Chapter 33 – Across the Veil
They could all sense the moment they officially entered the Blackmarsh. It was almost as if they had crossed an invisible line, one that separated the marsh from the rest of the world in some unknown, profound way. The sky darkened, giving the impression of night though it was barely midday, and an eerie fog had settled in around them, soaking their clothes in a light mist.
Alyx shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around her body. How could anyone have ever lived here? This was a desolate place, like something out of one of her more vivid childhood nightmares. It was no wonder the darkspawn had overrun it.
"My people say this place used to be beautiful, lush…until some unnatural perversion occurred," Velanna said barely above a whisper.
"I've heard much of the same," Nate agreed. "My father used to tell me stories of the Blackmarsh. He said evil magic killed everyone here. This was just before the rebellion…a great mystery at the time."
"What evil magic could have caused this?" Alyx asked.
"They never found out what happened here. Once the monsters appeared the marsh was abandoned."
"Monsters? W-what sort of monsters?" Anders stuttered.
"It's hard to be sure. There are a lot of different accounts, most from those who were too frightened to really know what they saw. I used to dream of coming to the Blackmarsh and setting things right," Nate replied, his eyes going soft and distant as a sad smile twitched up one side of his mouth. "Little boy dreams."
"Who knows? You might just get a shot at that dream after all," Alyx said as she squeezed his arm meaningfully.
He smiled at her as their eyes connected and for a moment she was whisked away to the days of her childhood, when Nate and Fergus would play knights and dragons. Of course both boys wanted to be the hero so they would often force Tomas or herself to be the dragon (Deli would never agree to be anything other than the damsel in distress, which always suited Alyx fine). She found herself missing those innocent days, when monsters were nothing but a figment of their overactive imaginations and at the end of the day, they would all disappear.
A distant mournful howl pierced the silence, abruptly breaking into Alyx's musings. Anders nearly jumped out of his skin beside her at the sound.
"Hold me," he said as he latched onto Alyx's arm.
"What's the matter sparkle-fingers? Afraid of the big bad wolf?" Oghren asked.
"Not wolves…werewolves," Alyx said as her eyes went wide in fear.
She pointed at a large, black figure hunched over the carcass of some poor, misfortunate animal just a stone's throw from where they were standing. No sooner had she spoke than the werewolf whipped its head around, its red, beady eyes glowing bright in the darkness as it growled low in its throat. It unfolded its hulking form until it was standing at its full height, its fur bristling across its massive shoulders as it curled back its lips to reveal a line of razor sharp teeth stained with blood. It let out a long, terrifying howl before it snarled and charged them with astonishing speed.
Alyx heard something metallic whip by her ear a second before Sigrun's axe sunk into the wherewolf's throat. It gurgled and stumbled back several steps as a fountain of blood spouted from its severed jugular, and then dropped to the ground with a soft thud.
"Oh, nicely played," Anders said appreciatively.
"Well someone had to do it," Sigrun muttered as she approached the werewolf to retrieve her weapon. It was still twitching when she pulled her axe free and wiped the blood away.
"Strange," Alyx murmured as she studied the beast. "This werewolf is nothing like the ones we ran across in the Brecilian Forest. It's…tainted."
"Is there anything you haven't seen before Commander?" Anders asked teasingly.
"Griffons," she replied.
"Well of course you haven't, they're extinct."
"One can still hope, right?" she said as she flashed him a brief smile. "But in all seriousness, if we needed any proof that the darkspawn are here, this would be it."
"Wonderful. Just what I wanted to hear," Anders drawled. "Let's find them and get the hell out of here. This place is way too creepy."
"Agreed," Alyx murmured as she signaled for them to move on.
They easily found the village ruins, nestled on a thin finger of land overlooking the Amaranthine Ocean. Alyx imagined that it had been a quaint port village at one time, but now there was little left but the burnt out shells of a handful of buildings and the tall walls surrounding a dilapidated estate. Who, she wondered, had lived there? Nate had said the villagers disappeared before the rebellion. Did an Orlesian overlord live in the opulent manor? Or was it some misfortunate Fereldan nobleman living under the thumb of the usurping king?
