm forced to sit back and simply allow the fight to go on without me assisting my team at all. Surprisingly, Morrigan and Leliana hold their own.
The witch's fire spells catch the creatures alight while Leliana's arrows split their 'flesh' and leaves. It takes them longer than it would me and Duncan, but eventually the rogue and mage bring the creatures down. Duncan and I collapse to the ground as our prison dissolves around us. Morrigan and Leliana make their way over to us as Duncan and I peel ourselves off of the ground. Morrigan is the only one who speaks about the incident, and it's only to offer another snide remark.
"Did you two have fun while the adults handled the trees?". Duncan offers a small growl at Morrigan, but I remain silent. Offending a powerful witch isn't smart. Even if she is kind of bitchy. Instead, I ignore the woman and begin walking along the path. The gully slowly opens up into a large field that's surrounded on one side by a cliff shooting upwards, a steep drop on the other side, and a small hill that leads somewhere else on the final side. I look around the clearing and see a single, white tree standing in the middle of the place right before the hill beings leading upwards.
I consider heading backwards, then decide to investigate the white tree after a moment of thought. If it's alive I'll kill it, if it's dead I'll loot it, and if it has a quest for me I'll ignore it. I'm a few feet away from the white tree when it shutters and slowly unravels itself to show its true form.
The gigantic monster has red leaves and ivory colored limbs. The creature cocks its head and its mouth seems to stretch into a hideous mockery of a smile. Then, it kneels down and stretches one tremendous, clawed hand out to me. I pull out my sword and fall into a fighting position. Just in case. Finally, a deep voice rings out from the tree's chest.
"Who-". I swing my sword with all of my might and snick the monster's hand off of his arm. Thick, red sap begins spewing from the abomination's arm and he screams in his version of pain. A large plume of fire shoots over the tree and catches his leaves ablaze. Arrows rain down, fire continue to burn, Duncan sinks his fangs into the monster's ankle, and I swing my sword once again. More sap flows and the creature attempts to trap all of us in another prison of wood.
Duncan is standing behind him; Morrigan and Leliana rush backwards; and I rush in between the monster's legs. I give my sword a third swing and crack it deep into the enemy's leg. More of the tree's 'blood' splatters me and stains the metal of my blade. Thankfully, my blow brings the creature to his knees. I look upwards and give the monster one final look. His red leaves have given way to a fiery halo; his ivory flesh is stained with scarlet sap; and his intelligent face is twisted in agony.
I tear my sword from his leg, pull it upwards, and thrust my weapon upwards. The tip of my sword pushes into the tree's neck and a tsunami of red comes raining down upon me. A gurgling sound comes from above me, then the thud of a tremendous body hitting the ground. Slowly, I bring my sword down and look at the damage. The mutilated tree is barely worthy of being called 'chopped firewood'. I flick the sap off my sword before putting it up, then calmly walk over to Duncan.
"Can you do something about this mess?". Duncan comes forward a little, sniffs the sap, and gags. I sigh and look back at the 'body' of the enemy.
"Figures.". I walk over to the ivory pile and begin searching through it. I can't find anything of use, so I walk away. I look over my group to see how everyone's doing after the fight. Duncan is on top of the hill peeing; Leliana is idly twirling her bow in her hand; and Morrigan is busy sneering at the gigantic white tree's corpse in disdain. I whistle for Duncan to come to me, then begin walking back up the gully. Thankfully, nobody says anything about that entire encounter being a waste. None of us died, but we didn't get anything out of the encounter. We reach the fork in the path again, but I take the other path this time. Oddly, the path splits off a second time before we reach where I'm certain the werewolves are.
One lads straight and the other leads to the wolves. Obviously, I choose the path that doesn't lead to the snarling enemies. That's what makes it ironic when we run into a battle anyway. A single regular tree is standing by the banks and bursts to life as we pass it. A quick crack to the knee from me, fireball from Morrigan, and a few arrows from Leliana are all it takes to bring the monster down. Duncan doesn't even get to sink his teeth into it before the wood falls. I nod in satisfaction, then continue on into the deeper part of the forest. A halla stands to our side and cocks his head as we pass. Too bad the halla don't let city elves ride them, or else I'd be able to get to Denerim within a day.
I'm still imagining myself riding atop a Dalishs' Halla when my team gets ambushed. Four regular werewolves surround us and begin attacking. Leliana is the one who's wounded the worst. A werewolf grabs her as she's loading her bow, then slams her to the ground and begins mauling her. Another werewolf is reaching for me, but I ignore him and instead go to help Leliana. I hop onto the monster's back before placing the edge of my sword against his neck. The wolf releases Leliana's bleeding face and begins reaching his clawed hands for me. I pull my blade tightly in and watch the werewolf's crimson life flow out of him.
Morrigan, meanwhile, has burned another one to death while Duncan's torn one's throat out. I smile at my team as I step off of the dead wolf and see the final one try to run. Quickly, Leliana heaves herself up and fires a single arrow after it. The werewolf yelps as it spins around in the air and slides to a stop, dead as the rest of his companions. I smirk and allow everyone to gather together. Leliana wipes her face off and the wounds aren't too serious, so we're free to continue traveling like we'd normally do. However, the clearing leads to a small path that is blocked by a single prone werewolf.
The monster is on its knees and panting as hard as it possibly can. I pull my sword out without hesitation and cleaning slice its neck open as we walk by. I'm not sure what game the werewolf was playing at, but I wasn't about to fall for it. The path we're on takes us through a winding, twisting route that eventually leads to abandoned ruins. Well, almost abandoned. An Ogre, three Hurlocks, and a Genlock are gathered in the ruins. The Ogre's the first to see us and raises the alarm. Both sides quickly rush at one another, but my mind has enough time to wanders as I run to meet the creatures. This isn't good. If the Darkspawn are this far up on the map, then there's no telling where the rest of the horde could be waiting.
My thoughts are stopped when the Ogre finally reaches us. The tremendous Darkspawn raises his feet and begins stomping around the battlefield. Suddenly, I'm reminded of how exhausted and worn out i am. My muscles ache; my head is pounding; I'm struggling to breathe; and I just want to lie down and sleep for a hundred years. The only thing that keeps me going is the fact that if I stop, then I'll never get the chance to talk with Leliana at camp or escape the Blight and return home. Even with those thoughts keeping me going, I find my swings slow and sluggish. I barely even manage to dent the Ogre's leg at all.
Even Duncan's teeth seem to be doing more damage. A gigantic, rough hand suddenly wraps around me and I feel myself being lifted into the air. I see the piggish, squished face of the Ogre block out my entire vision. For a brief second, the Darkspawn and I look into each other's eyes. I see hatred, anger, and a cruelness I've never seen before. No compassion, intelligence, or concern for its own well-being is present. Truly, this creature deserves whatever death the Maker (if there even is one) decides to bestow upon him. That's when the Ogre lifts a meaty fist into the air and brings it backwards behind his head. Well, shit. I close my eyes and wait for the huge sack of meaty flesh to crush my face in.
Screaming and a lone howl reach my ears, then the unbearable pain of having my face crushed reaches me. I try to turn and twist and pull, but nothing works to free me. All I can do is turn my head to the side. Another crushing feeling as my bones break and blood begins to stream down my face. My sword falls from my grasp as more screams reach my ears. I barely manage to peel my eyes open before I see another blow reach my face. Then, darkness.