Chapter 68: Broken Circle (Daylen)
Late at night, Alistair and Daylen reached the dock leading to the Circle tower. The full moon was illuminating Lake Calenhad and the tower.
- And this is the Circle? I was expecting something more terrible, - said Alistair, looking at the tower.
- I wouldn't be so happy if I were you, - Daylen answered. – I thought you said that you were trained as a templar? Most likely you would have had to work and live here. The cons are: you'd live within these dreary walls, maybe a couple of times you'd be able to kill apprentices who failed the Harrowing, but otherwise the job of a templar is pretty boring.
- Are there any pros?
- Well, you should have met Neria there. This is a pro for you.
Daylen and Alistair approached the dock, where a young templar with red hair stood, peering intently at both of the Grey Wardens.
- Who are you? – the templar asked. - Do you want to go to the tower? It's closed and I won't let you through!
- And who are you then? – Daylen asked.
- My name is Caroll. I was assigned to stop everyone who wants to get into the tower. For example, the two of you. You shall not pass!
- You don't know me, do you? I was an apprentice in this tower and recently left it.
The templar scratched his head and took out his sword.
- So you are Jowan? Greagoir said you must die.
- Calm down, I'm not Jowan, I'm Daylen. I joined the Order of the Grey Wardens. And my friend and I are here on some serious issues.
- Grey Wardens? If you are the Grey Wardens, then I am the Queen of Antiva.
At that moment, Daylen thought that he should have taken Morrigan with him. With his excessive politeness and Alistair's indecisiveness, they were stuck here, on the approach to the lake.
- Maybe we can come to an agreement somehow? – Alistair asked.
- Forty sovereigns, and I'll take you to the tower, - Carroll answered. - There is one girl here, and she will sleep with me for... You get it. Forty sovereigns.
- Where can we find so much gold?
- These are your problems, not mine.
Daylen thought for a bit and said:
- You know, I'm a very important person. Have you heard about the Amell family? They have enormous influence in the Free Marches, and I am one of them. Keep being rude to me, and my father will use his connections in the Chantry to demote you to a chamber pot cleaner. You don't want this, right?
- Wait, Daylen, isn't your father... - Alistair began to speak, but was stopped.
- Shut up, otherwise my father will punish you even more. Do you see this bumpkin, Carroll? His name is Alistair... Alistair Cousland, and he was a member of the second most important family in Ferelden. And who is he now? My servant. And all because my father accidentally tripped over him. Do you want to end up the same way?
- Probably not, - the templar answered.
- Great, then take us to the tower quickly.
The Grey Wardens and the templar boarded a boat and crossed the lake. Daylen and Alistair walked through the gate and saw a rather creepy picture. Greagoir stood in the center of the hall and gave orders. Liam and Sten, along with four templars, held the door, and three wounded templars lay in the corner of the hall.
- Does this happen here every day? – Alistair asked.
- This is not what I expected from the Circle, - Daylen muttered.
- And now we wait and pray, - Greagoir said, looking at the arriving Grey Wardens.
- Greagoir, what's going on? Where is Neria?
- Look who's back. Finally a Grey Warden, right? The tower is no longer under our control. It was captured by abominations and demons. First Jowan, now this.
- I didn't come here to argue about Jowan. Redcliffe and the Grey Wardens need the help of the mages, the templars need the help of the Grey Wardens. How did it all happen?
- The meeting of enchanters ended with a sudden attack of the demons, they attacked both the templars and the mages. I realized that they could not be defeated and ordered my men to retreat.
- Where was Neria at that moment?
- Last time I saw her, she was fighting off demons in the templar hall.
- So much for the warriors of the Chantry. All you can do is take defenseless children from their parents and kill apprentices from behind at the Harrowings.
- I wouldn't recommend you to make me angry, young man. You're still not in chains only because you became a Grey Warden. I've sent a letter to Denerim, asking for reinforcements and the Right of Annulment.
- The Right of Annulment? What's this? – Alistair asked.
- The Right of Annulment gives the templars the right to kill all mages in the Circle. The situation is critical. We'll have to destroy everything and start from the very beginning.
- But this is wrong, - Daylen said angrily. – Neria and other mages may still be alive!
- If they are alive, then the Maker himself saved them.
- I'll go and look for the survivors.
- Abominations are too dangerous. Even one abomination is a strong enemy, and there are hordes of them out there.
- There is not a single enemy who could stop the Grey Wardens. I've read about them in the books. Yes, abominations are destructive rage combined with magical abilities. But we can and will defeat them! Who's with me?
The templars shook their heads silently as Liam and Sten walked away from the door.
- Neria is out there somewhere, - Alistair said. – We must find her! I will go with you.
- Daylen, you're not a good speaker, - Liam continued. - But you saved my life. You can count on me.
- I have no sympathy for those Saarebases in the tower, - Sten said. - However, if you want us to save them, kadan, then lead, and I will follow you.
- Well, it's your decision, - Greagoir concluded. - But I'm warning you. Once the four of you cross the threshold, the doors will be closed. And they won't open until I see Irving or any of the senior enchanters. If all of them are dead, then this Circle must be destroyed. May Andraste guide you.
The three humans and the Qunari got ready and walked through the doors, which immediately closed in front of them. The corridor was too quiet. The Wardens and their companions carefully walked through the apprentice chambers, encountering only corpses along the way. Daylen even knew some of these dead mages and templars by name. Only once did an abomination appear in front of them, which Liam decapitated without any problems.
- Yeah, Daylen, you were right about the templars, - said the recruit. - They are very weak if they are so afraid of these abominations. There was one guy here with noodles on his head, he really didn't want to let Neria into the upper floors. Stupid templar
- With noodles on his head? – Daylen asked. - You're talking about Cullen? He's weird, I agree.
