"Report."

"We've received an urgent request from Orzammar. A subterranean earthquake has collapsed one of their lyrium mines, and collapsed several seals that were holding the darkspawn at bay. It's also opened up a fissure to the surface."

Ruya let out a low whistle. "Get our engineers out immediately. Recall Jerath, tell him to have his people meet us there."

"At once, Inquisitor."

#

Ruya leaned into Cullen, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Just a few months ago I'd have been trying to decide if I wanted to take both Blackwall and Vivienne and potentially listen to them snap at each other, and I just realized I haven't even heard from Vivienne in two weeks." She laughed softly. "I actually miss her."

"Cassandra is still tracking down other the remaining Seekers. Iron Bull did offer to bring the Chargers in."

"We need them where they are right now, and he and Dorian don't get to see each other often enough these days anyway. Sera, Cole, and Blackwall will accompany me, and we'll meet Jerath's people there." She kissed the side of his mouth. "They do have some experience fighting darkspawn."

#

"Inquisitor." Scout Harding waved. "The workers are almost done building a lift to the Deep Roads. No darkspawn trouble yet, but the earthquakes have been brutal."

"I was told to meet a Shaper Valta."

"She's waiting below. You won't see an Orzammar dwarf on the surface. They have rules about that."

Ruya nodded. "From your tone, I'd guess Orzammar isn't your favorite place."

"I don't have an opinion. 'Cloudgazers' like me aren't allowed in the city."

"You're not missing much." Jerath's voice joined them. "Inquisitor."

"You made good time." Ruya smiled. "I was expecting to have to wait for you."

"Caught ship."

Scout Harding smiled. "You've been to Orzammar?"

"Not for some years."

"Not since you threatened their High King," Loghain added.

"You threatened King Bhelen?" Ruya glanced at the elf.

"I didn't so much threaten him as suggest he remember several key points." He shrugged. "Bhelen's an ass, but not stupid." He glanced over his shoulder. "I brought who I had with me, Inquisitor. Is it an issue?"

She followed his gaze to see a blond man talking to someone wearing a helm that obscured his face entirely. And sighed. "Anders and the Messenger?" When he nodded, she sighed again. "It's an issue, but a manageable one. Carver, Nathaniel, Temmerin, and Caronel, yes?"

He nodded. "Anders uses the Rowland name now when there are people to overhear. The others are back at base. Talsaad is recovering from some minor injuries, and Valya seems to have caught what Merrill had."

"What did..." Ruya laughed. "She's pregnant."

"I'm starting to be concerned it's contagious."

"I'll make sure to stay away from them," Scout Harding said. "Looks like the lift is ready for you."

#

"Try not to shift around - and keep back from the edge. It's a long way down." Scout Harding waved as the lift started to descend.

"Stupid darkspawn." Sera spit over the edge.

"You're much more likely to hit rock." Ruya smiled.

"Still their house. Message sent."

"I like her," Temmerin said.

Blackwall looked a bit green at the movement of the lift. "Always wondered if I'd die down here."

"You're not dead yet."

"The day's just starting."

"Him not so much." Temmerin shrugged.

"Palms calloused, clutching, clawing when the dust came."

"The miners." Ruya nodded to Cole.

"The stones were angry. I didn't think stones got angry."

"There was a time I didn't think trees could talk." Jerath caught one of the lift's supports and peered over the edge, causing Loghain to give him an annoyed look. "We could have rappelled faster."

"No." Temmerin, Loghain, Anders, and Nathaniel said simultaneously.

"They are no fun at all," Carver muttered. He glanced at Ruya. "Lenore said we are cousins?"

"One of my grandmothers was an Amell."

"You're an Amell." Jerath stared at her.

"Sort of."

"An Amell mage."

"I..." She glanced at him. "Suppose?"

He turned towards Anders. "We are going into the Deep Roads with an Amell mage."

"If we jump now the fall will kill us."

