"Tell me about this vision of yours." He leaned casually against a nearby tree, while I stood in front of him.
"I saw an older you and an older me, and we were friends. The best of friends. I saw a piece of paper with some kind of logo on it. A drawing of sorts."
"What was it?" curiosity.
I closed my eyes again, focusing. I pictured it in my mind, "The paper is black, a mask in the center. The mask is red. It looks like it's dripping. Dripping feathers. The color reminds me of blood."
"Can you tell where it comes from? Do you see that?" urgency rang in this voice, spurring me on.
My eyes opened unconsciously, my gaze flickering all around. I was deep in the vision, now.
I turned in a full circle, describing the room we're in, "We're in a circular room. It's like a turret or a tower of some kind. We're high up, too. I can see the horizon, a large and sprawling city stretches beyond where the sky meets the ground."
Hands grasped my my arms, squeezing me, and I gasped in pain, "Is anyone else there?"
I looked over my shoulder, nodding, "Two men and three women. They're dressed in black leathers, their faces eager. They're excited about something. You're looking at me and motioning to them, telling me about them. Their strengths and weaknesses. There's a knock on the door, and someone comes in, saying your latest acquisition is there. You dismiss the others, telling them we'll talk later. You leave after them."
There's silence for a few minutes, while I wait for the next part.
"You're back, and you've brought someone with you. A little girl. She's a half-ling, human and elf, and she's so scared. I can see it, rolling off her in waves. You..." my voice failed me. The vision hadn't gone past everyone leaving, and I choked on the next words, "bought her off the slave market and brought her here."
Zevran's grip got tighter, his fingers digging in, "What?"
"You're telling her to come over to me, and I'm studying her. She slowly makes her way to the desk I'm sitting at and sits across from me. I ask for her story, and she tells me her ma was an elf. That she died in childbirth. Her da was a human, and he raised her. Until he was killed by a guard for stealing. He wasn't stealing, though. The shopkeep thought he was, and the guard didn't wait to hear her da's side of the story. She was given to the Tevinter slavers, and when they came to Antiva, you were there. You waited until the bidding had teetered out, then you offered an outrageous about of gold. You hadn't told her what she would be doing, and she was worried. She's saying she wants to pay it off, but she doesn't know how long it will take."
There's a pause as I nod to myself in the vision, and I see myself stand up.
"'You know where you are, don't you?' 'Yes, ma'am.' 'Do you know who we are?' 'Yes, ma'am.' 'When did you first start?' 'I-I beg your pardon, ma'am?' She's looking around, frantic. I'm leaning forward, my stern expression finally giving way to a smile. 'Do you know who I am?' She's shaking her head. 'I'm the Hero of Ferelden, and the leader of this organization. I'm a mage, just like you.' She gasps and covers her mouth. 'I know the signs.' I'm sitting back in my chair, grinning like a fox. 'Now, you should know that we won't force you to work for us. That's not how this works, anymore. You can choose to leave, and we'll get you to wherever you want to go. No strings attached. If you stay, you won't have to be an assassin. We have other trades available. Everything is up to you.'" I started coughing and was violently thrust in to the present.
"Ana!" It was Zevran, shaking me. Really, really hard.
I pulled away from him and touched the skin under my nose. Bright red stared back at me from my fingertips.
"I need something for the blood." my voice was hoarse.
He moved my hand and wiped at the blood with a handkerchief, murmuring, "Leader of the Crows, eh? And I'm there to recruit? I can only imagine the effort it would take to accomplish such a feat."
"Hero of Ferelden." I hugged myself, realizing I was shaking like a leaf, "Do you know what that means?"
"The Blight is defeated."
"No. Well, yes. But not just that. It was a title. Something awarded to me." I rubbed my arms, "I kill the archdemon, I think."
He nodded slowly, his eyes on his work, "Why else would you have been brought to Thedas, hmm? Why, for reasons other than ending the Blight the plagues us?"
"I... hadn't actually thought of that." I swallowed hard.
"But the part about the Crows..." he trailed off, sounding hesitant, "It... I cannot go back to them, now that I've failed to kill you and Alistair. Now that I've joined your merry band of misfits. I cannot see how we would accomplish a coup without killing the Masters and assuming control that way."
"I think that's what we do." I perked up, grabbing his wrist, "I've had that vision once, but it ended when you left the room. This time, it kept going. I think it was because you were so intent on finding out what was going on."
His eyes narrowed, "You make it sound like a good thing, to have blood pouring from you."
"What about blood?" Morrigan had stumbled upon us, or so she wanted us to think. She'd been lurking, disguised as a raven, eavesdropping for the last few minutes.
"Nothing." He said at the same time I said "Vision."
He gave me a look that told me to keep my mouth shut.