"It's a picturesque little place, isn't it? Aside from being ruined and haunted," Anders said, a customary goofy grin spreading his lips.
"Right. Looks like no one's home though, huh? Hehe," Oghren added as he laughed at his own joke.
"Commander," Nate called. He was staring at something in the road, but she couldn't see what it was from this angle. She closed the distance between them and gasped when she saw the corpse of a genlock lying at his feet. That it was there was no surprise, but that it was fresh was. "Couldn't have been killed more than a day or two ago," he added without looking up. "Do you think Kristoff…?"
"Perhaps. No real way to know for sure," she replied as she glanced around for some clue that their errant brother had been here.
"Tracks lead off that way," Nate added as he pointed eastward up a darkened, muddy path that skirted the village proper.
They followed the path until they came to a fork in the road. To the right the path continued up a small incline and to the left…
"What on Thedas…?" Alyx whispered, her eyes widening in surprise.
The way appeared to be blocked by a peculiar green mist that undulated with a strange, other-worldly energy. Every hair stood up on the back of her neck as they approached the mist for closer inspection.
"Ooh, pretty," Sigrun said as she reached a hand out towards the mist.
"Wait, don't touch that—!" Anders cried, but it was too late. The moment her fingers touched the mist Sigrun was thrown back into a row of bushes.
"Are you alright?" Alyx called as she and Anders ran to help her out of the foliage.
"Wow, what a trip!" she chirped as her head popped out of the bushes. She accepted Anders' hand as she climbed out, brushing her armor free of leaves and twigs once she was clear. "What was that?"
"That is a tear in the veil. The spirit realm lies very close to us here," Velanna replied, shooting Sigrun an annoyed look. "Perhaps in the future you should use more caution, hmm? Unless you are so desperate to die."
"Already dead…remember?" Sigrun replied with a shrug.
Velanna scowled and crossed her arms as she turned her attention back to the tear.
"Powerful magic would've had to been used to create this. I could sense the veil was weak here, but never did I think it was quite this bad," Velanna continued.
"What do you suppose did this?" Alyx asked.
"A formidable mage…or a demon."
"Neither choice is good," Anders grumbled.
"Then let us hope that they are no longer here," Velanna snapped. "Are we not here to find this Kristoff? There is nothing more we can do here, we might as well move on."
Alyx arched an eyebrow at Velanna but didn't comment. She learned long ago not to take the elfin woman's mood swings personally. It was simply a part of her personality and no amount of kindness or compassion would ever change that. She sighed and signaled them to keep moving.
Her hopes lifted when they found Kristoff's camp just around the bend and then plummeted again when she realized it had been untouched for some time. There was no sign of the man beyond a few personal belongings left beside his bedroll, but at least they could confirm that he'd been here.
They continued up the winding path, occasionally having to change course as they came across more tears in the veil. They ran into a couple more werewolves, but they had yet to see any darkspawn. Alyx could feel them, but couldn't place their location. The very fact put her on edge.
"Commander, look there," Sigrun said as she pointed to something in the road.
It was a body.
"Is he…?" Alyx asked as Anders bent to check the man's pulse.
"He's dead," Anders said as his face contorted in disgust. "Definitely dead."
When Alyx leaned over to get a better look she immediately pulled back and covered her nose. She forced herself to look again if only to confirm that this was Kristoff. The man's set of heavy plate armor was unmarked but he did have a sword in his possession with the grey warden coat of arms stamped on the pommel. That was enough evidence for her.
"He doesn't look to have been dead for more than a few days," Anders said as he straightened. "Makes you wonder what he's been doing out here all this time without so much as a syllable sent back to the Vigil. What do you suppose he was up to?"