Jerath rubbed his head. "Alright, Inquisitor, some ground rules. Up there, you're in charge. Down here is the Deep, and this is what we do. I tell you to move, you move. I tell you to stay back, you stay back. You do not pull any levers."

"Or push any buttons." Anders folded his arms.

"Flip any switches."

"Let any witches give you amulets."

"Touch any strange vials."

"Read any random scrolls."

"Activate any mysterious apparatuses."

"Bleed on any staffs."

"Power any nexuses."

"Mess with any altars."

"Ring any gongs."

"Pick up any idols."

"Rhyme with any trees."

"Activate any golems."

"Spread ashes on any piles of rock."

"That's..." Ruya looked from one to the other. "A fairly exhaustive list."

"It really isn't," Carver said with a shrug.

"All kidding aside..." She nodded to Jerath. "Darkspawn are your area of expertise, I'll follow your lead."

#

They found Shaper Valta performing some kind of funeral rite over the wrapped bodies of several dwarves. She was back away in the shadows. "Atrast vala, Inquisitor. The Shaperate welcomes you to the Deep Roads."

"You look as though you're hiding from something."

"As a citizen of Orzammar, even a glimpse of your sky could cost me my position and render me casteless."

Ruya questioned the woman about Orzammar and the Shaperate, and then the ground began to rumble. Valta threw herself forward, taking herself and Ruya out of the way of falling boulders. Behind her, Jerath did the same to Sera and Blackwall. Anders lifted his staff to form a barrier that was reinforced by Caronel, preventing smaller rocks from hitting the others.

"Apologies for pushing you," Valta said as she climbed back to her feet. "I fear the damage that tremor caused. Follow me to the Legion camp."

#

Jerath held up a fist. "Inquisition hold. Wardens up."

"I've got four," Nathaniel reported.

"Four here," Carver confirmed.

Blackwall let out a low string of curses. "Maker's breath, who stuck armor on an ogre?"

"Loghain, Nathaniel, Temmerin, Messenger, hold the line. Anders and Caronel, barriers up. Carver, let's move." Jerath and Carver each took two small round items from Temmerin and started moving forward as the rest took their instructed positions.

"Wait..." Valta started to push forward, and Nathaniel blocked her. "Inquisitor."

"Loghain, what are they doing?" Ruya grabbed the man's arm.

"Giving me gray hair." Loghain sighed. "As much as I hate it when they do this, it is the most effective tactic for dealing with these."

"They are going to be..." Valta cut off as the two Wardens closed with the ogres. Carver feinted, drawing the attention of two ogres. Jerath moved in, hauling himself up onto the ogre before leaping back down. The ogres turned towards the elf, and Carver immediately did the same thing. Both men immediately cleared away and headed for the remaining beasts. The two they'd just faced made it a couple steps after them before there was a rather horrific squelching sound, followed by a second, and both ogres splattered onto the ground.

"That's great, yea?" Sera started cackling. "I wanna try."

#

"That's the broken seal ahead. It is worse than I thought." Valta pointed ahead, and Ruya could hear the sound of battle.

"Inquisition back, Wardens forward, push back and relieve." Jerath and the Wardens quickened their paces, outdistancing the others quickly. Loghain, Carver, Jerath, Messenger, and Temmerin formed a line and hit the darkspawn. Nathaniel stood at the rear, firing arrows rapidly. Ruya was surprised to see both Caronel and Anders wielding swords in one hand and spells in the other as they joined the warriors on the front line. "Inquisition, in, pull them out."

She formed up a barrier. "Sera, help Nathaniel." Ruya moved in with Blackwall and Cole, focusing on aiding the injured dwarves while the uninjured ones joined the Wardens.

"Get those charges!" A dwarf yelled.

"Temmerin, go." At Jerath's order, the dwarven Warden pulled away. Anders moved in to cover him, holding a barrier as Temmerin primed the charges.