After passing through the corridor, they found themselves in a hall where three magicians covered young students and a girl who did not want to fight, fighting off two rage demons. The warriors rushed to their aid, and Daylen sealed the fading barrier at the entrance to the library. By joining forces, the warriors and the mages defeated the demons.
Daylen looked at all the hiding mages. The senior enchantress Wynne, she was Neria's mentor and visited them in Ostagar. The apprentice Kinnon, whom Daylen considered his buddy. The mage Petra, with whom Daylen had a brief affair. The apprentice Keili, devout and self-loathing, an ideal candidate for becoming tranquil. And several children. All that remains of the Circle. As much as Daylen hated this place, he felt sorry for everyone who died that day.
- Daylen? Have you returned to the tower? – Wynne asked. - Why did the templars let you through?
- The templars are waiting for the Right of Annulment, it has not arrived yet, - the young mage answered.
- That's what I thought. Greagoir believes that the Circle can no longer be saved. He probably thinks we're all dead.
- Neria went here before me. If you are alive, then she could survive too. Where is she? What's going on here?
- Uldred staged a rebellion. I don't know how many mages were on his side, but there were a lot of them. Irving and Torrin were unable to escape from the Harrowing Chamber, Sweeney and Leorah are definitely dead. Neria and I were attacked, and Neria told me to run to save the apprentices. If anyone survived there, it was definitely Neria. I believe in her.
- Then we must find the survivors and kill Uldred. Greagoir said that he would not annul the Circle only if he saw Irving or any of the senior enchanters. Wynne, you'd better stay here. If I don't find Irving and Torrin alive, then you are the Circle's last hope.
- I would offer to go with you, but since Greagoir is ready to trust a senior enchanter, it's better for me to stay here. I hope'll you find someone alive in the tower.
- Liam, stay with Wynne and the mages. Keep them safe.
- Yes, of course, - Liam said.
Daylen turned off the barrier and moved on with Alistair and Sten. They passed the first floor without any problems, meeting along the way only two abominations and one rage demon. On the second floor they started fighting blood mages. The two warriors and the mage had to kill everyone who raised a staff at them, and there were too many of them. Daylen detached himself from the maleficars - he personally knew many of them, he practiced spells with some of them, some copied his homework, some even taught him. But that didn't matter now. They all crossed the line that should not be crossed.
- Please, Daylen, don't kill me! – the girl in the apprentice robe shouted, falling to the floor and dropping her staff after the fight.
Daylen looked at her. It was Sylvia, another one of the girls he had relationships with. The young mage raised his hand up, stopping Alistair and Sten.
- Sylvia? Why are you among the blood mages?
- I didn't want to kill anyone, I just wanted freedom. Uldred showed us how to achieve it.
- What did he promise you?
- He said that Loghain would help us free ourselves from the oppression of the Chantry. Do you remember what life is like here? The templars are constantly watching us. Constantly.
- So what? Is this now a reason to resort to blood magic? I thought you were above this.
- Blood magic gave me the opportunity to fight for what I believe in.
- And what did this fight lead to? Your rebellion will be suppressed. The Templars will put even more pressure, and the life of future mages will become worse.
- Without bloodshed, change is impossible. Andraste defeated the Tevinter Imperium not with a letter, but with an army. Many died for her victory.
- Don't compare yourself to Andraste. Your struggle is useless.
- Now Uldred has gone mad, and we are doomed. I... I want to fix everything.
- Then you will come with us, - said Daylen, helping Sylvia up. - Sten, Alistair, watch her. If any of her movements seem suspicious to you, I give you permission to kill her.
- Thank you, - Sylvia said. - After I help you, I will find redemption in the Chantry.
- You know, the Chantry may not take you, - Alistair intervened. - They're very picky about who deserves redemption. Harlots and murderers? Yes. Maleficars? Absolutely not.
The four of them walked through two more floors and reached a large hall surrounded by bookshelves. In the center of the hall, six mages lay beside a table. Alistair went over to inspect them, but suddenly fell down next to them and did not get up. Sten decided to see what was wrong with Alistair and also came close to the center.
- Vashedan! I want to sleep... - Sten cursed loudly and quietly lay down on the floor.
Daylen understood what was going on. There's a sloth demon. Uncle Malcolm told Daylen all about the different types of demons. The sloth demon feeds on the laziness and apathy of living beings. Now Daylen will not be able to help Alistair and Sten in any way, but he will definitely return to them after he kills Uldred. He is very close to reaching the Harrowing chamber.
- Sylvia, stay here and don't enter this room, - Daylen said.
- And what will you do?
- I'll bypass the demon. Its range is limited to the table and the bodies of those it has captured. If I'm not back in the next two hours, get to the first floor and tell Wynne we've failed.
Daylen cast a magical shield on himself and carefully walked around the hall, staying close to the bookshelves.
- You can't take me, demon! - he said.
- I don't need to take you, - the demon's menacing voice rang out. - He's waiting for you upstairs.
Waiting upstairs? Does Uldred already know that Daylen is in the tower? The mage did not have time to think about this question. However, not long after Daylen left the hall and walked a few steps, he experienced a severe headache and fell to his knees. Everything around him turned grey, and a small grey mouse began to run back and forth in front of him.
- Mouse? Are you following me again? – Daylen asked. - I thought I'd dealt with you during the Harrowing.
The mouse turned into a young red-haired apprentice, dressed in the red robe of a senior enchanrer, which is inappropriate for his alleged status.
- We didn't finish last time, Amell, - said the demon. – I have an offer for you.