In an attempt to actually get this going again. I've decided to start making the chapters shorter. It's so much to read already! So I'm starting to work the chapters down now so it's not so much information to take in all at once. Anyways, it took me awhile, with the whole work thing and now finally planning my honeymoon. But I've got a chapter out. Soon to continue down the road.
Anara looked over the Grey Warden with suspicion as they stood there in the Western Approach. The desert was no place for any of them, they knew it too. But Stroud said they would be gathering there in a Tevinter Ritual Tower. Something Anara knew those three words together would spell trouble for them.
She remembered what the Commander told her only a few nights ago. Something that seemed so distant now that they stood there in the desert.
" I'm glad you make it, Inquisitor. I fear they've already started the ritual." Stroud straightened as he spoke, fearful of the loss that will meet them ahead.
"It has to be blood magic," Anara turned to Le'Sondar. Her green eyes flashing in contempt, as she tried to hide her sudden scowl. " Steel yourselves. Whatever lies inside, won't be pretty." She braced herself with her shield as she grabbed her sword, prepared already for the worst.
"You take point. I'll guard your backs." Anara looked to her, seeing her eyes wander in the distance,
' Her mind must be with Fenris..' She remembered the broody elf never leaving Hawke's side as they stayed in Skyhold, only greeted by curious mages that were quickly dismissed and Varric. But Anara could understand Hawke's feelings in this moment.
She could feel Solas behind her, his magic acting as a shield for her to hide within. After Alexius Solas had become suspicious of most Tevinter Magisters, or even mages. Knowing that Tevinter's lust for power would have them forcefully seek out the anchor. Seek her out, and in turn try to destroy her. Solas would have none of that.
She stayed close to him as they walked. Her eyes looking over the bodies of Warden's splayed across the ground. Discarded like trash to be thrown over the side later on in the day. Only be be fed on by carrion.
The air felt thicker, heavier in it's own sense. Like something was weighing down upon her, she could feel the demons as if they were clawing across her mark. The pain only burning for the moment as they approached. Looking over the faded blue and grey of the Warden's now stained with blood.
"This is wrong!" A man shouted across to another, she could feel a sickening roll through her stomach as she laid eyes upon the man.
" Remember your oath: In war, victory. In peace, vigilance. In death.." She watched as the blade plunged into the man, his blood pouring out as she looked at the rift open to them.
"Sacrifice.." She heard the roar of a rage demon fill the air as they approached, all emotions and feelings stripped from the wardens in front of them.
" Inquisitor. What an unexpected pleasure. Lord Levius Erimond of Vyrantium, at your service." He bowed, almost faking a gesture of sincerity, almost as if mocking them.
"You found the Inquisitor and came to stop me. Shall we see how that goes?" He was pacing across the stone as he spoke, he would almost be considered threatening, if he was truly a competent mage.
" This man is deceiving you!" Anara held out hope that something, anything could get through to them. To let them see the light that they put themselves into. To see the lie that has been fed to them.
Stroud turned to Anara, the rage within himself obvious and preparing to boil over, "Corypheus has taken their minds."
" Since it was my master who put the calling into their little heads, we in the Venatori were prepared. I went to Clarel full of sympathy, and together, we came up with a plan..Raise a demon army, march into the deep roads, and kill the old gods before they wake."
She hated how he looked, so smug and full of himself. So sure of his master, and his magic. She remembered what she did to Alexius when time ripped them apart. She remembered his scream before he turned into an ashen statue, to fall apart upon touch. She could do it again.
" Ah. I was wondering when the demon army would show up." It seemed to throw him off, his body once against pacing in place as he looked at her, trying to determine her magic.
" You knew about it, did you? Well, then, here you are. Sadly for the wardens, The binding ritual I taught their mages has a side effect, they're now my masters slaves."
She could feel the sand and dust in the wind that blew across the tower, the air pulling life and water from everyone and everything.
" This was a test. Once the rest of the Warden's complete the ritual. The army will conquer Thedas." He strode again, the cockiness of his motives in each step he took.
She could smell the blood still on the stone, the dead Warden laid bare. Smoke and dust mingled in the wind, the sand surrounding them seemed to shift to her mood, to her magic as she moved. Stepping forward, no longer careful of her motives and emotions to bare.
" Release the Wardens from the binding and surrender, I won't ask twice." She could feel the magic within the mark move, she was tempted again like she was with Alexius. To see that ashen statue fade into the wind, dissolving, spreading through all Thedas. From Orlais to Par Vollen.