"Back!" Temmerin yelled, and the group headed back towards the larger chamber. The Warden mages formed barriers, and Ruya added her own to the mix. A moment later, the stone from the explosion had sealed the corridor.

#

"Inquisitor, meet Lieutenant Renn: a veteran of the Fifth Blight and one of the Legion's finest commanders."

The dwarven man snorted. "Someone paid her to say that." He stood. "Appreciate the help, Inquisitor. Collapsing that seal bought us time. Blighters had the run of these tunnels for days. Now they have a roadblock."

She let them fill her in on the Deep Roads, and was about to ask more questions when there was another rumble. The earthquake collapsed one of the nearby statues. Ruya watched, noting that Valta appeared to be deep in concentration. The dwarven woman almost looked to be counting.

As soon as the shaking stopped, Valta turned to Renn. "You heard that, yes? The rhythm in the tremors? It's clearer. Stronger. More insistent."

"I hear it. Doesn't prove a thing."

Valta gave him a frustrated look. "These quakes are not a natural disaster. They're deliberate. There's an..." She hesitated before continuing. "Intelligence behind them."

"How could an earthquake be caused deliberately?" Ruya tilted her head at the dwarf.

Renn shot Valta a look. "We get plenty of natural tremors down here. These are different. She thinks she knows why."

"I found an ancient text during an expedition with Renn last year. At the time, it was just a curiosity. But now..." Valta gestured as she spoke. "The text describes giant creatures - called 'Titans' - living deep underground. They 'sing' in the Stone, shaping it. When these quakes began, I believe we heard that rhythm. I believe a Titan is causing all this destruction."

The notion was disturbing. What was slightly more disturbing is that she caught a look pass between Temmerin and Jerath. She kept her eyes on Valta. "I've never heard of Titans before. What else can you tell me about them?"

"The text I found predated the First Blight. Its pages had mostly rotted away. And there's no mention of the Titans in Orzammar's memories."

"Which tells you something." Renn had his arms folded skeptically.

She questioned them further, letting them explain the Stone and their senses. And then a thought came to her regarding the reaction of the two Wardens. "Mysterious songs often lure people to their deaths - or to an Archdemon."

Valta shook her head. "This rhythm isn't a song, exactly. It sounds like..." She bit her lip. "Air flowing through lungs."

"Hmm..." Renn shrugged. "Air that can collapse a whole mine."

"In my experience, no explanation is too strange to consider."

Renn looked at her like she was also crazy. "For all we know, that text you found was a bedtime story. We can't be sure until we find the source."

"The rhythm I sense in the quakes is emanating from somewhere far below. The Stone will lead us there."

"And if it comes to a fight, that'll be our job." Renn nodded at where Jerath was standing. "There's a life at the side passage nearby. Ready when you are."

#

"What do you know of Titans?" Ruya asked Jerath as soon as she got an out of earshot chance.

"We went to Bartrand's Folly seeking the memories there."

"You." Ruya glared. "Bianca said someone destroyed the Shaperate there. Blew it up."

"Temmerin, on my orders. Half of the memories were infected with the red. He got what he could from the rest, but it was disjointed, damaged. There was a reference to 'Titans', but nothing coherent. Something about the song having been sundered."

"This wasn't in the notes you handed over." She narrowed her eyes. "You are keeping secrets."

"Several. A fact of which I did inform you."

"Well, this one just became my problem."

"We sought other references to 'Titan'. This is the first time we've stumbled over one. I can tell you that the memories can be altered, and have been. Saitada, for example, was erased and then added back."

"So references to the Titans..." Ruya nodded slowly. "Something like your theory of an eight old god."

"You could say that."

She started to continue walking. "The explosion under Lake Calenhad was also you. When we get back, you are going to tell me the whole story of what happened under there."

"I killed the Architect. And a woman who loved me. That's all you need to know." He strode after the others.

#

"I hope we don't run into an emissary."