"What was this one about? More burning buildings and castles being raided?"
"No." I frowned at her, "It was... It was something about the archdemon, but I couldn't understand it. It went too fast, was too jumbled. I couldn't follow. It's one that I'll have to think on for a while. I'm sorry it's useless right now."
A look of surprise from the witch, her eyes on the cloth in the elf's hand, "That is a lot of blood. More than the previous time, by far."
"Answer me this, if you please." I peeked at Zev, waiting for the question, "Do your eyes always turn silver?"
"WHAT?" my voice came out as a screech, "Silver? You're sure that's the color?"
They exchanged glances, and he replied slowly, "Yes. I am sure."
"When I was traveling and talking to Duncan, he commented on my eyes being silver. Right before I woke up in the present."
"Interesting. Most interesting, indeed."
"Perhaps your visions are tied to your ability to travel."
"Hang on." I rubbed my temples, "Morrigan, what are you doing here?"
"I came to check if you were all still alive or not. We have heard nothing from you for almost two days."
"It took us a whole day just to reach the Dalish." I told her, fighting a losing battle against a headache, "We spent today laying the groundwork for getting their cooperation. Tomorrow, we'll get them to agree to the treaty. And I'm not sure if my eyes always do that; I've never opened them when I'm around people. I've only had it happen one other time, the vision being so strong it felt like I was there in the moment. But, as I said, this one was too jumbled."
"Are you feeling alright, my dear?"
I swayed slightly and decided sitting down was the best idea. I sat where I was, holding my head. The buzzing was getting louder. I hadn't even realized I was hearing something, until the pounding in my head had reached an almost unbearable level.
"My... head hurts. I'll be fine."
"There you are! Morrigan? What are you-" Leliana cut herself off, "Ana? Oh, this is worse than I'd feared."
"What are you talking about?"
"Please... Can you lower your voices?" I couldn't be sure I'd actually said it aloud, since my own voice was just above a whisper.
"Alistair has a headache, too. He's at the camp. I left to come find you two." a murmur now.
I looked up at them, "We should go, then."
I stood on shaky legs, the others falling in around me, and we went back to Alistair. It was strange; the closer we got, the more painful it was. I collapsed before we even stepped foot in the camp.
...
The sun had risen by the time I opened my eyes the next day. There was a note on the ground beside my bedroll. Alistair was feeling much better, and everyone had left to take care of the werewolf problem. They would try to talk it out first, but if they attacked, they would be forced to defend themselves, and they couldn't promise they wouldn't kill them all, along with Witherfang.
I sighed and forced myself to get up. There was still a slight twinge at the top of my head, but aside from that, I was fine. I had to hurry and catch up with them. It could already be too late, but I had to try.
...
"Zathrian?" I asked cautiously, wondering why he was in the ruins. Had the others run in to him, too? Or had he come afterward? I'd just been about to ask if he was there to make sure finished them off, when he whirled around and put a hand over his heart.
"Oh, it's you." He relaxed, "Where did you come from?"
"I was exploring this area, while the others went on ahead."
He nodded to himself.
"What are you doing here?" I asked innocently.
"You have carved a safe path through the forest... safe enough for me to follow, anyhow." I wondered briefly what he would do if he knew we hadn't killed a single werewolf yet, "There was no way to tell what would happen, once you reached this ruin, so I decided to come myself."
"You mean you wanted to make sure we got the heart."
"Just so. Did you?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" I was stalling, and I had a feeling we both knew it.
"So you wish to play games? I can sense you do not have it. Why are you leaving the ruins?"
I frowned slightly, "I wasn't leaving. I told you, I was exploring. The others went on ahead." I gestured around us, "Besides, you knew about this ruin. Why didn't you tell us? It would have made things easier, had we known what we were looking for."
"There was no need. I knew you would find it, and I did not care to give you a history lesson about things that have no bearing on your purpose here. But it seems the spirit convinced you to act on her behalf. Might I inquire what she wants?"
It was like we were speaking different languages. He was making connections to things I hadn't said, but I was going to go with it anyway. Perhaps I could bluff my way in to the truth.
"She won't summon Witherfang unless you break the curse."
He smirked at me, "You do understand that she actually is Witherfang?"
"Yes, I thought as much." I watched as he approached me.
"She is the powerful spirit of this ancient forest that I summoned long ago and bound in the body of the wolf. Her nature is that of the forest itself. Beautiful and terrible, serene and savage, maiden and beast. She is the Lady and Witherfang both, two sides of a single being. The curse came first from her. Those she afflicted with it mirrored her own nature, becoming savage beast as well as human."
"But the werewolves have regained their minds."
