Alistair, for his part, was quite shocked with Leina's request. It wasn't every day that someone just asked to become a Warden; normally they were chosen by high ranking members of the Order or were forcefully conscripted in times of need such as when a Blight was beginning or a large Darkspawn incursion happened. And yet, here standing in front of him was this young woman, about a year older than Roxas by the look of it, wanting to be a Warden.
He had to admit he was a bit skeptical, given Leina's so-called armor. The Buckler Shield, Sword,greaves, and boots were fine. It was the lack of proper armor in the front and especially in the back that was the issue. Her ass was more or less on full display, same with her cleavage which he got a generous look of and they looked to be struggling not to pop out of the armor. He noticed Jory looking away, Daveth was doing his best not to stare, and Roxas… well… was blushing rather hard, not that he could blame the young man, Leina certainly was… gifted in the body figure department.
"Well Leina, as long as you can fight, we'll be happy to have you come along and I doubt Duncan will mind having another candidate for becoming a Warden." Alistair said kindly, making Leina jump for joy causing her breasts and ass to jiggle and bounce causing the men to stare again.
"Yes! Thank you so much." She shouted happily, completely oblivious to what was going on.
"it's no issue, but ummm… you might want to…" Allistair trailed off, not sure how to address the situation.
"Want to what?" She asked in confusion as she tilted her head.
Roxas decided to pull the bandaid off in one go, so to speak. "Leina, your Armor is quite… Erhm, revealing for a warrior." Roxas stated, trying not to offend the girl.
Leina honestly seemed shocked by this and looked at herself in confusion, "Really? This armor belonged to my mother, she was quite the renowned and respected warrior where I'm from before she married my Father." She said, spitting out the word father as if it was the most vile thing in the world to even think of or mention.
"Ah daddy issues." Alistair thought in a bit of understanding before Roxas addressed her once again.
"Well, that may be true, but umm your entire back is very exposed and your left arm is covered in belts instead of actual armor, Leina." Roxas said, making her frown and look at herself. "There's also the matter of, well, your breasts and butt are almost on full display in that armor, and I don't think you want people being able to see you like that." Roxas stated as she widened her eyes and blushed realizing that she was a bit exposed, and was now wondering why no one mentioned it to her or any of the other female warriors she had seen that were similarly dressed.
However, she still felt conflicted as this was her mother's armor and she didn't want to just part with it.
"If the armor is important to you, I'm sure the army's smithee can incorporate it into some better protection for you, or at least have some armor to fill in the… gaps you have from it, that way you can still wear that armor and still be protected at the same time. Of course, the smithee could also reforge the armor into a weapon or something new for you if you wanted too." Roxas stated as Leina perked up and smiled as she jumped a bit, making her ass and breasts jiggle erotically making the males uncomfortable again.
"Great! Thank you for the suggestion." Leina stated as she smiled happily at Roxas, who nodded back to her while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"All right, lady and gents, let's get moving. We have Darkspawn blood to get." Alistair said wanting this task to be done with quickly before it got too dark out, but as they walked along two things happened
The first was Roxas running off to a dead tree and breaking their formation. He then bent down and began plucking three white and red herbs before putting them in his pack. "They're for the Kennel master" Roxas stated in answer to the unasked question being directed at him.
Alistair sighed a bit and nodded in understanding, being a Dog Person himself, "That's fine, but next time don't just break formation or away from us, we don't need anyone getting lost or possibly stumbling onto a trap." Alistair ordered Roxas, making him nod in understanding.
The second item to stall them was a rather gruesome sight. As they traveled along the path, slaying wolves that dared to attack them, they came across three men hung from a destroyed bridge, mutilated and clearly dead, hung there as either a warning, trophies, or both.
"The poor sods." Alistair said mournfully before Roxas tossed his keyblade cutting the men down, not wanting to leave them there to rot away.
"I thought the darkspawn were mindless? The fact that they are capable of such sadism and barbarism is a bit frightening." Leina said, slightly unnerved before steeling herself knowing she couldn't show weakness, not now.
Suddenly Alistar tensed up and so did Roxas, "Get ready everyone, here they come." Alistair shouted as several Darkspawn came rushing down the hill. Two types came down. The first were the human sized Hurlocks, a creature with pale skin and rusted beige armor. They wielded curved blades and swung their swords wildly with little to no style or training, a brawler rather than a trained soldier.
The second type of Darkspawn that came down the hill was the smaller stoutly Genlock. This species of Darkspawn, while slow, were greater in number and hit slightly harder using Axes and Hammers. They wore armor similar to the Hurlocks, only slightly bulkier.