Valta's words were greeted by a collective groan. Renn put a hand on the hilt of his axe and sighed. "Now we definitely will."

Ruya glanced at the darkspawn experts. "I take it emissaries are bad."

"Most darkspawn are mindless killing machines, connected by the Blight. But emissaries are intelligent - and use magic." Renn glanced over at her.

"Have to take their whole head to wipe the grin off their face. Which, fair enough, right?" Sera shrugged.

She nodded. Then nodded again before turning to look at Jerath. "So that's why you and Carver learned how to be templars. I hope you brought enough lyrium."

"Don't use it."

"It doesn't work that way." Ruya turned to look at him. "Lyrium is necessary for templar abilities to function."

"Alistair must have forgotten to mention that."

#

"Shrieks. It had to be shrieks." Renn nudged one of the corpses with his foot.

"I thought you'd be used to all kinds of darkspawn." Ruya started to walk over to heal Nathaniel, but Anders beat her too it. She blinked at how quickly the wound vanished.

Renn wiped his axe clean. "Look, everyone's got their favorites."

Ruya started to bend to examine the darkspawn, and Caronel caught her shoulder and pulled her back.

Anders sighed. "We forgot to put 'don't touch any darkspawn' on the list."

"Right." Jerath turned to Ruya. "Don't touch any darkspawn."

#

"What about finding gears and fixing a door?" Ruya tapped her foot. "Am I allowed to do that?"

"Only because it's between us and whatever is causing those earthquakes."

"Let's look around, see if we can find any more of these gears."

#

"I think the torches are a puzzle." Ruya used her magic to spark one of the torches, and noted that it caused another torch to go out.

"For the love of..." Jerath growled. "It's like Amell mages just can't help themselves."

#

They got the door open, and continued on their way. The Wardens kept them alerted whenever darkspawn were nearby, which Renn good-naturedly claimed was 'unsporting'. Valta, however, acted as their actual guide. "The rhythm in the tremors. It echoes through the Stone. This way..."

Ruya continued collecting the strange gears. She was grateful when Carver offered to carry the blasted things. Curiosity, and a perverse desire to annoy Jerath, led her to open a few doors that weren't on the trail. Despite pointing out they were leaving the trail, Valta was right there with her when it came to exploring. The dwarven woman was quick to gather artifacts, and soon just about everyone was carrying a few items for her.

#

"This was a Warden." Caronel knelt next to the body. "On her Calling."

"Should we..." Ruya glanced at the other Wardens. "Do something for her?"

"It's been done already, Inquisitor. Before she took the last walk." Jerath nodded to her. "But the thought is appreciated."

#

"You kill darkspawn like you've been doing it your whole life, Inquisitor."

Valta rolled her eyes at Renn. "He means that as a compliment."

"You're famous. Even down here. Is it true you killed a dragon?"

"Magnificent creatures." Ruya smiled. "Bringing one down is always bittersweet."

Renn's smile became eager. "I can't even imagine. Tell me about their teeth." He gestured. "I heard they don't all breath fire, and their scales have different colors and patterns."

"Careful, Renn." Valta winked at him. "I believe you're drooling."

"So, Wardens, any of you fight in the Blight?" Renn glanced back over his shoulder.

"Yes," Jerath replied.

"What'd you do?"

"Stabbed things."

Ruya shook her head and laughed softly. "Maker, with the quake and the darkspawn, I never did introductions." She inclined her head. "Shaper Valta, Lieutenant Renn, these are Sera, Cole, and Blackwall of the Inquisition. And Warden-Commander Jerath Tabris, Loghain Mac Tir, Carver Hawke, Caronel, Nathaniel Howe, Temmerin Glavonak, Rowland, and Messenger of the Wardens."

Renn stopped dead in his tracks and just stood there, mouth hanging open.

#

They cleared another area of darkspawn, and Renn knelt next to some bodies in Legion armor. Anger and sorrow warred for control of his face. "There's nothing left of them. Can't even tell who they were."