"His journal said that he was investigating the darkspawn presence here…but I agree that something seems off. I wonder…"she began, but she never got a chance to finish her thought.
An all-too familiar guttural laugh came from out of the shadows a moment before a hurlock stalked towards them, a pair of childer grubs following close behind it. On a second glance she realized that this was no ordinary hurlock. Its armor was ornate, almost flashy as far as the darkspawn were concerned, and it had the intelligent, milky eyes she'd come to recognize in the more advanced breeds.
"The mother told it to me that if he was lured to this place, and slain, that in time you would come…and the mother, she was right. The mother is always right," it said in its strange, raspy voice as it shot her a malicious smile.
"It was a trap, and we are fools for falling into it," Velanna hissed behind her.
"Who is the Mother?" Alyx asked the darkspawn. I can't believe I'm actually talking to this…thing, she added to herself.
"The Mother is she that sent me, she that wished you to come. To here, this place. I…here before you…is the First, and I am bringing to you a message…"
Alyx couldn't quite remember what happened next, but there was a brief flash of light…followed by more sinister laughter from the one that called himself the First…and then there was the strange sensation of being pulled under just before everything went to black…
Alyx woke slowly, groaning as she rolled onto her back. Whatever the First had done to them, it had left her feeling groggy and disoriented. Her eyes snapped open as she remembered what transpired and was relieved to see the others waking around her.
"Where are we?" Amders groaned from beside her as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"That is a very good question," Alyx murmured.
They appeared to be in the same place they'd been when the darkspawn had found them...sort of. It was the same surroundings only different somehow, and not just because the sun was out and high in the sky. She didn't feel right…this didn't feel right. She just couldn't put her finger on it. What was this? She didn't even notice the First's presence until it began to bellow.
"No! We have come to the fade as well. It cannot be!" it cried in despair. Alyx's eyes widened at the darkspawn's words.
The fade! No, no, no, no, NO! We can't be in the fade! Her mind screamed.
"Looks like someone was considered expendable," Anders murmured beside her.
"I am the First! I am not being considered expendable," the darkspawn seethed in fury. If Alyx didn't know any better she would say the creature was offended by Anders' words. "Both the grey wardens and the mother shall be learning this. I will be leaving you to the children. I will be finding my own path back into the world…back to the Mother!" it added before loping off, leaving its pets behind for the wardens to deal with.
Apparently the First didn't have a great deal of faith in their abilities if it thought a few giant grubs were going to finish them off. Typical, Alyx snorted as they disposed of the children with very little effort.
"We have to find a way to get back through the veil," she said as they gathered into a small circle. "We might be alive and aware here but in the real world our bodies are vulnerable. Anything could happen to them and we would be powerless to defend ourselves."
"Well that is a disturbing thought," Anders murmured with a theatrical shiver.
"She's right," Velanna interjected. "We must find a way back, before it is too late."
"But how?" Sigrun asked.
"That's the rub, isn't it?" Nate replied with a small smile.
"Let's take a look around. Perhaps the answer will provide itself," Alyx said as she straightened and dusted off her legs.
The others nodded in agreement and followed her down the dirt path. Alyx couldn't help but notice that this reality was a mirror-image of their own. Would they find a fade version of the village as well? She wondered. There was only one way to find out.
Unsurprisingly, they ran across a few of the typical undesirables of the fade. Alyx had faced enough shades and demons during the blight to know the fastest and easiest way to battle each variety. It was a talent she was hoping not to ever have to use again, especially after her last run-in, but it proved to be useful nonetheless. She quickly realized that the desire demons they ran across were protecting something unusual.
"What is that?" she asked as they took a closer look at the chest the demons had encircled.
"It's a spell," Velanna replied. "A powerful spell at that. I think this is what's causing the tears, or at least one of them. If we destroy it we might be able to repair the damage done…at least on this end."
"And on the other end?" Alyx asked.
"The tear will still exist, but in another form."
"What do you mean 'another form?'"
