Chapter 32: Errand Job (Daveth)
Never before had Daveth had to run as long as he did at that moment. Halfway across the bridge over the gorge, he had to stop and catch his breath.
- I thought thieves could run for a long time, - Elissa said.
- And I thought that m'ladies were kind and didn't criticize anyone, - Daveth answered her.
Lightning struck and it began to rain. The battle began, and from the forest, the darkspawn launched several projectiles at the bridge, smashing a couple of segments behind Daveth and killing all the warriors standing there near the ballista.
- Well, Daveth, do you still want to stay here? - Alistair asked with a grin.
The four Wardens and Roger ran across the rest of the bridge and reached the gate. A wounded crossbowman from Loghain's army ran down the steps.
- Are you Gray Wardens? The tower, it has been taken, - he said.
Neria immediately swung her staff and cast a spell, healing the warrior's wounds.
- How is that possible? Taken how? Elissa asked.
- The darkspawn dug out a tunnel and made their way through it! We need to take back the tower!
The six of them ran for the gate. Unfortunately, they arrived too late - all of Loghain's warriors that they could still save were dead. The first squad of darkspawn was weak, and the Wardens dealt with them easily. The second one, standing at the entrance to the tower, was much stronger, it was led by a hurlock alpha. While Neria and the archers got rid of the darkspawn archers who had settled on the towers, Alistair and Elissa grappled with the alpha. It pushed them both aside and rushed towards the crossbowman, cutting him in half with his axe. Daveth shouted and shot at the alpha, but unfortunately, the arrow got stuck in its helmet. The young thief was ready to accept death, but he was saved by Neria, who froze the armored hurlock with Winter's Grasp. Elissa did not hesitate and cut off the head of the creature.
- Maker's breath! - Alistair scolded. - How did these monsters get ahead of the whole horde?
- Well, go on and tell them that they should not be here, - Daveth answered him.
- Yes exactly. And then we will all drink tea and laugh together at this misunderstanding. Unfortunately, we've just missed the signal. We need to hurry.
The Wardens began their ascent of the tower of Ishal, killing all the darkspawn in their path. The first floor was easy for them. On the second floor, they were lucky to find a loaded ballista. Daveth fired a ballista for the first time in his life, and he managed to take off the heads of five genlocks, causing a panic among the others, who were finished off by Elissa and Alistair. On the third floor, Daveth did an act of mercy by releasing mabari hounds from the cages. The dogs helped the Wardens clear the floor and rushed to the exit, as if they knew they couldn't stay here. Roger suddenly ran with them and Elissa was unable to stop him.
- Roger, no! We need you! - she screamed.
- We can't be distracted! To the roof! - Neria said.
They climbed to the roof, where a huge monster with horns was waiting for them, eating the remains of some poor fellow.
- It's an ogre! - Alistair said. - Whatever happens, don't come close.
Daveth took aim and fired at the ogre's unarmored arm. The monster only got angry and threw a large stone at the Wardens. Everyone except Daveth managed to dodge. The thief was injured, but Neria healed him and applied a Winter's Grasp on the ogre, which did not even slow it down.
- Maker! How can we kill it? - the elf asked.
- Distract it! - Alistair shouted.
Elissa nodded her head and began to run from side to side.
- Hey, freak! Look here! Look at me, not at them! - she screamed.
When the ogre ran towards her, Elissa jumped and slipped between his legs, managing to stab him in the groin with her sword. The ogre yelled in pain and didn't notice how Alistair took a running jump and knocked it down, hitting both eyes with his sword and then piercing the brain. Slightly catching his breath, Alistair walked over to Neria.
- You can do this? I'm amazed, - said the elf.
- You were in danger and I wanted to protect you, - Alistair replied.
In the meantime, Elissa lit a signal fire, sheltered from the rain by an overhang. The flames burned brightly and could be seen from anywhere near Ostagar. Daveth looked at the valley full of people and darkspawn, but did not see that the situation on the battlefield changing in any way.
- Nothing is changing. That Loghain of yours was supposed to attack, right? No one did, - he told the others.
- It's impossible! How can this be? - Alistair asked indignantly.
- Look! Loghain's army is leaving, - Elissa pointed at the army leaving in the opposite direction from the valley.
Suddenly, Neria fell sharply to the floor. Alistair noticed that she had been shot with a bow, there was an arrow in her shoulder. A great many genlocks came up the stairs, Alistair shielded Neria, and Daveth and Elissa tried to delay their arrival. Suddenly, a large red dragon flew up to the tower. The Wardens dodged it, and he managed to enflame all the genlocks with its fiery breath. The dragon landed on the roof and assumed the form that the three Wardens had seen before. This was the old witch of the Wilds, Morrigan's mother.
- I'll turn into a dragon again, and you jump on me! - she shouted.
- Why are you helping us? - Elissa asked.
- Jump first, ask questions later!
The witch became a dragon again, and the Wardes laid the unconscious Neria on its back and sat down on it themselves, trying to grab hold of its strong scales. The dragon flapped its wings and flew out of the tower, heading towards the Korcari Wilds. Daveth has managed to look at the battlefield. As he understood, the battle turned into a massacre. He did not understand how this was possible if this battle was to be the final one, and the king himself was very confident of the success.