While picking through the darkspawn remains, as I waited for my energy to come back, my fingers brushed against a pouch. It was filled with ashes, strangely. There had to be something, some reason, that would tell me what one of these beasts was doing carrying around a random pouch of soot.

A partially burned paper made my eyes widen. Darkspawn could read? Who knew?

"The Korcari Wilds are rife with legends and myths that have amazed and confounded scholars since the fall of Ostagar in ancient times. One such mystery lies behind the tale of Astia and Nebbunar. The legend says that Astia grew up in the company of Gazarath, a spirit of the earth. When Astia met Nebbunar, the two fell in love, and Astia hoped to bring her lover to see her spirit friend. But the spirit, angered and jealous, bade her begone. Gazarath told her she would never see it again until she brought her lover's ashes and sprinkled them over their spot, and on the day Nebbunar asked her to marry him, she cut her beloved's throat, burned him, and brought his ashes to Gazarath."

What the...? As I was reading, the pouch vibrated slightly, guiding my feet forward step by step. Until I stood at a large mound of dirt. I hadn't even realized I'd been moving, until my fingers were sprinkling the ashes on the ground. The swirling of a purple wind and the roar of an otherworldly presence filled the air. Eyes wide, I watched as a demon formed before me. Could this be the demon that was controlling the wolves? Wait, the passage had said it was a spirit, but this was clearly a demon. I shook my head. Spirits didn't get jealous; that was reserved for their evil counterparts.

With a scream of rage, it flew toward me. I agilely darted to the side, pulling forth yet more magic. This was the most target practice I'd had in months. Tossing ice shards at it, I shredded through the smoky torso. Oh. So it wasn't fully, physically here. Glancing around, I checked to make sure the coast was clear. I'd already seen two dead people, aside from that contingent of soldiers. There was no telling if someone was out there. Reassuring myself that I would have sensed anyone spying on me by now, I clasped my hands together. Closed my eyes. Murmured a quiet prayer.

And unleashed a blast of white light at the demon. I had never figured out how I knew that particular spell, if it could be classified as such, or even how it worked, but it never failed to banish demons and poltergeists. Not that Ferelden, or Thedas really, had to deal with the latter.

Somehow, in the pile of rags it had left behind, I pulled out a pair of enchanted boots and some kind of ornamental sword. I didn't even question where the rags had come from. Stranger things had happened.

Such as the pack of wolves that were now slinking toward me on their bellies. I rubbed my forehead, hoping I wouldn't have to hurt them.

The one in the back crawled forward, the others pausing to stay where they crouched. A warm muzzle bumped my leg, a tail wagging. Then, all of their tails started wagging. Honestly, stranger things were indeed happening.

"What is it, boy?"

His ears twitched at my voice, and he bounded to his full height. Loped away, turning to look at me. Wanting me to follow. As I did, the other wolves fell in around me. Almost as if... Were they protecting me? Was this because I'd defeated the demon? My eyes widened. Of course. These wolves had probably been under the same compulsion as the others. Pawns of that demon. I reached out without meaning to and patted the fur of the closest canine. To my shock, a rumbling growl of contentment came from her throat. This one was a female. Smaller than the others, she was probably the runt or, at the very least, the youngest.

The led me along a path of stones in the water. I started to wonder if this was some kind of elaborate trap, but it wasn't. Of course. Of course it wasn't. Wolves didn't plan things like that. I hoped. No, they had actually led me to the hidden items promised in Rigby's farewell letter to his son. A two-handed, flatblade sword and twelve tiny vials of health poultice.

The wolves departed as quietly and suddenly as they'd appeared, leaving me on my own again.

The rest of the mission flitted by without incident. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of a ruined tower. Hopefully, this was what I was looking for. I whispered a prayer under my breath. Cautiously walked forward, keeping an eye out for anything out of place. It would be difficult to spy a trap, though, with debris everywhere. I didn't trigger any, though, so maybe there weren't any. At least that wouldn't be how I died, if I did. Make it through a small group of darkspawn, only to die by a trap? I would be mortified. Like Daveth should be. A giggle escaped me. It was cut short when the chest came in to view; the chest was in the center of the ruins. Broken. Empty. What the hell was I supposed to do now? I couldn't return empty handed! I'd put up too big of a fuss, gone through too much….