"I'm not quite sure, but if we repair the tear here we may be able to close it altogether when we get back to the mortal realm."
"Then do what you must," Alyx replied. "And keep your eyes peeled for the other tears." They ended up finding three more, all of which were being protected by more desire demons.
The entire group gasped when they turned the last corner and the village came into view. It was as Alyx imagined it had once been in the mortal world: a bustling hamlet on the Amaranthine coast. The buildings were not only whole but obviously lived in and in good repair. Ships bobbed proudly at the sturdy, wood docks and smoke curled from the chimneys. She could hear the sounds of voices and livestock mixed in with the gentle lapping of the tide. The scene vaguely reminded her of Redcliffe.
"The village still exists, but only beyond the veil," Velanna said.
"So we're in a dream of a forgotten place? Wow. That's profiound," Sigrun added in fascination.
"Curiouser and curiouser," Alyx murmured as she rubbed her chin in thought. "Do you suppose the villagers were brought here like we were?"
"Perhaps in a similar fashion, but somehow I don't think the darkspawn were responsible," Anders said.
"Then what?" Sigrun asked.
"Blood magic," Velanna replied. She and Anders shot each other an uncomfortable look. For as unconventional as both mages were she knew that neither would ever consider going down that particular road. Blood magic was bad news, but they all knew it was the likeliest of causes. One question still remained…who was responsible?
They continued forward, approaching the village with renewed caution. They passed a girl sitting by the shore, murmuring nonsensically to herself (or to some unseen person, Alyx wasn't quite sure), but other than that the village remained quiet and still. Strangely the gates were closed fast to the outside world. It seemed that if they wanted to enter the village they would have to find another way.
They circled the outskirts until they came to a small graveyard where a young woman was bent over an old, crumbling headstone. She started when they approached and quickly turned to face them.
"You…you're not spirits like everyone else. How did you get here?" the woman asked, fear and curiosity warring within a pair of large, innocent eyes.
"I could ask the same question," Alyx replied wearily. Something was off about this girl, but she just couldn't put her finger on what it was.
"This is where my grandfather's ashes are buried. I come to visit them often," the woman explained. "He was the last person to stay in the Blackmarsh. Once he passed, there was nobody left in the village who remembered."
"Who remembered? Remembered what?" Anders asked.
"Remembered what happened to the village, of course," the woman chided before her expression went soft and dreamy. "The marsh was full of people once. Then that evil woman came and changed everything."
"What woman?" Alyx asked.
"The Baroness, she…oh no!" the woman cried as she pointed behind them. "Quick! Come hide in the crypt!" she added before turning and entering the heavily shadowed door behind her.
Alyx turned around and gasped in horror. A pair of skeletal arms popped out of the crumbling earth, followed by a skull that smiled up at them maliciously as it heaved the rest of its body from out of the ground. This was followed by several more skeletons, each growling in anger as they, too, dug themselves free.
"Shit. Into the crypt," Alyx breathed, not wasting any more time as she ran through the open doorway, flinging the heavy oaken door shut behind them.
It was dark…very dark. She waited for her eyes to adjust but they never did. Alyx could hear her own breath hitch with panic as she begun to feel the weight of the air press in around her, reminding her that they were underground.
"Anders?" she said, her voice wavering in fear.
"Say no more," he replied a moment before a bright light shot out from his staff.
Alyx shrieked as an enchanted skeleton lunged at her with a menacing growl. Oghren's axe came down on its head, and a second later it was nothing but a pile of bones at her feet. She fell back against the wall, breathing heavily as she tried to calm her screaming nerves. She hated the fade!
"Ugh, I hate the fade," Anders mumbled in disgust, unknowingly echoing Alyx's own thoughts. "Nothing is as it should be here. I doubt that girl was even a girl."
"Well if she isn't then she should hope we don't run into her again…otherwise she'll be in little non-girl bits when I'm done with her," Alyx growled as she shook off the last remnants terror.
