Jennifer chunked one of her maces at the nearest for knocking him back as he clutched his chest, gasping for air. Searing heat whipped by her and she turned in time to see another being singed, a sickening crackle and the putrid stench of burning flesh following shortly. Her stomach rolled but the adrenaline kept her moving. Two guards decended upon Bethany and Jennifer rolled forward bashing one in the kneecap before the other coming down onto the man's skull, blood sprayed onto Jennifer's face, the tangy taste of copper filling her mouth. She heaved and stepped back as others filed down the steps leading to the alienage. Bethany was clipped on the belly, and doubled over, narrowly missing a blade at her neck. "Bethany!" Jennifer cried as she leapt forward onto the slaver and knocked him on the side of the head with a force that made his neck bend at a horrid angle with a deafening crack of bone. Anders was upon Bethany within seconds, a green glow from his hands, Jennifer turned, blocking other assailants from the two mages. Hawke and Varric picking off the foes before any could come near.
The battle ended with a clean swipe of Garrett's sword, the head knocked to the side and hit the ground with a hollow wet thud. Jennifer's stomach had had enough. She rushed to the side, emptying her stomach. Never before had she killed someone, the novelty of the act completely gone. Death's scent lingered heavily in the air and she heaved again. Anders was behind her then, a cooling trickle radiated from her neck down to the pit of her stomach, easing the nausea. She spit the rest from her mouth and then wiped her mouth on her arm and turned back to him with a soft smile. "I'm sorry." Both Bethany and Anders looked upon her with understanding.
Hawke and Varric walked forward. "You alright there, Smiley?" and indeed Jennifer smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. They all began walking back towards the stairs when a man clad in armor stepped down." I don't know who you are friend but you made a serious mistake coming here." He smirked evilly at the group.
"Leutenant. I want everyone in the clearing now!" He waited, the same smirk upon his face.
A gurgled, 'Captain…' followed by a dead thud, was the only reply.
"Your men are dead," came a deep cultured voice. "And your trap has failed. I suggest you run back to your master now." A tall elf with snowy white hair and glistening tattoos entered the alienage.
"You've got some nerve, slave." The slaver turned back, glaring at the elf.
"I am not a slave." And with that the elf glowed blue, and plunged his hand into the man's chest crushing his heart with a spray of blood that, if it weren't for Anders, would have caused her to become sick once again. As it was, her face turned pale and she swallowed hard. Holy crap balls.
"I apologize." His voice was like velvet, and it snapped Jennifer from her disturbing reverie. "When I hired Anso to find a distraction for the slavers, I had no idea they'd be so numerous." He looked upon Jennifer with almost an apologetic smirk. She smiled brightly in return and he cleared his throat.
"You were responsible for this." Hawke said with a smirk.
"I am the reason you're here yes." Fenris nodded the smart remark. "My name is Fenris, these slavers where here to reclaim a magister's lost property, namely myself. Thankfully, Anso chose wisely."
"Anso's job did seem a little too easy." Hawke turned back to look at the rest of his group, smiling sheepishly when they all returned his remark with a shared grimace.
"Perhaps the distraction was a bit unnecessary…" As he talked, he glanced periodically at those within the group. Though everytime his eyes passed over Jennifer she smiled brightly. A real live elf! Pointy ears and all! And those eyes! Awww. He looks like a lost puppy! I wonder if he'll get mad if I pet him…
She was broken out of her thoughts when Fenris suddenly moved. "It's as I thought, my former master accompanied them to the city, I know you have questions but I need to confront him before he flees the city." She rubbed the back of his neck feeling awkward. " I'll need your help."
"Look like it's going to be a long night." Jennifer smiled at Hawke who grinned at her.
"I'll find a way to repay you. I swear it." Fenris said seriously.
"The magister is staying at a mansion in Hightown, meet me there, we must enter before morning." And with that he spun sharply the ball of his foot and ascended the stairs.
