Chapter 70: Lethallin (Theron)
At the castle, the arriving Wardens and their companions learned about everything that had happened: about Connor's magical gift, about Jowan, who had come to teach him, about the poisoning of first Eamon and then Teagan, about Daylen's heroism during the fight in the castle, as well as about the death of Eamon. Isolde, the widow of the late Arl and Connor's mother, seemed very rude to Theron. She didn't want to see Kallian anymore, but Adela insisted on the elf's presence in the castle. Faren and Basarad replaced two tired knights and stood at the stairs to the second floor.
Theron and Tamlen stood by the fireplace in the main hall, looking into the fire and holding hands.
- I didn't even have time to say goodbye to the clan, - said Tamlen. - How did they react?
- Everyone was sad, - Theron replied. - Paivel buried you with no body. Merrill and Marethari were especially sad.
- And Fenarel?
- Your brother? He never returned from the scouting trip. I didn't get to meet him before Duncan picked me up.
- Lethallin... I... must apologize to you.
- For what?
- It's because of me that we ended up in this situation. I acted like a fool, I risked myself and you, all so that Marethari would allow us to get married.
- So that's why you took me to that cave?
- I was hoping to find something worthwhile there that would show our value to the clan, despite who we are. And... this.
Tamlen took a veridium ring from his pocket.
- I made it a couple of days before... before the cave. More precisely, not me, but Master Ilen, but you understand.
- I will accept this as a gift, - Theron said, putting on the ring. - We will talk about our future plans after your Joining.
- Yes, lethallin... of course.
Tamlen looked at the fireplace again and immediately fainted. Theron remembered that he, too, had fainted on the road to Ostagar. This meant only one thing: the corruption began to manifest itself even despite the treatment.
Theron carried Tamlen into the kitchen and laid him on the floor. After that, he found Adela, who was talking with Jowan and Ox.
- Tamlen has lost consciousness! We need to carry out the ritual urgently! - said the elf.
- This isn't good, - Ox answered.
- This is to unexpected, - the dwarf added. - I thought the ritual could wait until the mages returned.
- Can you still perform the ritual or not? - Theron asked.
- The ritual requires the help of mages. It's good that two of them are in front of us. Ox, can you keep secrets?
- Of course, - the old Qunari proudly said. - You can't even imagine how many secrets there are between these horns.
- Then bend down. I'll whisper the list of ingredients to you.
Ox got down on one knee and lowered his head so that Adela could reach his ear. Having heard everything he needed, he stood up.
- I didn't think it was so simple. Hey, young man, - he turned to Jowan. - Can you shoot lightning? Or should I turn to the witch instead?
- Yes, we were taught this in the Circle, - the apostate answered uncertainly.
- Great, then let's go get the ingredients.
Both mages left. The elf and the dwarf returned to the kitchen, where Tamlen had already woken up.
- Sorry, - Tamlen said. - I've scared you.
- You have nothing to apologize for, lethallin, - Theron said, hugging him. - Ox and Jowan will now find all the ingredients for your Joining.
Half an hour later everything was ready. Theron, Tamlen, Adela, Faren and Kallian gathered in the main hall, closing all the doors so that non-Wardens could not enter. Adela glanced at the cup.
- Ox and Jovan have done everything right, - she said, opening the bottle and pouring the blood of the archdemon into the cup. - Now everything depends on Tamlen.
- Lethallin... I remember what you did for me, - Tamlen said to Theron. When your time comes, I will go into the Deep Roads with you.
- Please, don't. I didn't save you so you could die twenty years earlier.
- My place is with you until the end of my days. You know it.
- What are they talking about? - Kallian asked.
- I'll explain later, - Adela said, raising the cup. - Tamlen, are you ready?
- I'm always ready, - the elf answered proudly.
- Who will say the words?
Theron took a step forward and began to speak, without taking his eyes off Tamlen:
- Join us brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day we shall join you.
- Tamlen, step forward, - Adela said.
The elf took the cup from the dwarf's hands and took a sip. At first it seemed like everything was fine. Tamlen blinked once and handed the cup back to Adela.
- Creators have saved me! - Tamlen shouted enthusiastically.
But before Theron had time to congratulate his lover, he immediately grabbed his head and screamed. Theron ran to him and tried to help, but Tamlen walked several steps, screaming and bleeding from the mouth.