The armor didn't do much for them, one by one the Darkspawn fell to the group's weapons and capabilities. Roxas casting different types of magic at a distance helped keep them from being overwhelmed, much to the surprise of his compatriots as they thought he was a warrior. "Blizzard!!" He shouted as chunks of ice shot out from his keyblade freezing a few of the monster's feet . Leaving them wide open to attacks from the others as they could properly move to defend themselves.
Leina, being closest to those that were frozen, was taking advantage of said frozen state, cutting off the heads of the Hurlocks in one swing of her blade. Their black blood oozed out from where their heads once sat, though thankfully not spurting out to cover her.
The rest fell in short order to the others especially when Roxas did Strike Raid to cleave several of them in two.
"Good work, everyone." Alistair said as he handed each one of them two vials, it being rather obvious what they were for. He also made a point to dip his blade into the swamp water to get the blood off it and the others followed suit. "All right, now we have to obtain their blood." He explained, as he cut an artery of one of the Genlocks as its blood flowed into the vial filling it up to the very top before Alistair put a cork on it sealing it closed.
"Now the rest of you do the same." He stated, motioning to the two vials, and had them drain the blood from the darkspawn through whatever means as long as they got a full vial.
"Good, now all that's left is to retrieve those treaties and get the hell out of this murky place." Alistair said, leading the group through the swamp to where Duncan had told him the old outpost was.
Roxas looked around as they trekked through the swamp, seeing many old buildings and towers which once stood tall, now falling apart from age, neglect, and erosion, many leaning over being consumed by the swamp. Dead trees laying all around them as well many more darkspawn attacks.
Without anyone to care for the land, the swamp was reclaiming what once belonged to it.
"Having fun yet?" Alistair asked him, seeing the interest and wonder in the young man's eyes as he looked around.
"For the most, I always enjoyed sight seeing when I went to some place new, it didn't matter how depressing or ordinary it truly was. Just getting to be somewhere I hadn't even seen or imagined before made it worth it, even if it was just a simple town or market didn't matter." Roxas said with a shrug as he was enjoying the new sights, the combat didn't bother him since he was used to fighting Heartless everywhere he went anyway, the Darkspawn were just able to bleed.
Leina smiled hearing that, finding that it seemed like Roxas understood her desires very well as she was much the same way that he was about new sights, experiences, and locations to see.
Jory was looking like he was about to have a nervous breakdown and Daveth was looting every Darkspawn they killed while also plucking any plants that he knew could be made into poisons or medicines, something Roxas asked about when he saw him take a new plant.
"The dead have no need for it and we have a greater need for it." Davos had said in his defense as he saw Leina and Jory looking a tad upset over his looting, he then handed Leina a Health Potion and Stamina Draught, which he pocketed.
"True enough, better we use it than the Darkspawn possibly having enough intelligence to or bandits finding it." Roxas said as they traveled along deeper into the swamp coming across what seemed to be another decaying fortress like Ostagar, though Roxas could tell that this one was built to last much more than Ostagar was. However, better quality or not, it was still being consumed by the swamps and soon the Darkspawn if they kept spreading. Many of its structures and walls were covered in moss and vines, some of which did show signs of someone trying to cut it back, but not much.
They had to pause near the entrance as it had several rusty bear traps littering the way in and in the center of the courtyard beyond was a large building with a massive hole in the wall.
"That's where we need to go." Alistair said as he looked at it before snorting. "Cheery place, ain't it?" He asked and Roxas shrugged.
"I've seen worse, and I've seen better, so this is midground for me. Someone else may like it better, I guess, if you like swamps." Roxas replied, knowing that Hollow Bastion, Halloween Town, and Beast's Castle were all much more depressing and sinister in how they felt in just the air you breathed, the fact that Halloween Town's air was stale and filled with brimstone, stench of the dead, and toxic ooze, this place was a literal breath of fresh air.
"Oh, but where else can we find such quality bear traps just laid out before us?" Alistair asked in a fake chipper tone before tossing a rock at one causing several of them to go at once and Roxas blinked at him.
"Nowhere else, I am afraid." Daveth chimed in, while aiming his crossbow and letting it rip. Hitting a Darkspawn scout in the distance right in the throat.
"Oh that's a shame" Alistair stated as the Darkspawn fell.
"Quite." Leina said as they all watched the scout hit the water and sink into the swamp below, though the splash drew the attention of the rest of the current horde causing them to roar and charge them.