"Be still my heart," Anders murmured in appreciation. "I love it when you're all rough in tumble."
Alyx rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile.
They continued to walk through the winding underground tunnels, and were unsurprisingly attacked by a never-ending sea of corpses. By the time they reached the other end of the crypt Alyx was fit to spit nails. That the woman (who was obviously not a woman by the unnatural glow of her eyes) was waiting for them at the exit only served to feed her temper.
"And so you came…fell into my little trap," the girl-demon said with a malicious smile.
"Told you so," Anders murmured.
"Not again! You have a knack for stumbling into traps, don't you?" Velanna hissed.
Alyx shot her a look of warning before she turned to scowl at the creature before them.
"Such wonderful creatures you mortals are. So full of yearnings, so full of hunger," the demon said as it eyed her eagerly. It reached out to run a finger over her collarbone and Alyx knocked its hand away in disgust.
"Do you truly think you can defeat us?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes at the demon.
"Hmm, you do outnumber me now, it's true. Clearly you mortals are not frail," it said, eyeing them in consideration. "Very well. Let the Baroness have you. I shall feed on whatever remains."
And with that the demon disappeared, its evil cackle still echoing through the crypt long after it was gone.
"Creepy," Sigrun whispered.
"I hate the fade," Ander repeated forlornly.
"Come on then," Alyx said, ignoring them both. "There's another doorway over here. Let us see where it leads."
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the light once they were back on the surface, but when they did her eyebrows shot up in surprise. The crypt had led them inside the confines of the village walls. She could see now why they hadn't really ran across anyone besides demons before this...the villagers were gathered in front of the closed iron gates just outside of the sprawling mansion she'd seen while still in the real world. Only instead of a charred, crumbling building the estate was in perfect repair, its stone walls gleaming in the sunlight.
As they approached the mob she could hear them yelling in anger, some of them shaking their fists at the gates; demanding entry, demanding blood. At the front of the crowd was a spirit that stuck out from the rest. He wore gleaming armor of heavy silverite plate, a sword and shield strapped to his back. His voice was clear and piercing and easily heard above the rest.
"The mansion will not protect you, fiend! Come out and face your crime!" the spirit shouted as they drew closer. He turned when he noticed their presence, his eyes gleaming bright beneath his helmet. "And who comes now? More minions of the Baroness? Or yet more helpless souls she has tormented?"
"Do I look like a helpless soul?" Alyx asked with an amused half-smile.
"No, that you do not," the spirit replied. "I am Justice. I have watched this place and seethed at the wrongs visited on these poor folk, and now I seek to aid them."
"What wrongs?" Alyx asked.
"We lived in a village in the Blackmarsh and the baroness ruled over us," a woman nearby answered. "That…was so long ago, it seems like a dream we once had…"
"She took our children! Used their blood for her evil doings!" another villager cried in fury.
"We finally rose up against her, and this is what she did to us. I can't even imagine what happened to our families," the first villager continued.
"The village is overgrown and long deserted," Alyx replied softly.
"Has it been so long? How many years have we been held here?" the woman said, her voice shaking and distraught.
"Take heart good woman. Justice will see you avenged, and freed," the spirit said as he placed a comforting hand on the woman's shoulder. "Will you help us stranger? If this wrong is to be undone, we will need your aid."
"This spirit knows the fade. If we help him, he might help us in turn," Nate whispered in her ear.
"This baroness…she is a blood mage? From the real world?" Alyx asked the spirit.
"From the world of mortals, yes, as are all these people," he replied. "She is powerful, as are her minions, but you seem an able sort. Your aid would be most welcome."
"Then we would be happy to help," Alyx said.
"They just said she was an evil, powerful witch! Do you really want to antagonize her?" Anders hissed in her ear.
"We could defeat her and make her use her magic to help us get back across the veil," Alyx said softly so that only her companions could hear.
"Hmm, now there's a thought…all right. You've convinced me," Anders said sheepishly.
