Chapter 34: Saved by the Legend (Theron)

A group of Wardens and Fen reached the hut following Morrigan. Alistair, Daveth, Elissa and an old woman unknown to Theron were already waiting for them there. Elissa saw them and ran to Aedan. The brother and sister immediately hugged each other.

- I...I thought you were all dead, - Elissa said. - What happened to the army?

- Let's go to the others, and then we'll tell you everything, - Aedan answered. - Where is Roger? Why is he not with you?

- You know mabari have an independent mindset. In the tower of Ishal we rescued a pack of mabari hounds and Roger decided to go with them.

- If he is alive, he will return. I'm sure.

- Elissa, what about Neria? Is she alive? – Daylen, who came up next, asked the girl warily.

- Don't worry. She was wounded, but the witch says she will survive. Now she is in the hut.

After the two groups reunited, the old woman spoke up.

- Well, more of you survived than I had expected. We will discuss further actions after we cure the elf.

- Thank you both for getting us out of there, - Daylen said. - I think we should introduce ourselves. My name is Daylen, and you are now treating Neria.

The young mage began to point his finger at the others in turn.

- And these are Theron, Alistair, Elissa, Aedan, Kallian, Faren, Daveth and Sereda. Well, the mabari's name is Fen. We know your name is Morrigan, but what is your mother's name?

The old woman smiled and said:

- The names are beautiful. But useless. The Chasind call me Flemeth. This is enough for you.

Theron was surprised. He heard this name in the legends that Marethari told.

- The Flemeth? Like Asha'bellanar? - he asked.

- Asha-who? - Faren asked.

- Asha'bellanar. Elvish for "the woman of many years". She appeared in the myths and legends of our people.

- So I thought right? - Daveth asked. - Are you the legendary witch of the Wilds?

- And what does it change? - Flemeth replied. - Asha'bellanar or not, legendary Flemeth or not, that doesn't matter. I'm pretty good at magic, and my daughter and I have saved you all.

- Why did you get us out of there? - Alistair asked.

- Because this land needs the Grey Wardens. Only they will stop the Blight. Let's leave them, Morrigan, they have something to discuss among themselves. Let's help the elf.

Mother and daughter went into the hut. Alistair broke the silence.

- Well? Who will start the story first: you or us?

- You go first, - Kallian replied. - What happened in the tower of Ishal?

- Everything went wrong from the start, - Elissa said. - Darkspawn had crept through the bottom of the tower, and most of Loghain's men had been dead by the time we arrived. Due to the battle with the darkspawn, we couldn't light the beacon in time. The genlocks surrounded us and wounded Neria, but Flemeth rescued us. Can you imagine? She can transform into a dragon! We'd better not piss her off.

- It wasn't a battle, it was a massacre, - Theron said. - The king was killed, and Loghain and his army never joined the fight. We tried to get Duncan out of there, but he was wounded, told us to run without him and stayed there. Through the cave, which I had noticed long ago, we reached the forest, and there Morrigan met us.

The elf saw Alistair's expression change abruptly. The young man silently walked away from the group and headed towards the swamp. Elissa wanted to follow him, but Theron stopped her.

- There's no need. Give him time, - he said. - I lost someone close to me not long ago, I know you need to be alone for a while.

- Aedan, you seem to know this Loghain better than anyone else here, - continued Daveth. - Why did he do that? Why did he leave the king and the whole army to die in battle?

The Teyrn's son thought for a moment and said:

- I can't answer this question. Before my exile, Loghain was a man of honor. Even when he made the decision to marry Anora to Cailan, he personally came to Highever and apologized to me. I was stupid, yelled at him then. But in five years, something in him could change.

- And in my opinion, everything is simple, - said Sereda. - He wants power. There was something similar in Orzammar before Duncan took me. I… I was the bodyguard of the middle son of King Endrin. His name was... Duran. A good warrior, but ... but as stupid as a bronto, he could not see beyond his own sword. The younger brother framed him, accusing him of killing the elder one. He was banished with weapons to the Deep Roads, and I was exiledto the surface. Your Loghain is the same power-hungry maniac as Duran's brother.

- Maybe it is correct, I don't trust the rich shems, - Kallian supported her.

- An important question remains, - Theron changed the subject. - Duncan was the Warden-Commander, but he's dead. There are only ten of us left. We need a Warden-Commander. We need a leader.

- Aleister has been a Grey Warden longer than any of us, - Elissa said. - Isn't he Commander now?

- Let's be honest, he's not a leader. And in his current state, he definitely won't be able to be a leader. The next in line is me. But all my life I have been running through the forest, either alone or with Tamlen. I can't lead. Which of you will be our Commander?

All participants of the conversation, except for Daveth, pointed fingers at Sereda.

- Are you serious? - the dwarf asked. - I commanded small units in the Deep Roads, but…

- And yet, you have more experience than any of us, - Elissa said. - I was actually supposed to manage the castle for the first time since my father left, but because of Howe, this didn't happen.

- I completely trust you, - continued Aedan. - If it wasn't for your leadership, we wouldn't have even made it to Duncan.

Davet, hearing the arguments of the twins, also raised his hand.

- My vote counts for myself and Neria, - Daylen said. - And Alistair will accept any of our choices as long as we don't choose him. So it's unanimous. Wardem-Commander Sereda, what do we do now?

- We wait. The witches must help Neria. Then we will discuss everything together. Theron, you've known Alistair the longest. Will you talk to him?

The Dalish nodded his head and went to the swamp, into which the angry Alistair threw pieces of soil.

- Alistair? Can we talk?

The former templar stopped throwing soil and turned to the elf.

- Duncan is dead. Everyone but us is dead. And I wasn't even there, I couldn't save them. It's my fault.

- No, it's not. Duncan treasured you like his own son. And by sending you to the tower with the treaties, he saved your life... and gave us a chance to win.

- I didn't know much about him. I only heard that he was from Rivain. I would have buried him there. Maker's breath! We don't even have his body to bury him.

Theron at that moment remembered Tamlen. The clan had to bury him without a body after the search organized by Theron and Merrill had been unsuccessful.

- We Dalish put the seeds of trees with our dead, so that from someone's death a new life would arise. Although Duncan is not one of the Elvhen, I will bury the seeds in memory of him as soon as I get them.

- Thanks, Theron. Now it's easier for me.

- You should know something. We've chosen a new Warden-Commander, and that's Sereda. She suggests waiting until Nerija regains consciousness.

- Fine. I'm ready to go to the rest.

- I'll stay for now if you don't mind.

Alistair left, and Theron got down on one knee and prayed to his gods for the health of Neria. Then he looked up at the sky. There was already a dawn.