"Welp here they come." Jory said, taking his blade and steeling himself for more combat.
"Yeah, such a shame we don't have those traps still set up, the Darkspawn could have just charged straight into them for us." Roxas deadpanned, making Alistair scratch his cheek in a bit of sheepishness seeing his point.
"I can do this." Jory mumbled to himself, not paying attention to anything beyond the Darkspawn.
"Look sharp Ser Jory." Daveth said, hitting a few of the Darkspawn in the head as Roxas pulled his Keyblade back.
"Strike Raid." He stated as he threw his keyblade, said blade spinning as it soared through the air hitting and cutting through several darkspawn in its path before it returned to him in a small flash of light.
Leina, being one of the quickest of the group, cut down many of the buggers with her long sword as they came in range. She wasn't that trained in sword combat, but she was plenty skilled to handle these beasts.
One by one, the Darkspawn fell until the group reached the top of the hill within the walls. In front of them was a tall half-destroyed building and in the middle of said building was a chest, which Roxas hoped was their target since he had a bad feeling about lingering in this swamp for too long.
"There it is." Alistair said, causing Roxas to go and open the chest only to find it was empty.
"What the hell? It's empty, how can that be?" Roxas asked, making the others frown before Roxas immediately stood and summoned his Keyblade as he sensed someone.
"Well, well, what have we here?" A silky female voice asked, causing the others to turn around at the ready.
There, standing on a landing above them, was a woman who looked to be in her early 20s wearing a rather revealing outfit that showed off all of her cleavage, though they were smaller than Leina's, but she almost rivaled Leina in terms of sex appeal. The fact she had a staff in hand indicated she was a mage or witch, though Roxas knew that based on the magic he could feel coming off of her.
"Are you a vulture, I wonder?" The woman asked rhetorically walking down the steps from the landing towards them, "A Scavenger poking around a corpse, whose bones were long since picked clean. Or maybe an intruder? Come into these Darkspawn filled wilds in search of easy prey to get something." She said, approaching Roxas as he interested her and his presence was much more noticeable than any of the others, as was his weapon.
"What say you, Scavenger or Intruder?" She asked, a coy look on her face, her hazel eyes gleaming with mirth and amusement as if the answer didn't matter, she was just having fun with the situation.
Roxas stood his ground, but he did relax his stance just slightly, but kept his Keyblade ready to swing. "Neither. The Grey Wardens once owned this location." He said, gesturing a bit to the surrounding area while not taking his eyes off her, "And we are on official business, mainly to reclaim the items from that chest." Roxas added, giving her a pointed look.
The woman merely scoffed, "This is a tower, base, fortress, or whatever you would call it, no longer. I have watched your progress for some time, where do they go? I wondered. Why are they here? And now, you disturb ashes and bones that none have touched for so long. Why is that?" She asked in curiosity, pretty much ignoring everyone but Roxas.
"Don't answer her! She looks like Chasind." Alistair said to Roxas, "And that means others could be nearby." Allistair explained, making Roxas look at him wondering how he missed the staff she had.
The woman, however, laughed in amusement, "Ooh. You fear Barbarians will swoop down upon you and make you suffer?" She asked in mocking tone, wondering why this fool was in charge of this group, having herald the Wardens were more competent.
"Yes, swooping is bad, very bad." Alistair replied in a sarcastic tone to match her.
"She's a witch of the Wilds, she is, she'll turn us into toads." Daveth said in a panic as Roxas and Leina looked at him like he was an idiot.
If she was a witch that could hurt them, then why the fuck would you insult her?!?
The Woman rolled her eyes, "A witch of the wilds, have you no mind for believing in such tales?" She asked in exasperation, tired of those old tales making people lose intelligence for such nonsense, "You there, boy." She said motioning to Roxas, causing a few to tense, "Tell me your name and I shall tell you mine. Let's be civilized here." She said, ignoring the slight bit of irony that she was wearing animal furs and bird feathers yet was talking about being civilized.
Roxas shrugged, " Fair enough. You can call me, Roxas." He stated nodding his head to her, causing her to smile slightly.
"And you may call me, Morrigan, if you wish." She said in a much more polite tone than when she spoke to Alistair, "Shall I guess your purpose? No, no, that wouldn't be very entertaining since you already said why you were here, but is it your true purpose? That which is no longer in the chest, is it so vital now that you must have it?" She asked since Roxas had already told her they were here for the chest.
"What is no longer in the chest?!? You stole what was in the chest, didn't you?!? You're some kind of sneaky….witch thief." Alistair accused while fumbling his insult making Leina and Roxas sweatdrop and nearly facefault.