"I'm sorry, Renn." Valta put a hand on his shoulder.

"You join the Legion knowing you're already dead. You don't fear the killing blow. We rest in the Stone and pass our strength back to her. That's our reward. But the darkspawn defiled these soldiers. They can't return to the Stone. They'd only weaken her."

Ruya sighed. "There must be some way to lay them to rest with honor."

"We can burn the remains."

"Aye. It's all we can do."

The Wardens helped him gather them into a pile, and added wood from nearby broken casks. Ruya called her magic to her to ignite the makeshift pyre.

#

"Look at that, Renn." Valta pointed eagerly. "Could this be Thaig Heidrun?"

"Darkspawn all over it. You can see their torches."

"We are approaching a warren, Inquisitor." Jerath turned towards them. "Renn, Blackwall, Cole, you're the last line for any that get past us. Sera, feel free to make pincushions. Inquisitor, focus on the defenses of your people. Do not enter the warren until one of us gives you the all clear."

Ruya nodded to him. "Are you sure..."

"Once the fight starts, the darkspawn will be drawn to us. Keep back, and they may not even notice you." He began walking towards another of the doors.

Blackwall frowned. "I should be..."

"Blackwall, you get more than thirty feet from the Inquisitor, and I will personally guarantee you never father any children." Ruya watched Jerath call orders to his people, few of which she understood. He opened the door, and gave a final order. "Loghain, Anders, go away."

She was about to ask what that meant when both Loghain and Anders started to glow. And then the Wardens were moving. "Maker's breath..."

"Maferath's balls..." Blackwall said almost simultaneously. "Did they..."

Ruya slammed the butt of her staff into the ground. "Oh, that man is going to explain so many things later."

"Rage turned to purpose. Furious, faltering, freed by fetters and formed anew." Cole was starring. "He made them remember."

"Cole, did you know Loghain was an abomination?"

"He's backwards."

"But what does that mean?"

"I'm a spirit who became a person, he's a person that became a spirit." When Ruya stared at Cole blankly, he hunched a little. "He said it was complicated."

#

Renn grunted as they walked through the cleared warren. He brought his axe down to finish off a crawling hurlock. "That's the last of those darkspawn. The Legion's in your debt." He wiped the blade clean. "I always kind of thought Kardol was kidding when he talked about what it was like to fight alongside the Ferelden Wardens."

They walked to where the Wardens were waiting for them. Valta moved ahead eagerly. "Look at this, Renn. It's..." She touched the construction. "Ancient. Maybe a thousand years old."

Ruya examined the lift. "Any idea who built it, or why?"

"This thaig is on top of a lyrium mine. According to the Memories, this mine was destroyed by some unexplained disaster. The miners must have used this lift to reach the lower levels. If there is a Titan causing earthquakes, it's down there." Valta held out a damaged tome. "I found this book with the emissary. The pages are mostly ruined, but a few are readable. See this line? 'I awoke to the singing stone. Our kingdom trembled at the Titan's hymn.'"

"That reference to singing stone..." Ruya folded her arms. "I've been told that raw lyrium has a sound."

"A hum. The mining cast follows it to find lyrium veins. They say it's the Stone calling to them."

She sighed. "Perhaps it wasn't chance that the quakes destroyed lyrium mines. Is it possible the darkspawn or their emissary could also hear the song?"

"They are not hearing lyrium." The Messenger's strange voice answered her.

Valta glanced at him, and then turned back to Ruya. "The Stone would never call to those vile things - but that doesn't mean they can't hear her."

Renn peered out into the drop. "Darkspawn live and die by the Blight. They don't care for much else."

"I didn't realize you knew so much about darkspawn motives." Valta kept her voice light and teasing.

"Not everything's a mystery, Valta. Some things are exactly as they appear."

"And some things are not."

Ruya glanced at the Wardens. No, some things certainly were not. She rubbed the back of her neck. "How can we be sure what the book says is true?"

