Since word spread throughout Ferelden's inner circle and the Grey Wardens of Morrigan's return, only those who knew the Witch of the Wilds were unsure what her motivations were for possibly returning. It's been more than a year since Aedan, Alistair or any of the others had last seen her. The sorceress joined the Wardens' cause, but it is said her true purpose was not revealed until the eve of the last battle. When the Archdemon was slain, she vanished into the shadows with rumors claiming she crossed over the Frostback Mountains into Orlais without a trace, somewhere where she could be not found and was never heard from again… until now.
But apparently, the Grey Wardens leadership at Weisshaupt in the Anderfels caught wind of Morrigan's return and had sent word to Ferelden's Warden-Commander to deal with her. From what Aedan learned from various reports, Morrigan was last spotted in the southern wilderness in the Korcari Wilds.
'Why, Morrigan?' Aedan pondered to himself as he sat down in deep thought.'Why are you here now of all places, and what is it that you could possibly been looking for?'
Indeed, many questions have been laid in preparations for the upcoming reunion. But with each suggested question only led to more. As it turns out, the Warden wasn't the only one seeking out the famous Witch of the Wilds.
Hohaku, Aedan's faithful mabari war hound had recently left the Denerim kennels to be at his master's side once more. The Warden didn't have any complaints about his pet rejoining him, as he was glad to have his dog again.
Ariane, a talented young Dalish elf, had been seeking out Morrigan on behalf of her clan when the sorceress had taken off with an ancient artifact belonging to her people. It had obviously been important, as the elf and human had started off with their blades aimed at each other, each of them were ready to strike. It was only when they both learned that they were after the same person, Aedan and Ariane agreed to join forces in the hopes of tracking her down as they suspected that whatever it was Morrigan took from Ariane's clan had something to do with her return.
"Morrigan stole an ancient book my clan has guarded since the days of Arlathan," Ariane said to Aedan during their first meeting. "We were the only ones with such a piece of our history. Everything we once had, all legacy of our ancient magics were stripped from us, first by the Tevinter magisters, then by the wretched Circles. And Morrigan took what little was left."
And lastly was Finn, a mage from Ferelden's Circle of Magi. Although he was considered meek and an unlikely adventurer, Finn was without a doubt one of the foremost experts on ancient Tevinter history. Aedan first noticed the mage's academic expertise when the group had searched the Circle's library regarding the book Morrigan stole from Ariane's Dalish clan. After the Warden discovers the term Eluvian which has to do something with Morrigan, Finn revealed that "Eluvian" is a magical elven mirror and says that magisters of the Tevinter Imperium once attempted to activate the full power of the Eluvian after they captured them from Arlathan, but only managed to use them as communications portals.
"'Eluvian' isn't just any mirror, it's a special kind," Finn explained. "When the Imperium sacked Arlathan, they took these mirrors and tried to unlock their power. But all they could use them for was communication, over long distances."
From the Circle Tower to Elvhen Ruins to the long abandoned Cadash Thaig, each clue by the Lights of Arlathan revealed a missing chapter of elven history which detailed the fate of refugee elves who eventually settled in the location of the thaig, "Cad'halash." Eventually, once the group fought off waves of Shades during the scrying ritual, they were lucky enough to pinpoint the last location of a working Eluvian: the Dragonbone Waste, where Aedan had previously led a strike team to slay the Mother and her ilk. It was also where the Warden-Commander encountered the sentient darkspawn emissary the Architect once more, and had reluctantly struck an accord—spare its life in return for assistance in the final battle. It was one of the toughest decisions Aedan had to make that day; the Architect was an unknown, and there was not enough information to act on.
'Don't make me regret my decision to spare you,' Aedan said to the Architect once the Mother was killed.
His thoughts were disrupted by a cloud of bats rising from the dragons' bones as they approached the Dragonbone Wastes, coming off of the Imperial Highway. They circled overhead and winged away from the setting sun in a chorus of squeaks and flapping wings. Aedan did not like the implications of that, as it indicated someone or something had spooked them.
"We're not alone," he warned the others. "Keep your guard up at all times."
Ariane took notice and readied her blades for battle, Finn scrambled to maintain his composure (albeit with minor stumbling and quivering) and held his staff firmly close while Hohaku's ears pointed backwards and began growling. Whatever was ahead of them, it had to be dangerous.
"Not the best idea to come here at night, Warden," Ariane murmured.
"I'll take it under advisement next time," Aedan dryly replied.
They walked slowly, stealthily, placing one foot in front of the other as carefully as they could manage. Aedan, an experienced Grey Warden, and Ariane, the Dalish warrior, made no noise as they went. Finn, the overexuberant mage who had learned quite a bit since leaving Kinloch Hold, didn't make terribly much noise, though to Aedan it sounded like a stampeding bronto. He cast light on their path with his staff until it left them night-blind to any dangers outside of their radius of light; Ariane told him with a low hiss to snuff it.
Deeper within, they found their way underground blocked by a magical barrier with a giant unknown creature guarding it.
"What… is… that?" Finn asked Ariane fearfully.