"Sneaky witch thief?" Leina asked incredulously as she shook her head with a sigh, "That's the best insult you can do?" She asked, giving him a look before shaking her head, "Also, how do you steal from dead men that left everything behind?" She asked since if the wardens left shit here for years, then they couldn't be upset when someone came and claimed it later.
"I agree with your scantily clad friend over here." Morrigan stated making Leina gain a tick mark on her head.
"Hey, you're not much better yourself." Leina pointed out in annoyance.
"I am also not as endowed as you, and my bosom is at least covered more than enough for modesty as is my rear end." Morrigan countered, making Leina pout since it wasn't her fault the armor apparently showed off too much for… wherever she was.
"And you can steal from dead men quite easily, those documents are Grey Warden property, I suggest you return them immediately." Alistair said sternly as Morrigan just looked at him before looking back to Roxas.
"I will not, or rather, I cannot. Twas not I who removed them thus I cannot return them." She explained before she looked at Alistair, "By all means though, continue to invoke a name that means nothing here any longer if you so wish. I am not threatened by a group that left this place and now wishes to keep what they left behind." Morrigan stated as Alistair frowned at her and she turned back to Roxas.
"Then if you didn't move them Morrigan, who did?" Roxas asked, trying to stay polite and keep the conversation on track.
Morrigan sighed in annoyance, "Twas my Mother in fact." She stated knowing this was going to get even more annoying for her.
"Your mother?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, you don't think I magically spawned into being did you?" Morrigan asked and Roxas blinked.
"I mean, it's entirely possible, that's how I was formed after all." He thought to himself "Then can you take us to her? We really need those documents and since you can't do anything, there's no reason she can't." Roxas asked and Morrigan smiled a bit.
"Mmm, a sensible request. I like you." She said smiling as Roxas gained a slight bit of pink on his face.
Leina smirked, "Careful Roxas, first it's I like you, then she'll want you. And if you piss her off, then poof you turn into a Toad." She said while ribbing him as Roxas rolled his eyes a bit while Morrigan snorted in amusement.
Daveth, not getting that Leina was joking, was still panicking and afraid, "She'll put us all in a pot she will." He stated, still clearly in a panic.
Jory had enough and wanted to move on with this shit, "If the pot is warmer than this swamp, I'll gladly endure it." He said as he was getting tired of this and wanted to finish so he could be done and go back to his wife sooner.
"Follow me then, if it pleases you." Morrigan said before walking off with Roxas shrugging to the others and following Morrigan, though he was trying hard to not stare at her ass as her pants were VERY form fitting on her, though it was easier than it was when following Leina.
Alistair, Jory, and Daveth were keeping hands on the weapons the whole way and looking around in fear and caution repeatedly as Morrigan continued leading them further inwards.
Eventually, they reached a small clearing and headed towards a small house in the middle of the swamp. Outside of which, stood an old woman with graying hair and a simple gown seeming frail and weak.
Morrigan approached, uncaring if they followed her closely or not, "Greetings, mother, I bring you four Grey Wardens, who-" Morrigan was cut off as the woman spoke.
"I see them, girl. Mmm, much as I expected." The woman said, eyeing them, but paused as she looked at Roxas, who seemed the most dangerous yet the most calm among them all and she could easily sense the magic coming off of him.
"Are we supposed to believe you were expecting us?" Alastair asked incredulously as the woman snorted.
"You are required to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight or open one's arms wide... either way one's a fool." The woman stated as she looked at Roxas.
"Unless he's made to see, then he's a fool who knows that he is one." Roxas stated making the woman smirk.
Daveth, looking about to panic again, was stopped by Leina, "Daveth, stop, if she is really a witch, do you want to make her mad?" She asked quietly as Daveth gulped.
The older woman laughed, "There's a smart girl, but it doesn't matter, believe what you will but I have no intention at this moment of causing you harm." She said before turning to Roxas again." And what do you believe in, child of the void? Do you possess a different viewpoint ? Or do you believe as the others do?" She asked as she stared at the boy, who was so interesting to her senses.
Roxas blinked before answering, "I'm honestly not sure what to believe, but even if I knew, it wouldn't matter. My beliefs won't give me any help in any situation." He said making the woman smile more.
"A statement that possesses more wisdom than it implies. Be always aware… or is it oblivious? I can never remember." She said putting her hand on her chin in thought, "So much about you is uncertain, and yet I believe. Do I ? Why, it seems I do!" She stated chuckling lightly.
