Chapter 11: Freedom (Daylen)
The next morning, all four escapees entered the basement. Neria said that she managed to get permission from Leorah after helping her with some personal matter. The elf expertly led Daylen, Jowan and Lily through the catacombs of the tower, explaining that she had found an old map in the library. In one of the halls, Lily was frightened by a talking statue from Tevinter, and therefore they had to leave as soon as possible.
Finally, they reached the phylactery hall.
- We must find Jowan's phylactery immediately! - Lily said.
- It's a pity they took mine to Denerim, - Daylen added.
- Would you run away with us if you could? - Jowan asked.
- Certainly. When I was caught using magic, I was fourteen. I remember well what it is like to be free, and I will tell you: it is better there than here.
- You can run away with us, - Lily said. - You know how the templars think, and you can hide from them. And as for your phylactery, we'll figure something out.
- I agree. But then we'd better split up for a while. What about you, Neria?
- I'm satisfied with everything here. I'd rather stay in the Circle.
- I can't believe you think so. Do you like to live in captivity and obey the templars, not all of whom have good intentions? Yes, our Circle is not so bad. But I've heard such things about the Circles in Kirkwall and Starkhaven that I wouldn't want my enemy to be in them. And Anders does not just escape this Circle all the time.
- To each their own. Jowan, find the phylactery as soon as possible.
Jowan spent a couple of minutes searching and found a vial of his own blood. Daylen noticed a suspicious, crazy gleam in his eyes.
- This is all that stands between me and freedom, - said Jowan and smashed the vial against the wall. - And now I'm free.
- It's too early to celebrate, we still need to get out of the tower, - Daylen objected.
All four left the basement and reached the main door, surprisingly without any templars guarding it.
- Don't you think it's too easy? - Lily asked.
- No time to talk! Daylen, pull the lever! - Jowan shouted.
- I won't go with you. Good luck! - Neria said very uncertainly.
Daylen pulled the lever and walked out of the tower with Jowan and Lily. Outside, Irving, Greagoir, and four other templars were waiting for them, with several boats tied to the dock just behind them.
- So you were right, Irving, - said the Knight-Commander.
- Ser Greagoir? - Lily muttered in fear.
- A servant of the Chantry collaborating with a blood mage. I can't believe this! Lily, I'm disappointed.
Knight-Captain Drass emerged from the tower, dragging Neria behind him.
- Greagoir, I spotted her at the exit. Maybe she's involved too, - Drass said as he joined the rest of the templars.
- Jowan is not a blood mage! - Daylen was enraged by such accusation.
- We will discuss your part in the escape later. It's good that at least one of you what she had to do, - said Irving.
Neria suddenly moved away from her friends and stood next to the First Enchanter.
- How could you, Neria? - Jowan asked incredulously. - We have been friends since childhood!
- It's for your own good, - Neria said.
- Is Tranquility for my own good? You are crazy?
- Daylen, you disappoint me, - Irving said. - I was hoping you could tell me about Jowan's escape. But Neria came to me instead of you.
Daylen took out his staff and got into a fighting stance.
- I won't let you hurt my friend! Jowan, Lily, run to the boat!
Greagoir drew his sword, and the rest of the templars followed suit.
- Enough! As Knight-Commander of the Templars, I sentence Lily to Aeonar, Jowan to death, and you, Daylen...
- NO!
Jowan started the fight first. He took out a knife, cut his wrists and released a huge clot of blood from them, which stunned everyone, except for Lily, who was hiding behind Jowan's back and Daylen, who conjured a Spell Shield in time. The young mage immediately recognized the blood magic, Uncle Malcolm had told him about it. Blood magic requires a source - one's own or someone else's life energy. Malcolm often said, "My magic will serve that which is best in me, not that which is most base." His nephew also tried to adhere to this rule.
- It's blood magic! - Daylen shouted. - You lied to me! If Neria is hurt, then you're dead!
- Don't cross me! - Jowan said, looking at his friend with a sinister look. - With or without you, Lily and I escape this place.
Exhausted, Daylen disabled his shield and was about to launch a Fireball, but Jowan was faster and stunned him with a Mind Blast, knocking him against the tower wall.
- Oh Maker! So it's true! How could you? You lied to your friends! You lied to me! - Lily shouted.
- Yes, I admit it. I hoped that blood magic would make me a stronger mage. I was afraid that without it you would not love me, and we would not run away!
- Blood magic changes people, Jowan. This is evil! I can't go with you. I'd rather stay in Aeonar forever than go anywhere with a blood mage! Stay away from me!