"A… a varterral!" Ariane said in bewilderment. "It can't be; they're only legends! It is said they were rock and tree, wind and rain, given form and breath by the elven gods to protect their people."
The beast jumped down from the building it had been standing on. Its shrieking cry hurt their ears; they all covered their ears reflexively, wincing.
"To protect their people?" Finn shouted. "Then why does it look like it's going to eat you?"
"Does it even matter at this point? Just kill it already!" Aedan hollered.
It attacked by spitting something like spiderweb at them, which caught at their limbs slowed their movements. Each blow from its large pincer-like front legs drove them back, though it mostly tried to snap at them with its horrifying mouth. When it moved, its legs thudded on the ground with the heaviness of a High Dragon's, though it was far more agile. Occasionally, it leapt up on all its five limbs and tried to land on one of them. Meanwhile, two small dragons jumped down from a nearby cave and ran hissing, wings half-extended, at Finn, Hohaku and Ariane, who were trying to avoid the varterral's stunning blows.
"Well, this made things a little interesting," Ariane said.
"I don't think now's the good time!" Finn shouted.
"Then let's make this quick!"
Aedan, on the other hand, was trying to keep the varterral distracted and its attention focused solely on him. Unsheathing his longsword Vigilance, Aedan prepped himself into a defensive posture, his shield positioned in a wall formation and his blade pointed at the creature.
"That's it," Aedan whispered to the varterral. "A little closer…"
The varterral leapt at him; Aedan managed to absorb the impact with the shield, but with the velocity of the beast, it pushed him back several feet and almost knocked him to the ground. It charged again, but Aedan slashed at the beast's face and it jumped backwards. While he was fending off the varterral as best as he could, Aedan looked back at his comrades and could see that drakes, wolves and dragons were close to overwhelming them. He had to end the fight quickly and rush to their aid. And fast.
Once more the varterral lunged at the Warden, grabbing hold of him and began thrashing. In pain and being tossed around like a ragdoll, Aedan lost his grip on Vigilance and the blade was out of his reach. Thinking quickly, he grabbed a dagger from his belt and began stabbing the varterral's face repeatedly. Screeching in pain, the varterral released its grip and Aedan fell back to the ground. Getting back on his feet, Aedan grabbed his discarded blade and dagger in hand, rushed the beast like a madman and started hacking away at its legs, slowly bringing the beast down. As the varterral was now at his mercy, Aedan lifted his blade high and plunged it down onto the creature's head, killing it.
By the time he had finished slaying the varterral, Aedan rushed to help Hohaku, Finn and Ariane despite his injuries. Ariane had already taken down one of the drakes as Hohaku bit down onto the other's leg, refusing to let go. Finn had already formed an ice wall to counter the remaining dragon's fire, but even that wouldn't hold forever. The dragon had burst through and was about to devour Finn, but was intercepted by Aedan pushing Finn aside and impaling the dragon as its jaws came down, shoving his blade through the roof of its mouth and into its brain.
As he wiggled his way out, Aedan had already witnessed the last drake being taken down. Ariane, covered in sweat, scratches and blood, had taken a moment to catch her breath. Hohaku began licking his wounds, and would soon be ready to venture once more.
"That…" Finn panted, "that happens to you often?"
"More than you might think," Aedan answered. "Is everyone alright?"
"A few scratches, but I'll live," Ariane replied. "We should be getting close. Is this it?"
"It is," said Aedan. "This is called 'the Nest.' And for good reason. During the darkspawn incursion in Amaranthine, the Grey Wardens tracked down the location of a sentient darkspawn called the Mother. Here she spawned hundreds of darkspawn and helped give them free will, turning them into her own killing machines. As long as she lived, the darkspawn would remain as a threat. I had to lead a small team down here to end her," Aedan paused as the last battle resurfaced. "I never thought I'd find myself back here."
"But if your friend Morrigan is here, then she must be somewhere inside. With the book, and the Eluvian."
"True. But for now, tend to your wounds and once you're ready, we'll confront her."
##########
The following morning, everyone was rested and patched up. Inside the caverns where Aedan defeated the Mother several months earlier. Behind where the Mother was entrenched, they were briefly distracted by a strange statue on an island in the middle of the water, then Aedan saw something casting light in the distance. They crested a rise to find the Eluvian set in the skeleton of a massive High Dragon, glowing, with Morrigan pacing back and forth around the mirror, examining it. The Witch of the Wilds then glanced back, seemingly been made aware of their presence.
"The Eluvian! And it's… glowing? We should—"
Ariane placed a hand on Finn's chest, motioning for him to stop.
"I think she's… expecting you," she said to Aedan. As he began to move forward, she Ariane added in an undertone, "Ask her about our book!"
Morrigan remained in her position, knowing Aedan was coming. Smiling, she bent down to pet Hohaku as the dog happily jumped around Morrigan, overjoyed to see her again. The witch then stood back up once Aedan was close enough.
"No further, please," Morrigan beckoned as she placed her hand up. "One more step and I leave. For good, this time."
Aedan stopped. "Some things never change, do they? Still, regardless of the current circumstances, it's good to see you as well, Morrigan."