"Sooo, this is the dreaded Witch of the Wilds." Alistair quipped, turning to Roxas as he was finding the situation rather funny while Roxas didn't look at him.
The woman in front of them was giving him a feeling similar to being around Xemnas, so he wasn't going to let his guard drop or take his eyes off of her unless he had to.
"Witch of the Wilds, eh ? Morrigan must have told you that. She fancies such tales, though she'd never admit it." The woman said as Morrigan rubbed her forehead in frustration and embarrassment, "Oh how she dances under the moon naked, hahah." The woman added with a laugh, making Roxas and Leina blush a bit at picturing Moorigan doing so, though Leina also imagined if she had done such a thing too.
"They did not come to listen to your wild tales, mother." Morrigan said, clearly having enough of her mother embarrassing her in front of the strangers.
"True, they came for their treaties, yes? And before you begin barking accusations, your precious seal wore off long ago. I've been protecting them should such an event as what is transpiring ever occur." She said as she went to gather the treaties from a crate near the house.
"You… oh, you protected them." Alistar said in honest surprise and thankfulness as Roxas just stared at the woman.
"and why not? Take them to your Grey Wardens and tell them this Blight's threat is greater than they realize and they should be more cautious and prepared for what lies ahead." She urged and Roxas could tell she knew more than she was telling, which wasn't anything new for Roxas to deal with.
"Thank you for returning them, and I'm sure the others will be eager to act on your advice." Alistair said with a bit of sarcasm at the end as he pocketed the treaties as Roxas held back a snort.
"The King will be, perhaps, a little too eager at that." Roxas thought, recalling his interaction with the overly excited monarch.
"Well, I cannot be responsible for their doubts. I would go mad! Or am I already?" She laughed as Roxas stared at her, finding her supposed madness to be quite fake, at least to his eyes and ears. "Oh, no, do not mind me. You have what you came for after all!" She stated, motioning them to go away.
"Time for you to go then." Morrigan said, eager for them to leave lest her mother try and humiliate her even further.
"Don't be ridiculous, girl, these are your guests." The woman said in a knowing tone making Morrigan sigh in defeat.
"Oh, very well, I will show them out of the woods in a timely manner, follow me." Morrigan said, annoyed at her mother, motioning them to follow.
Roxas shrugged at the others, but nodded to the woman to show some politeness, causing the woman to smile a bit as she nodded back and waved as they left following Morrigan.
A few hours later, night had fallen, and Morrigan had led them back to the entrance of camp, stopping just a ways off to ensure no one saw her or tried anything. "There you are, in less time than it would take if you had stumbled around on your own." Morrigan stated, motioning to the camp.
"Thanks for the help, Morrigan." Leina said, before surprising the group by giving the mage a hug, making Roxas blush a bit at their sizable busts pressing against each other.
"Er, yes. You're quite welcome… now, please let me go." Morrigan said being very uncomfortable with this and causing Leina to put her down.
"Yeah, thanks again." Roxas said, nodding to the mage, which Morrigan returned before she suddenly turned into a bird and flew away, shocking them at the act.
"Come on, you two, Duncan is waiting for us." Alistar said, not surprised given he already assumed things about Morrigan, as he headed towards the bond fire camp line and then the bonfire.
"Right, be right there." Leina said following after Alistair and the others while Roxas watched Morrigan until she was out of sight before he headed towards the dog kennels with the herb in hand.
"Here you go, sir." Roxas said handing him the herb making the kennel master look in shock and happiness. "I hope this helps."
The kennel master smiled seeing the herb, "Yes! That's exactly it! Wonderful, give me a moment and I'll make this into an ointment and some mixture for him to eat." He said as he left for a couple minutes into a tent as Roxas leaned against the fence line as the hounds all laid around or roughhoused until he came back holding two bowls with liquid in them.
The kennel master then moved into the kennel and began giving him the ointment and feeding him some from the second bowl. The dog rumbled slightly before he started perking up and licked the kennel master's face. "Ha! He looks better already. I'm sure he'd thank ya if he could." He stated with a laugh as he patted the hound before he stood and left the kennel with the bowls.
Roxas smiled, "I'm glad I could help, but how long before improvement?" He asked, wondering if the dog would be able to survive if the next skirmish went to shit.
"A day or two, there's enough ointment for him to make a full recovery without any adverse effects." The kennel master explained before smiling, "Why not come by after the next battle? Perhaps we can see about imprinting him on you." He suggested, surprising Roxas.