"I admit there is a small measure of wisdom to this plan," Velanna added, eyeing Alyx in mild approval.
"My intention is to storm the gate. Are you ready?" Justice asked.
Alyx nodded, drawing her weapon in preparation as Justice turned to the crowd.
"Good people!" he cried. "We take the battle directly to the witch! For too long have her crimes gone unpunished. Now is the time to reclaim your freedom!"
The villagers screamed in approval as they rushed the gates. It took some time, but they were eventually able to break through. The baroness herself stood at the balcony overlooking the courtyard below, a disapproving scowl crossing her features as she glared down at the interloping villagers.
She was beautiful woman, with raven hair and dark eyes, but she had a sour look about her…almost as if she spent most of her life sucking on lemons. Her nose was arrogantly turned up in the air, and if that wasn't enough to tell Alyx what sort of a woman she was, the small crown perched on top of her head certainly would. She'd seen the sort time and again at court, the difference being that the women at court were easily bested whereas the woman before her was a powerful blood mage.
"My, my. All that shouting outside and now you've finally decided to barge in? Without even a proper invitation," the baroness said in a grating Orlesian accent.
"Foul sorceress! You will release these poor folk and submit yourself to Justice!" the spirit cried valiantly.
"Justice? Is that what you are calling it? What of their punishment, burning my home to the ground and with me in it?" the baroness spat.
"Because you were stealing our children! Using their blood to feed your vanity," one of the villagers cried.
"As was my due!" the baroness seethed, her eyes glittering with arrogance and anger. "You lived on my land, I…your rightful ruler! Your blood was mine, just as your lives are now!"
"Their lives are not yours any longer," Alyx called in quiet determination.
The Baroness turned her attention to her and a shiver ran down Alyx's spine. She could feel the evil coming off the woman in waves.
"What is this? The pathetic fools have managed to recruit yet more sympathizers?" the woman said softly.
"We are no longer alone, Baroness! Your reign ends here!" Justice cried.
"As it happens, I am no longer alone either," the woman said with a wicked half-smile.
Alyx gasped as she saw the First step from out of the shadows to join the Baroness at the balcony. Of course he would align himself with her, she seethed to herself.
"My path back across the veil lies in victory over you and your new allies. Then the Mother will pay for her treachery!" the First rasped.
"You should choose your pets more carefully," Alyx told the Baroness.
"Instead I should have chosen you, mortal?" the woman said with a conceited snort.
"We must be ending this now! The grey wardens, they are more dangerous than you know!" the First cried.
"Oh?" the Baroness said, an eyebrow arched in disbelief.
The woman looks almost bored, Alyx thought.
"As you wish, creature. Slay them and you shall have the reward you requested," the Baroness continued, waving her hand in dismissal.
The courtyard suddenly exploded with action as a handful of ash wraiths appeared amongst the villagers. They screamed in fright but valiantly fought despite their fear, all the while the Baroness watched from her perch, her arms crossed haughtily in front of her chest. When the ash wraiths were defeated and the First was injured and bleeding on the ground, the Baroness lost her patience.
"Why haven't you defeated them?" she spat.
"They are too much!" the First cried. "It must be sending me back through the veil, before it is too late!"
"Oh, I will sunder the veil all right," the Baroness hissed, eyes flashing with fury. "I'll send them back; I'll send them all back. But you…your life is going to provide the power!"
The Baroness raised her arms and began to chant in a language she didn't recognize. Alyx shielded her eyes as a strong wind swept through the courtyard, temporarily blinding her. She walked forward one slow step at a time, reaching out her free hand until it wrapped around something warm and solid. It was Anders' arm.
"What is she doing?" she yelled so that she could be heard over the wind.
"No bloody clue!" Anders yelled back. "Just hold on tight!"
Alyx did as he said, grinding her teeth as she tried to hold up against the current.
The last thing she heard was the First screaming in agony, and then the world turned black once again.