- No! Lethallin! - Theron shouted.
Kallian and Faren also wanted to approach, but Adela stopped them.
- He can no longer be saved, - she said.
Soon Tamlen's torment ended. He fell to the floor, closing his eyes forever.
- One day we shall join you, brother, - Adela said.
- Ir abelas, ma vhenan, - Theron said, not holding back his tears.
Kallian touched his shoulder.
- How are you? Do you want to talk? - she asked.
- I want to be alone.
Theron ran out of the castle, not knowing what to do next. Everything could have been different. They could have been together if not for the Joining. But he couldn't blame Adela and the other Wardens for what happened. No one could say for sure that Tamlen would survive.
Standing in the middle of the bridge, the elf began to look at the lake.
- I hoped that he would survive. And I really wanted it. Forgive me, - he heard a voice from behind.
Theron turned to Adela and hugged her.
- You didn't know. No one did. Do not blame yourself.
- Theron, we need you. We will bury Tamlen according to your traditions. And after that we will have to concentrate.
- You can count on me. For the next ten years I'm with you. But after that, I will reunite with Tamlen in the afterlfe.
- What if I say that you can leave for the afterlife and at the same time fulfill your duty earlier than in ten years?
- I'm listening. But make it fast.
- Didn't they tell you about the murder of the archdemon?
- No, Duncan didn't say anything about it.
- The Grey Warden who deals the final blow to the archdemon will die with it.
- So what?
- Usually the archdemon is killed by the eldest of the Wardens present. And since you have accelerated the corruption in your blood, you are the eldest of us.
- Then I will end the Blight and return to Tamlen, no matter what. I'm in.
- The more important thing is that Ferelden can count on you.
Theron looked at the lake again and saw a familiar boat with red sails.
- This is the aravel! What is it doing here?
- One aravel in the lake? Don't your people travel in groups? - Adela asked.
- I have to find out what they're doing here!
Theron ducked down and began screaming and waving his arms.
- Elvhen! Elvhen! I am one of you! Stop!
Those who were in the aravel apparently heard Theron and began to sail towards the dock in the village. Both Grey Wardens ran towards it. Adela, being a dwarf, lagged behind Theron, but the elf didn't wait for her and continued to run as fast as he could.
Having reached the dock, Theron saw a moored aravel, from which a strong young man with shoulder-length blond hair and an unarmed young girl with a frightened look emerged.
- Merrill? Fenarel? - Theron asked in surprise.
Both elves immediately hugged him.
- We heard about Ostagar when the clan was leaving Ferelden, - Merrill said. - We stayed and decided to help you. If you were us, you would have done the same.
- Did Marethari let you go?
- We didn't tell her, - Fenarel answered.
- I... I'm glad you came for me.
- What else could we do? Merrill, Theron, Fenarel, Tam... sorry. Together forever.
- You need to know something about Tamlen. Fenarel, you'd better sit down.
The elf listened to his clanmate and sat down on the bench. Theron began to speak, trying not to cry again:
- I found Tamlen in the forest. The corruption was killing him, and I went through a lot to cure him. The last stage of treatment was the Joining ritual. Tamlen... he didn't make it. He died less than an hour ago.
Merrill burst into tears. Fenarel covered his hands with his face.
- My brother is dead. I didn't get to see him... for the last time...
- We will bury him according to our traditions, - Theron said. - Will you stay with us? We have many different elves, durgen'lens and shemlens in our group. But I trust them just as much as I trust you.
- That's why we're here, Theron, - Merrill answered. - We will remain in Ferelden until the end of the Blight. The clan went to our old camp place at the Sundermount, near the human city called Kirkall. We can get there easily. You still want to return to the clan after the Blight, right?
Theron decided not to tell his friends about his plans.
- Yes, of course I will go with you.
- Someone is coming!
The elves saw Adela approaching the dock.
- Calm down, friends, - Theron said. - This is Adela, my friend and also a Grey Warden. Adela, this is Merrill and Fenarel. They are my friends and clanmates.
- I'm glad to meet you, - said the dwarf. - My condolences. Tamlen would have made a great Grey Warden.
- Let's go back to the castle. Tamlen's body needs to be prepared for... for the burial.
The elves and the dwarf went to the castle. That night Creators played a cruel joke on Theron, depriving him of the love of his life, but at the same time returning his friends.