A few bandits confronted the party as they followed the turns of Hightown looking for Fenris. Anders made sure to soothe Jennifer's tightened stomach when each scuffle was over. By the time they had found him, he was pacing the length of a stone archway, his clawed gauntlets tapping against his biceps. "No one has left the mansion, but I have heard nothing within." He spun back around towards a run-down mansion. "Danarius may still be within."
"What's the worst that could happen?" Hawke shrugged his shoulders.
"I do not fear death." I do. "But we should not be reckless." He then led them towards the mansion.
Varric stopped just short of the door. "I'll catch up with you later, Hawke. Merchant's Guild business."
Hawke nodded and they entered the mansion. The door creaked open, the sound echoing in the stagnant mansion. "He will likely be in the master bedroom, it's at the top of the stairs in the main hall."
As they passed the first room, a blast went off. Hawke screamed when the metal of his armor heated, blistering the exposed flesh underneath. Jennifer's skin prickled when Ander's casted a cool healing spell over him. When they all stepped in, horrible creatures emerged from the ground. Large black bodies with a single glowing eye, "Demon's." Fenris hissed.
The demon's fought without mercy. They lashed out with their claws and shrieked so high and loud that Jennifer had to cover her ears. She dodged a swipe of a claw and fell back. The demon descended on her quickly and lanced at her with it's claws, dual criss cross marks marring her arms and belly. She cried out in pain. She gripped her stomach, but the pain was subsiding already. She looked over and Anders had lifted his hands, a healing spell on his lips. It hurt to move, but Jennifer gritted her teeth and stood, reentering the battle. When it had ended, Anders moved to her side, he placed his hands over her stomach and smiled. "It won't scar, but you may be sore for a while yet. Try to be more careful."
Jennifer nodded, mumbling a 'thank you' before following the others. The rest of the house was the same. Shades and other demons summoned to destroy the intruders with magical traps and poisons. Jennifer was kept well behind the main fighting. Anders watching her closely. She smiled at his protective nature, endeared by it. When they found the key to the master bedroom, they made their way back to the main hall. A montstrous creature appeared as they opened the door, blasting Fenris square in the chest. He growled his body glowing blue as he charged. The battle continued, more shades and even what was called a rage demon was summoned. When it finished, Fenris ran up the stairs, two at a time, he stopped abruptly as he entered the room.
"Gone." He turned back to face Hawke, his eyes flicking to Jennifer. " I had hoped… No, it doesn't matter any longer." He gestured to the remainder of the room. "I assumed Danarius left valuables behind, take what you wish. I… need some air." He left abruptly after.
Hawke continued to look around, but Jennifer moseyed out the way they had come in, finding Fenris leaning against the wall his leg propped against it. "It never ends." He stood up straighter, looking at Jennifer intently. "I escaped a land of dark magic, only to have it hunt me at every turn." His eyes hardened as Anders, Bethany and Hawke stepped from the mansion. "It is a plague burned into my flesh and my soul, and now I find myself in the company of even more mages." He stepped forward, and Jennifer frowned.
"You can speak to me directly, you know." Bethany stated, a slight frown on her lips as she squared her shoulders.
"I saw you casting spells inside. I should have realized sooner what you really were." He peered at Jennifer as she stood close to him, her mouth dropped in astonishment at his blatant prejudice. "You harbor a viper in your midst. It will turn on your when you least expect it. That is in its nature."
"Bethany has proven herself on more than one occasion." Hawke replied sternly.
"You tell him, brother!" Bethany exclaimed self-righteously.
"I'm not blind, I know mages have their uses, and there are no doubted mages with good intentions." He gestured to Bethany and Anders. "But even the best intentioned mage can fall prey to temptation. Then their power is a curse to inflict upon others."
"No one is stopping you from moving on, you know." Bethany gestured towards the rest of Hightown.
"I imagine I appear ungrateful." He scratched his head. "If so, then I apologize, for nothing could be further from the truth." Who does he think he is? Who does he think healed his wounds or blasted those damned demons to kingdom come? I suppose no matter what world I live in there will be racism and prejudice wherever I turn.
She was again broken from her thoughts as Fenris turned, bushing past her carefully, before heading inside.