"I find that difficult to believe." Zathrian scoffed at the idea and began pacing, "They attacked my clan, and they were the same savages then that they have ever been. They deserve to be wiped out and not defended. Come. I will accompany you back to the ruin. Let us go and speak to the spirit, and I will force her in to Witherfang's form. He may then be slain and the heart taken."
"I assure you, they werewolves have regained their minds." I repeated forcefully.
"Even so, they are still the same worthless creatures that their ancestors were. They deserve nothing more than the misery they possess." His tone changed, becoming reasonable, "This is not your battle, Grey Warden. Let us just take the heart and be done with it."
"Do you still have so much hatred, after all this time?"
He raised his hands, clenching them in to fists, "You were not there. You did not see what... what they did to my son. To my daughter. And so many others. You are human. You do not know what it is like to have injustice thrown in your face. Their crimes could not go unpunished."
"But its your own people suffering now, as well as them." I held in my emotion, trying not to give anything away.
"I have sworn to protect my people, and I shall. I will not lift a finger to help the descendants of savages who deserved the curse they received!"
"So, your answer is to let them suffer forever?" I tilted my head in a childlike way.
"Tell me, if you held your father's lifeless body in your arms, would you not also have sworn an eternity of pain on those who did such to him?"
"My father is dead." my voice was monotone, "A disease. I still want it to be wiped out, but I wouldn't curse someone, anyone, with it."
"Very well. You wish me to go and talk? I will do so. But what if it is only more revenge they wish? Will you safeguard me from harm?"
"Of course. Unless you attack first."
He rubbed his forehead, "I fail to see the purpose behind this... but very well. It has been many centuries, now. Let us see what they spirit has to say."
I mentally sighed in relief and followed him to the main chamber, where we found the others and the spirit. She really was beautiful.
"Ana? What-"
"There you are. Did you satisfy your curiosity? Find anything of interest?" Zevran interrupted Alistair, covering for me.
"Not really. I did find Zathrian, though."
Speaking of, he walked right up to the woman, "So here you are, spirit."
One of the werewolves standing with her launched himself at the elf like he was about to attack, "Hrrr! She is the Lady of the Forest! You will address her properly!" He moved back to his place.
"You've taken a name, spirit?" the keeper sneered, "And you've given names to your pets? These... beasts who follow you?"
"It was they who gave me a name, Zathrian." Her voice was otherworldly, many voices speaking as one, "And the names they take are their own. They follow me because I help them to find who they are."
"Who they are has not changed from whom their ancestors were. Wild savages! Worthless dogs! Their twisted shape only mirrors their monstrous hearts!"
I held my breath, waiting for the moment he would attack.
"He will not help us, Lady! It is as I warned you! He is not here to talk!" the were interjected.
"No, I am here to talk, though I see little point in it. We all know where this will lead. Your nature compels it, as does mine."
The Lady shook her head, "It does not have to be that way. There is room in our heart for compassion, Zathrian. Surely your retribution is spent."
"My retribution is eternal, spirit, as is my pain. This is justice, no more."
"Are you certain your pain is the only reason you will not end this curse? Have you told the moral how it was created?" Her eyes were on me.
"He said he summoned you and bound you to a wolf." I answered, my voice ringing out clearly.
"And so he did. Witherfang and I are bound as one being. But such powerful magic could not be accomplished without Zathrian's own blood." She stared at the elf, "Your people believe you have rediscovered the immortality of their ancestors, Zathrian, but that is not true. So long as the curse exists, so do you."
"No, that is not how it is!" He protested vehemently.
"So, would Zathrian's death end the curse?" Alistair asked cautiously.
"No. The curse has a life of its own, though Zathrian's life depends on it. His death plays a part in its ending, however."
"Then we kill him! We tear him apart now!" The werewolves roared, and I couldn't tell which one had said it.
"For all your powers of speech, you are beasts still!" the keeper yelled, "What would you gain from killing me? Only I know how the ritual ends, and I will never do it!"
"You see?" I think it was Swiftrunner, "We must kill them all!"
"See?" Zathrian turned to me, "They turn on you as quickly. Do what you have come here to do, Grey Warden, or get out of my way."
I shook my head, sighing, "You'll end that curse, if I have to force you myself."
"We're standing for what's right, here. No matter what." The other Warden threw in.
"Then, you die with them!" the elf walked away from us, brandishing his staff, "All of you will suffer as you deserve!"
The Lady of the Forest shifted, becoming Witherfang, as the werewolves gathered around. The wolf used some kind of magic, encircling the weres in bright, white light. They couldn't be hurt, but nor could they attack.
Good. I didn't shared his sentiments; I didn't want any of them hurt, either.
Zathrian summoned several Greater Shades and awoke the trees, using them to do his dirty work.
The fight had begun.