" No. You won't." He sneered, his arm pushing forward as Anara yelled, feeling the mark within her arm erupt. Her knees buckled as she fell to the stone floor, her hand clenching without command. The pain searing through her, spreading like a terrible cold. Like the night Haven burned down.
" The Elder one showed me how to deal with you. In the event you were foolish enough to interfere again." His hand flexed, sending another wave through her arm, causing her to tense, the feeling tingling now the scars of old and new. Reminding her of the illusions she cast upon herself, and upon her memory, forcing the walls around her past.
" The mark you beat, the anchor that lets you pass safely through the veil." She looked to her hand, feeling the pain spread, but her anger began to rise in response.
" You stole that from my master. He's been forced to seek other ways to access the fade."
Her hand pressed against the ground, the anger within her, mixing with the pain became overbearing. Her brown eyes flickered up to the Venatori, she would not lay to this upstart, to this Venatori. She stood, defiant still in the wind, the dust whipping into her eyes, pulling her hair from side to side. Her hand held out, feeling the mark pull through. The veil was thin here, demons were summoned, deaths were caste and people were betrayed. This could prove to be useful.
" When I bring him your head, his gratitude will be-" He shouted in pain the rumble of her magic, of the mark sending him back. He rolled on the floor. Unable to gather himself up in the moment. Her magic proved too powerful.
He grasped his side, a wave of fear washing over him. He was led to believe she was weak. Her power wasn't matched with his, and she destroyed his magic. His spell was useless, and his master's words fell upon deaf ears.
"Kill them" He shouted as he hobbled away, expecting the group to sympathize with the Wardens, to hold back as he fled.
She heard the rage demon roar, she felt his fire upon her skin. Like standing too close to a campfire. Or a moth too close to the flame.
She pulled her staff aside as Solas reached out with his magic. Feeling the frost and cold consume the demons and the poor Wardens.
Stroud threw himself into the fray, asking for forgiveness as he cut his fellow wardens down.
Le'Sondar charged forward with a loud scream, her heavy shield hitting hard against plate and demon's claw. Almost as if a blood lust had overtaken the warriors, they fought the demons, they fought the men, and Anara felt her spark run over her skin. Lightning was her weapon.
As Stroud pulled the blade from the last Warden he looked towards Le'sondar, watching as she blocked the final demon with her shield, tearing it down with a deathblow from her sword.
They all breathed again, feeling the weight of the fight unburden from them. Le'sondar looked to Anara, wiping the blood from her cheek as she spoke, " So….That went well."
Stroud stood straight as he collected himself, walking towards the mage and the warrior, "You were correct. Through their ritual, the mages are slaves to Corypheus."
Le'sondar looked over the bodies of the dead, the demons had been pulled from this plane into another. She looked at the armored bodies of the warriors that accompanies the Warden mages here, their bodies piled up, like nameless, faceless beings. Only to be discarded after they served their purpose.
" Of course, it's not real blood magic until someone get's sacrificed." Le'sondar could feel the dust cake on her skin now mingled with the blood. The nameless bodies of those sacrificed, she could feel the anger pull over her. Fenris had always reminded her to calm her heart and mind. But she only remembered her sister Bethany after the deep roads. How she had to choose, and she chose The Wardens for her. She could only hope that she was far from this conflict, far from Orlais, far from the calling.
" Erimond lied to The Wardens. They were trying to prevent future blight." Anara looked at Le'sondar. Knowing full well the tales she had heard from Varric. Hawke, Champion of Kirkwall, 5' 7" of black hair and unwavering green eyes. Her sister had joined The Wardens after their expedition into the deep roads. After she became infected with the blight, it was that or allow her sister to die in the very caves with those monsters.
" The Warden's were wrong Hawke, but they had their reasons." Stroud looked over his steely friend, her hand tight upon her shield, protecting both her body and mind.
"Everyone has a story to tell, to justify bad decisions...And it never matters." She turned looking out towards to vacancy of the sand dunes. "In the end, you are always alone with your actions."
Stroud turned to Anara, knowing well his friends mind was with those she loved.
"I believe I know where The Wardens are your worship. Erimond fled in that direction." He motioned out into the distance, " There's an abandoned Warden fortress that way. Adamant."
Anara turned to look out in the direction he pointed. The distance felt too far in the wind and dust. The sand was creating illusions, and making things seem all the more distant. "I guess they didn't want to summon a demon army out in public." She felt the heat of the sun upon her, the sights, the smells and the sounds making her suddenly very nauseous.
" Stroud and I will scout ahead and confirm that the other Wardens are there. We'll meet you back at Skyhold." She felt a wave of relief wash over her. She was not particular of the desert, she instead wished to be back in the cold of Sky Hold and in the warm embrace of a lover.