"We shouldn't force connections that don't exist." Renn shrugged.

"Perhaps this will change your mind. Look here. It's the royal seal of Orseck Garal." She held the book out to Renn.

"King Orseck Garal? That book belonged to a Paragon? Maybe you are on to something, Valta."

"Of course you'd take a dead man's word over mine. Always the traditionalist."

"Hey..." Renn turned to face her. "Challenging tradition lost you a cushy position in Orzammar."

"Does a king's book mean that much to you, Renn?" Ruya asked.

"Paragons are the best of our people. They don't hand that title out to just anyone - not even a king." He gave Valta a glare that was more teasing than anything. "Knowing it was Garal's book from the start would've saved us an argument."

"As if you'd ever avoid an argument."

"I don't know where this lift leads, but we're about to find out the hard way. Get ready."

#

Ruya and Valta continued talking about the Shaperate and memories. Renn talked darkspawn with the Wardens. At the base of the mineshaft, they set up another base camp, and settled in for a rest. Valta and Ruya continued talking, comparing life in the Inquisition and Orzammar. Part of her wanted to one day visit the city, and another part reminded her it really couldn't compare to her imagination.

#

"You met a bunch of Paragons, right? You know Saitada and Brosca, and you met both Branka and Caridin."

"Yes."

"What did happen with the Caridin and Branka thing?" Valta leaned towards him. "I mean, I know she died in the deep roads over the Anvil, but you were there and it's clear the official story wasn't the truth. What actually happened?"

"If I answer, you will regret asking the question."

"Please, I need to know."

Jerath sighed. "She betrayed her house and her lover to the tender mercies of the darkspawn, condemning them to a fate worse than death. She did this to gain access to a monstrosity that would condemn dwarves to an eternity of slavery. So I bashed her head in and dumped her into a lava flow."

Valta stared at him. "If I ask you what really happened at Amgarrak, will I regret it as much as I regret asking the previous question?"

"Probably more. Some tombs should remain buried."

"So, um..."

"Paragon Caridin was possessed of an unmatched wisdom, one of the rare few in the world who understands that the easy path is rarely the right one and strove to atone for his mistakes. Paragon Saitada is an exemplary woman, and more than earned the right to be called Hero. I can think of none better to represent your people." He nodded to Valta. "And I can only hope that Orzammar finds Paragon Brosca as inspirational as the rest of us do."

#

They'd gone a couple miles from the camp when Jerath abruptly stopped. He tilted his head, and looked confused for a moment. "Messenger?"

The creature in the full armor walked towards Jerath, and then abruptly stopped in the same place. "It is being warded."

"Jerath?"

"There is something here, Inquisitor. It..." He frowned, and extended a hand as if reaching out to touch something, but stopped after only a few inches. "I'm sorry. This is as far as the Wardens are going."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'd explain if I could."

"This barrier, or whatever. Could you take it down?"

"No."

"You are a templar. You could at least try."

"I could. I will not. Some things are..." He shook his head. "What's in there isn't for me or mine, Inquisitor. I am sorry. But this is as far as we go."

"And if the rest of us choose to continue on without you?"

"I won't stop you. You won't find any darkspawn further in." He turned towards her. "We'll wait here, hold the camp, keep it clear until you come back." He met her eyes. "We will give you a week. We will not come in after you."

"When we get back, you and I are going to have a long talk about your role within the Inquisition."

"I look forward to it."

#

"We can't turn back." Valta glanced back at where the Wardens were standing.

"Valta, thoughts on..." She gestured. "Whatever it is stopped them, I can't get a sense of it."

"There is..." Valta took a breath. "Something. It's not anything I've experienced before, but..." She met Ruya's eyes. "He's not lying. There is something there."

Ruya turned to the rest of her companions. Cole was staring back at the Wardens. Blackwall and Sera, however, both gave her nods. Sera was clearly a bit nervous. "Alright. Let's keep moving."