"You think it's possible?" Roxas asked curiously and the man shrugged.
"Maybe. It's likely he understands that you're responsible for curing him. Mabari are about as smart as your average Tax Collector, well smarter." He joked, causing Roxas to snort. "Come back after the battle, and we'll give it a try." He added, making Roxas nod.
"Alright, I will." Roxas said as headed toward the others as Duncan approached them with a pleased smile.
"So, you return from the Wilds, and I see you have a new companion." Duncan said, motioning to Leina, who bowed her head to him a bit as she was waiting for the smithy to find some suitable attire to go with her armor, she was going to do it if for no other reason than to stop the catcalls and whistling from the various soldiers. "I take it, you were successful?" He asked, ignoring Leina's attire as he honestly didn't care if she fought in that or naked, so long as she was a warden and could fight, that was what mattered.
Roxas did note that Leina had a bit more padding on her, though he hoped she was getting more than that.
"It wasn't a problem." He said, deciding to get his mind away from his attractive companion, giving a thumbs up as Leina nodded, though Jory and Daveth didn't seem so enthused.
"Good, I've had the Circle mages preparing for the ceremony. With the blood you've retrieved, we can begin the Joining immediately for all four of you shortly." Duncan said before turning to Leina, "I take it that's why you are here, yes? To join the wardens." Duncan asked, making Leina nod her head in determination.
"Yes, my name is Leina Vance, and I wish to join the Wardens." She said as she stood straight, "I need purpose in my life, and honestly to grow as a person away from my family and their desires and plans for my life." She stated as Roxas looked at her for a moment.
Duncan nodded, there had been quite a few youth that joined the Wardens to get away from their families, so this was nothing new. "I understand. Now, are you all ready to begin?" He asked, looking at each of the recruits.
"I'm ready, Duncan." Roxas said not feeling phased at all by what could happen.
"Good, you will need that courage to face what comes next." Duncan said ominously with Roxas looking unphased while the others were getting a bit nervous.
"Courage? Just how much danger are we in by taking this initiation?" Daveth asked in concern that was mirrored by Jory and somewhat by Leina.
"I will not lie; we Grey Wardens pay a heavy price to become what we are and obtain the power to face the Darkspawn. Fate may decree you pay your price now, rather than later, though I hope and pray that is not the case." Duncan stated still getting fearful reactions from the recruits, except for Roxas.
"I've come this far, I will see this through to the end, whatever it may be." Roxas said defiantly, unphased by any of this.
He'd seen far worse, experienced far worse, he wasn't going to be stopped by some ritual or ceremony or fucking magical sacrifice shit.
"I agree, let's just have it done." Jory said, putting up a brave front but it was clear to many that he was terrified of what could happen.
"Then let's begin. Alistair, take them to the old temple, I'll be along momentarily." Duncan ordered as Alistair nodded.
"Right then, let's go chaps, and lass." Alistair said, leading the four to their fates and their destiny.
Arriving at the old temple area, Alistair nodded to them, "Wait here, I have something to check on and will return shortly." He stated making Roxas and Leina nod while Daveth and Jory didn't seem to be paying attention.
As they waited, Jory was getting more and more antsy, "The more I hear about this joining, the less I like it." He said annoying Daveth, who was already freaked out and didn't need to hear more of this.
"Are you blubbering again?" Daveth asked as Roxas leaned against a wall and Leina was pacing a bit.
"Why all these damned tests? Have I not earned my place?!?" Jory asked and Roxas snorted.
"Maybe they're just trying to annoy you." Leina chimed in, having enough of the bickering and whining, "Maybe it's traditional." She said knowing it could be anything really.
"Maybe it's tradition and functionality, or it could be that the ritual involves a practice that others would find distasteful, but it's necessary to fight the Darkspawn on even ground." Roxas stated knowing it was possible since they were working so hard to hide it from others.
"But why though?!? There's no reason to keep this so secret and underwraps." Jory stated getting on their nerves even more.
"Jory for the love of God, shut up you're giving me a headache." Roxas said annoyed with the older man, "They probably don't want any idiots trying to perform the rites to become a Warden without them knowing about it. Could you imagine if any hostile kingdoms decided to make an army of Wardens that fought for them rather than trying to stop the Darkspawn?" Roxas asked, making Leina and Daveth grimace at the thought.
"I only know my wife is with child back in Highever. If they had just warned me… it just doesn't seem fair." Jory complained, making them roll their eyes.
