Chapter 27: Mages, Templars, Knights and Those In-Between (Daveth)
- Did you see it? These creatures have taken over the garrison! And they've killed everyone here! A whole squad of experienced warriors! - Jory screamed hysterically.
Prior to this, Alistair's squad had stumbled upon a garrison near the fortress, where the darkspawn had attacked. There were pools of blood, and several guards were hanged, obviously for the purpose of intimidation. But this tactic worked only on the knight from Redcliffe.
- Calm down, Ser Jory. We can handle everything, - Alistair tried to calm him down.
- They probably thought so too, and where are they now? How many darkspawn can seven of us defeat? Fifty? One hundred? And there is a whole horde of them!
- There are just some darkspawn, but not the whole horde.
- How do you know? I'm not a coward, of course, but that's reckless. We'd better get back to the fortress!
At this point, Daveth broke down and started his rant.
- And in my opinion, you are a real coward, ser knight. It was said in my village that every knight is a hero. I guess it's a lie.
- Fighting these creatures is part of our Joining, - Elissa added. - If Duncan didn't think we could survive here, we wouldn't be here.
- And don't forget, you have a mage with you, - Daylen said amiably. - My magic will deal with them.
- And I'll make sure you don't kill us all with it, - Graham angrily said to the mage.
- Know this: all Grey Wardens can sense the darkspawn. No matter how many of them there are, they won't take us by surprise, - Alistair said. - That's why I went with you.
- You see, ser knight? - Daveth said sarcastically. - Maybe we will die, but we will be warned about it first.
- That's...convincing... - Jory muttered.
The squad went on, killing all the darkspawn that stood in their way. They didn't seem all that strong to Daveth, so six vials of blood filled up quickly and easily. Also, staying behind the five masters of melee weapons and next to the mage, he felt safe. It was really difficult when three genlock assassins crept up behind them. But from such a short distance, Daveth was able to shoot them with a bow.
When Alistair and the recruits were blocked by a hurlock emissary, Graham took a step forward.
- Leave it to me! - the templar said.
He ran towards the emissary, dodging its spells, used a Holy Smite on it, pinning itto the ground, and plunged his sword into its head. Daveth was impressed with the templar's abilities.
- If you do something against us, mage, it will be the same with you, - Graham said to Daylen when he returned to the others.
On the way, Daveth noticed the corpse of a soldier. In his hand he had a bag of ashes and a torn page from a book.
- What is there? Let me read, - said Elissa, who came up to him.
She began to read aloud:
"The Korcari Wilds are rife with legends and myths that have amazed and confounded scholars since the fall of Ostagar in ancient times.
One such mystery lies behind the tale of Astia and Nebbunar, two young lovers who lived in Ostagar. The legend says that Astia grew up in the company of Gazarath, a spirit of the earth bound to an overhang on the bank of a lake in the Korcari Wilds. Gazarath began to fancy her, and they spent much of their days together, talking and laughing. Over the years, however, Astia became a woman and began to seek the company of men.
When Astia met Nebbunar, the two fell in love, and Astia hoped to bring her lover to see her spirit friend. But the spirit, angered and jealous, bade her begone. Gazarath told her that she would never see it again until she brought her lover's ashes and sprinkled them over their spot.
Astia was horrified, and she fled from the enraged spirit. But she began to miss Gazarath, and on the day Nebbunar asked her to marry him, she cut her beloved's throat, burned him, and brought his ashes to Gazarath, knowing that their marriage would forever sever her ties to her dear spirit friend.
There are legends among the Chasind that Gazarath still haunts that lake, and that those who sprinkle ashes of the deceased over the right spot can summon the spirit. In memory of the contract with its beloved Astia, Gazarath will grant a single wish and then vanish, never to be heard from again."
- And this is interesting, - said Daveth. - I think I have seen this rock near the lake. It's over there!
- Alistair! Daveth has found something, - the Teyrn's daughter called the others.
Everyone approached Daveth and Elissa.
- The spirit of the earth? Sounds unbelievable, - said Daylen. - The elements don't have spirits. A spirit is a reflection of something positive. For example, the spirit of valor or the spirit of justice. And this is a demon.
- Demon? We have to destroy it, - Graham said.
- At least we agree on one point, templar.
- Who else will go to the rock with them? - Alistair asked.
Daveth and Elissa raised their hands.
- Okay, go. Four for one demon is enough. Kallian Ser Jory and I will wait for you here.
Daveth confidently led the others to a rock overlooking the lake.
- Get ready, - he said.
As soon as Daveth scattered the ashes over a pile of stones, a demon appeared in front of them - a terrible brown creature with two claws and a head with one white eye.
- Who summons Gazarath from slumber? - it yelled in a terrifying voice and pushed Daveth with its claw.
The former thief almost fell off a cliff into the lake, but Elissa managed to catch him.
- I'm holding you! - she called.
Daveth pulled himself up with the help of Elissa and climbed the rock.
- Thank you, I owe you one, - he said.
Meanwhile, the mage and the templar did a good job as a team. Daylen grabbed Gazarath in a Crushing Prison, and Graham finished off the demon by cutting it in half.
- And you two are cool, - commented Daveth. - Better than me, that's for sure.
Returning to the others, the recruits followed Alistair up the hill towards the ruins of the old garrison. There was a chest in the center of the ruins. Kallian approached it first and flung it open with ease, revealing that there had been no lock.
- It's empty, - said the elf.
- What shall we tell Duncan? - Alistair muttered sadly. - We've screwed up.
Daveth heard footsteps and took out his bow. He aimed his weapon at a dark-haired woman coming out from behind a pillar. From her appearance, he immediately realized that she was a Chasind or worse.
- Well, well... what have we here? - the stranger said boldly.
Daveth was ready for any outcome of the upcoming conversation.