Frustrated, Jowan ran to the boat, untied it from the dock and began to row quickly. Freed from the effects of the spell five minutes after that, Daylen helped Neria and the others to their feet. Unfortunately, one of the templars was left lying in a pool of his own blood.
- I knew! Ser Drass, get him now! - Greagoir ordered.
Drass and the other surviving templars boarded the boats and started chasing Jowan.
- Sir Greagoir, I was wrong, I helped the blood mage. I plead guilty and am ready to suffer any punishment, even to serve time in Aeonar, - said Lily.
- Wait for me in the chapel! - Greagoir barked, and Lily went into the tower, first letting Duncan out.
- I'm sorry, Greagoir, - Daylen said. - Jowan lied to me, I didn't expect this.
- Look at this guy! - Greagoir pointed at the templar's corpse. – Parents have lost their son today because you "didn't expect" something!
- Jowan couldn't run far! You will still catch him! - Neria said.
- Trust me, we'll do our best to catch him.
- What awaits me, Greagoir? - Daylen asked.
- You illegally broke into our warehouse in the basement! Some artefacts are hidden there for a reason!
- Neria and I didn't take anything from there, I swear!
- You helped the blood mage escape and made me and the Circle look pathetic! You won't get away with it.
At this point, Duncan decided to intervene.
- Knight-Commander, I came here for the recruits to my order. Having seen all these events, I choose Daylen and Neria.
- That's out of the question! By the Chantry decree, you can only take one mage from one Circle. Take Neria. And Daylen must be punished.
- I said I'm taking both, and I'm taking both. I saw everything. Daylen has managed to get outside the tower in order to escape. First Enchanter, does that mean he's technically an apostate?
Irving looked at Daylen and said:
- Yes, Duncan, it does. And the Grey Wardens have no limits on apostates.
- Greagoir, there are things in the world which are worse than blood magic, and we can't win without the Grey Wardens. Irving spoke highly of these two mages. Neria has an impressive loyalty to the Circle. And Daylen stood his ground until the very end and was ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of a friend. Mages with these qualities deserve to be Grey Wardens. I'll use the Right of Conscription and take both of them into my custody.
- If so, then I have no choice. I'm releasing them both. Take them and get out of here, - said the Knight-Commander, going to the tower.
Daylen couldn't believe his ears. He had always considered Greagoir to be stubborn, not listening to anyone but himself. But suddenly the templar agreed to the demands of the Grey Warden. Finally, Daylen is free.
- I agree, Duncan, I'll go with you, - Daylen said.
- I'll go too, - Neria added.
- Whatever happens to you, know that I am proud of you. You have a chance to find your place in the world. Go boldly and don't look back, - Irving told the new recruits.
- Thank you for everything, First Enchanter, - Daylen said.
A few minutes later, the mages were in the boat with Duncan, they were crossing Lake Calenhad.
- I'm sorry I betrayed you, - Neria interrupted the awkward silence.
- Do not apologize. Jowan has set us both up. And you were right, - Daylen replied.
He thought that now he would have the opportunity to reunite with Uncle Malcolm, Aunt Leandra and three cousins who he was separated from by an accident and Chantry laws. The Grey Wardens, unlike the mages of the Circle, are not so restricted in movement.
A human and two dwarves were waiting at the dock for Duncan and the mages, eager to meet the new recruits.
- My name is Franco, I am also a Grey Warden, - the human said after Duncan and the mages approached him.
- Faren Brosca. Glad to meet you, - continued the red-haired dwarf with a bushy beard, shaking hands with the mages.
- Sereda. Sereda Rumold. Atrast vala! - said a female dwarf with shoulder-length blonde hair.
- Greetings! You two, I take it, are also recruits? My name is Neria Surana and this is my friend Daylen Amell.
- I'm glad you all got to know each other, - Duncan said. - Now we have to split up. I will go to Highever. Teyrn Cousland invited me there, he wrote that one of his warriors would like to become a Grey Warden.
- I didn't understand anything, but whatever, - Faren said.
- Highever is a large land to the east of here. Teyrn is something like deshyrs of yours. There are only two Teyrns in Ferelden: Highever's Teyrn Bryce Cousland and Gwaren's Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir, - Neria explained.
- Ah, well, now I get it.
- Duncan, I will bring the recruits to Ostagar safe and sound, - Franco said.
- Good, - said Duncan. - I know the other recruits are already waiting, but the Joining ritual will only begin after I return. I have made an exception only for the Dalish, Theron, and only because of his condition.
- I'll tell it to the other Wardens. Take care, Duncan.
Four recruits went after Franco. Daylen couldn't help but enjoy his newfound freedom. To some extent, he was even grateful to Jowan for what had happened.