Daveth shook his head, "Would you have come if they had warned you? Maybe that's why they don't. The Wardens must do as they must for the good of all, right?" Daveth asked, knowing that there were worse fates than whatever this ritual had in store for them.
"Including sacrificing us?!?" Jory demanded showing his fear as they all just looked at him.
"Of course they're willing to do that, it's for the good of everyone else. Four people vs the tens of thousands of people that the Darkspawn will wipe out?" Leina said accepting whatever fate had in store for them since it was better for the few to die than for everyone to.
"Agreed. I'd sacrifice a lot more than just my life if I knew it would end the Blight." Daveth said, having heard many of the horrors that a Blight brings upon the world.
"He makes a good point, Jory, would you like it if those things made it to your wife and child in Highever?" Roxas said as Jory looked away.
"You saw those Darkspawn, Ser Knight. Wouldn't you die to protect your pretty wife from them? Surely, you've heard the tales of what the Darkspawn do to their victims, should your wife not be spared that horror?" Daveth asked, as Jory struggled to answer quickly.
"I…" Jory started only to get cut off;
"Maybe you'll die, maybe we'll all die, but if no one stops the Blight then we die for sure " Daveth stated making his point.
"I've just never faced a foe that I could never face with my blade ready and in hand." He said solemnly as Alistair and Duncan returned making them all straighten up.
"At last, we come to the Joining." Duncan started, his tone full of reverence and a bit of sorrow, "The Grey Wardens were founded during the very first Blight, when humanity stood on the verge of annihilation. Deciding that destroying their enemy was worth any price, it was decided by a group of like-minded individuals that they should attempt to take their enemy's power. Thus they drank of Darkspawn blood and mastered their taint becoming the first Grey Wardens." Duncan revealed, surprising the four recruits.
"We're going to drink the blood of those…those creatures?" Jory asked terrified, horrified, and unnerved as Duncan nodded.
"As the first Grey Wardens did before us, and as we did before you. This is the source of our power and our victory over our enemy." Duncan stated as Roxas frowned, his mind going to how Riku had decided that to defeat the darkness, he had to embrace and use the darkness.
The results of which weren't filling Roxas with confidence, he knew there HAD to be some kind of catch to this. No one took in corruption or taint and didn't have adverse effects.
Though that brought up the question of what would happen to him? He wasn't meant to exist, hell if you asked certain people he didn't exist period. He was a being of darkness and nothingness, yet had the power of light from his Other and from merging with Xion, so what would happen if he knowingly took in a different darkness to his very essence?
"Those who survive the Joining, become immune to the taint, you could bathe in Darkspawn blood and be wounded every day and never suffer the curse of such a thing. We can also sense it in the Darkspawn and use it to slay the archdemon, thus we are never ambushed or surprised when Darkspawn are near." Alistair explained, making Roxas pay attention again and frown as they had said survive, meaning that there was a chance of death.
It seemed the taint was very similar to darkness, strong enough wills could bend it to their will, those too weak would succumb and be destroyed or corrupted beyond recognition.
However, he'd already faced darkness and been judged by the light, so this didn't phase him. "Alright then, let's get this over with." He said with conviction, feeling some fear but he'd not blink in the face of danger or darkness.
Such weakness would only serve to allow the darkness something to latch onto.
His conviction seemed to give the others a bit more of a spine and Leina stood resolute while Daveth looked determined yet accepting of whatever fate had planned and Jory was still shaking a bit.
Duncan smiled a bit, seeing that Roxas was a bit of a natural leader, but he could learn from a bit more patience. "We speak only a few words prior to the Joining, but these words have been said since the first. Alistair if you would." Duncan said, motioning to him, causing him to nod as he clutched at his necklace and lowered his head.
"Join us Brothers and Sisters. Join us in Shadows, where we stand, vigilant and ready. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn nor neglected. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten and that one day we shall join you, as will all things of this world." Alistair recited as Duncan grabbed a silver goblet and called out the first name to be tested.
"Daveth, step forward " Duncan ordered as the thief approached and hesitated only a moment before he drank from the gobblet. Nothing happened for a moment, before suddenly he felt his head aching and grabbed his stomach in pain as his eyes rolled to the back of his head showing the whites of eyes before blood began dribbling out of his mouth.
"Maker's breath." Jory said fear as Daveth choked on his blood and collapsed dead with Duncan sighing in sadness.
"I am sorry Daveth." Duncan said mournfully as Alistair said a prayer over the fallen man. "Step forward, Jory." He ordered, but the knight in a panic drew his sword and brandished it at Duncan.