"Who sends a child in to the Wilds?" a female voice startled me.

I whipped around, my hands on my daggers, "Who are you?"

"I asked a question first, therefore I am awarded the first answer." The woman in questionable attire spoke, attitude dripping from her every word.

Raven hair, strange clothes, holding a staff carelessly. A mage. Probably an apostate, judging by the looks of her.

"I wasn't sent, actually. I chose to come out. Now, who are you?"

"I am Morrigan, dear child. An apostate." She waited a beat, then frowned, "Are you not afraid of me?"

I shook my head, "Not really, no. Should I be?"

A musical laugh left her, "A strange child, you are. Very strange, indeed. Tell me, what are you doing here? I am curious."

"You make it sound like you've been watching me, wondering the whole time."

"I have."

I blinked, "Were you stalking me?" I'd had no clue, none at all, that this woman had been following me.

"Mayhap I was. What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for the documents that the chest used to hold. Would you, by any chance, know where I could find them?"

"I do."

"Really? Will you tell me?" I clapped my hands, "Please?"

She laughed again, "You amuse me. I shall tell you. They are with my mother."

"Will you take me to her? I think the documents are important. I need to get them."

"A sensible request. I like you. I will take you." She gestured to follow, "Come along, then."

The witch led me to a small hut, where an older woman was standing. Waiting for us.

"Mother, I bring a Grey Warden."

"Recruit." I corrected, not wanting to offend or confuse.

"An honest one, at that. You should be careful to not be taken advantage of." The other woman said.

I smiled shyly, "I've learned that lesson the hard way more times than I can count, honestly. But I've also learned to not be afraid at first glance. The best dressed usually hide darkness, while the shady looking people are often times the nicest."

The two women laughed at that.

"My dear, you are intriguing. Might I ask your name?"

"I'm Anastasia. Might I know yours as well?"

"Oh, ho. She talks like a queen. I am Flemeth."

"I've always wanted to meet a witch of the wilds." I grinned happily.

"And is it everything you'd hoped it would be?" Flemeth asked, watching me keenly.

"Oh, it is. You're kinder than the stories say. And very wise."

"And a little crazy." Morrigan muttered under her breath.

I snorted, "Aren't we all?"

That elicited yet another round of laughter.

"Oh, I do adore you." The maleficar said, her eyes shining, "Now, why don't you tell me why you're here?"

"I was wondering if you were still in possession of the documents that were in the chest in those ruins there." I pointed in the general direction.

"I am."

"Is there any chance that I could convince you to part with them?"

"I have merely been waiting for the Grey Wardens to come retrieve them. I was keeping them safe." She moved away, entering the hut for a few minutes.

When she exited, she was holding a wrapped bundle tied with a neat bow, "Here they are. Now, you should hurry back. It will be dark soon."

"Oh, thank you so much!" I exclaimed, taking the parcel from her, "Really. Thank you."

"No, child, thank you. And please, when you tell others of us, embellish it to your heart's content. Make us the big bad monsters everyone fears us to be, won't you?" Flemeth asked with a wink.

"Oh, you mean…this wasn't a terrifying experience that will scar me for life? I won't have nightmares from this?"

She threw back her head and bellowed a laugh.

I left shortly after that, a wolf following a safe distance behind me. It resembled the one I'd patted earlier. I now wondered if it was either Morrigan or Flemeth's, making sure I would arrive unharmed at Ostagar, since it wasn't aggressive. It made sense, the more I thought about it; Morrigan had shapeshifted and that's why I hadn't noticed her watching me. It felt different than a human. More comforting. Had she been that wolf...? Anything was possible.

The sun had set by the time I reached the gates. I would be in for it, I was sure. At least I'd completed the mission, though, right? Surely, that had to count for something….

"Who goes there?" a man called out.

"Uh…. I'm a Grey Warden recruit. I-"

He interrupted me, "Ah, we were told to be on the lookout for you. In you go."

"Thanks!" I walked into the camp, filled with trepidation.

I'd made it halfway to the campfire, where I could see Alistair and Duncan standing silently, when the younger Warden looked directly at me.

"Anastasia!" he cried out, relieved.