"I assume you know what this is," Morrigan said, referring to the Eluvian. "I have gone to great lengths to find and activate this portal. Give me reason and I use it, and you will not be able to follow."
"What is you hope to accomplish here? Where do you intend to go once you use the Eluvian?"
"To another place, beyond this world and beyond the Fade. But this portal can only be used once more. Achieving this much was… difficult. I remained to see if it was truly you. I had to know. Tell me: why did you come?"
Aedan had rehearsed a dozen times, but now, with the reunion taking place before him, he was literally rendered speechless. Neither had seen each other in over a year.
"I need answers," he finally admitted. "We are friends, aren't we, Morrigan? You think I couldn't just leave it at that before we marched to Denerim during the Blight?"
Morrigan shifted her weight, then shook her head as her smile held sorrow. "Yes, I suppose we were. I will never understand you. And you will never understand me."
Aedan took another step towards her. "I can't understand unless you help me understand."
"I… would not even know where to begin explaining. Ask your questions, then, since you have traveled so far."
The Warden stood firm, and pressed the big question. "The child. The one you mentioned before the ritual. What became of the child?"
"He is safe, and beyond your reach. All you need to know is that the child is an innocent. He knows nothing of the destiny that lies before him."
'A son?' Aedan thought. He had another son, but he couldn't just leave it at that. "That's not good enough, Morrigan."
Morrigan fiddled with a strap on her waist, unsure of what she could possibly say to ease the Warden's mind but at the same time knew he deserved to know the truth. "Because the child is yours? I understand. I will not share my plan with you. If your trust is insufficient, then your anger will have to do."
"What plan? What is your plan? I want to know."
"My plan is to leave, and prepare for the child for what is to come. Such preparation requires time. And power. I must have both if I am to be successful. More than this, I dare not say. Even to you."
Aedan glared at her before breaking eye contact. He had another son and his child was safe, an innocent, which was more than he had hoped for. Although that didn't stop him from feeling guilt for not having the chance to know the son born as a product of the dark ritual in Redcliffe.
"Then… (sighs wearily.) Then I have nothing else," Aedan conceded.
"I… am sorry, Aedan," Morrigan nodded, accepting his word. "Allow me to provide you a warning. 'Tis Flemeth you should beware of, not me. Hunt her, if you hunt anyone."
Aedan looked at her, unsure. "Why? We killed her ourselves, you saw the proof of it right then and there."
"My mother has tricked her way past death and more. She is no more finished than I am. I thought I knew what Flemeth planned. I thought what she craved was immortality. And yet I was wrong. So very wrong," as Morrigan spoke, she descended from the steps of the Eluvian. "She is no blood mage, no abomination… she is not even truly human. The ritual was but a means to an end, a herald for what is to come."
"Why?" Aedan asked as he felt a chill run down his spine. "What do you mean?"
"Change is coming to the world. Many fear change, and will fight it with every fiber of their being. But sometimes change is what they need most. Sometimes, change is what sets them free."
"And is that what you want?" Aedan asked. "To be free?"
"What I want… is unimportant now." Morrigan turned and walked back to the Eluvian, with Aedan following close behind. "I cannot tarry longer. The time has come for me to go."
"You don't have to do this alone, Morrigan. You still have friends here. Me, Alistair, Wynne, Leliana. Everyone! Why must you insist on carrying such heavy responsibilities by yourself?"
"Believe me, I wish it was not so. But I do. There is one last thing I must tell you, if you will allow me. I left you a gift. The Dalish book is there, and something you will find of great interest," Morrigan said as she motioned to her camp nestled in the ground nearby.
"Goodbye… my friend," Morrigan said sadly.
Aedan was stunned. She was leaving. Again. He knew—he must have known—that Morrigan was not the time of person who would ask for help when needed. The fact that she was leaving proves that there are somethings that cannot change. Fate, first and foremost. Somethings must always happen for a reason. As Aedan turned away, Morrigan took one last glance at her friend before walking through with a great flare of light. The mirror rippled like a pond where she passed through.
And just like that, it was done. Morrigan was gone. Aedan had stepped towards the camp to recover what Morrigan had provided for him. Not only the Dalish book Ariane was looking for, but something she claimed would peak his interest.
'What could possibly be of interest to me?' he thought.
Before setting out, Aedan had returned the artifact to Ariane and bid farewell to her and Finn. As he left the Dragonbone Waste with Hohaku to return to Denerim, he took one last glance at the forsaken wasteland.
"Farewell, Morrigan. May the Maker himself smile upon you… and may the future be kind to our son."
##########
Elsewhere, Leliana and little Adrian were on their way home from Jader in Orlais. It had been a busy day, meeting with the Chantry priests and baptizing her son as an Andrastian. The two had taken the opportunity to take a quick rest as the carriage crossed the Frostback Mountains and into the Imperial Highway towards Denerim.
But little did they know, they were being followed. A group of hooded individuals, each cladded in white and yellow robes with snake sigils stitched into them, were watching from afar.
"That is her?" one of them asked.
"Indeed. She is the one."
"What are our orders?"
"Take the girl, and the lad if possible. If any resists, kill them."