"But… I have a wife, a child! Had I known…" He started as Roxas and Leina looked at him and shook their heads.
"There is no turning back, complete the ritual." Duncan said sternly and emotionlessly, which Roxas couldn't blame him, he'd likely seen too many of his brothers and sisters as well as innocent people be slaughtered by the Darkspawn, he had to harden his heart in terms of compassion for what was necessary.
Something Roxas wished Sora would learn.
There was a time and place for pity, sorrow, celebration, and all of that, but Sora didn't do that. He wore his heart on his sleeve and acted immediately how he felt, not keeping his head in the game when necessary at times.
"No! You ask too much! THERE'S NO HONOR IN THIS!" He said before shouting at the end and swung his sword at Duncan who blocked it and plunged his dagger into Jory's heart, killing the knight quickly and as painlessly as possible.
"I am sorry." Duncan told the dying man as he slumped to the floor, dead. "But the Joining is not yet complete, and we can't have you telling anyone about this, too many foolish people would try to imitate us and the results would be disastrous.
Roxas and Leina were shocked at what happened, but were still willing to go through with it as they understood Duncan's position.
"The both of you took it upon yourself to join our order and submit yourself to the taint for the great good of your own free will. Now, join us as wardens for all of humanity." He said, handing Roxas the goblet first.
Roxas nodded to him before giving Leina a "cheers" motion with the goblet and drank from it. Once he had consumed his portion, he handed it to Leina who did the same, wanting to get it over with before seeing Roxas' reaction potentially broke her nerve.
"From this moment forth, you are both Grey Wardens." Duncan said as he and Alistair could sense the taint within them taking root like their other brothers and sister.
The two blondes groaned as they suffered an intense headache as their eyes turned white and collapsed to the ground.
Roxas wasn't passed out, however, and instead he was shown a vision of a massive dragon. Its scales were jagged and purple and the flames it unleashed were an unnatural black and purple. It roared as it overlooked the Darkspawn horde before it then it turned to look at Roxas as if it could see him and roared out in challenge at him and Roxas couldn't help but compare it to Maleficent in the darkness it exuded along with rage and… pain?.
He jolted awake to see Duncan, Leina, and Alistar leaning over him as he panted and gasped for breath, feeling sweat having accumulated on his face.
"It is finished. Welcome to the fold, my brother." Duncan said, helping him up as Roxas nodded to him and tried to regain his bearings.
"Two more deaths, in my joining only one of us died, but it was…horrible I'm glad at least two of you made it through and without the sight of one of those deaths." Alistair said somberly as Leina put her hand on his shoulder and patted it.
"How do you feel?" Duncan asked hoping that there were no negative effects as, to his knowledge, a Keyblade wielder had never partook in the Joining.
"Well, that is definitely on my list of most unpleasant experiences I've ever had." Roxas said, cracking his neck as he did though truthfully it didn't make top five for him, sad as that was.
Duncan merely chuckled a little at his newest charge, knowing full well a keyblade wielder had likely seen some shit and then some.
"Did either of you have dreams? I had terrible nightmares after my Joining." Alistar asked, wanting to know so he could provide some comfort.
Leina shuddered, "I saw nothing but darkness and felt cold, and there were constant whispers in my ear, the things they said, what they would do." She said feeling uncomfortable and rubbing her arms lightly.
"Such dreams come when one begins to sense the Darkspawn, as we all do, the taint and corruption in their blood reveals the cruelty within them and by extension humanity. That and other things can be explained in the months to come to make it easier for you to either ignore them or stop them from occurring." Duncan said as Alistair handed Roxas and Leina each a pedant, though Duncan had his eye on Roxas as it seemed something more had potentially been seen by him.
He'd remember to ask later when they were in private.
"We take some of the blood and put it in a pendant to remind us of those who didn't make it and as a reminder of what we face to become Wardens." Alastair explained as Leina put it around her neck and Roxas clipped it to his belt like a charm.
"Take some time, all three of you, there's still some time before we must meet with the king. When you are ready, meet me back here and we shall go once things are prepared." Duncan instructed, knowing the two would need a bit of time to process things and Alistair would need to cope with two more recruits falling and the fact that they'd have to burn their bodies.
"No problem." Roxas said to him as he wanted to clear his head a bit and Leina nodded as well.
"The meeting is over there in the main part of that structure there." He stated pointing to a section of the fortress that was still mostly intact. "Please come when you are ready and we can begin." Duncan explained as he and Alistair headed off leaving Roxas and Leina alone.
They were Wardens now, they would now have to prove they were worthy of it.
