Chapter 67: Start of Madness (Neria)
Sten and Liam rowed fast enough that their boat reached the Circle Tower very quickly, in just three hours. Neria got out of the boat and entered the Circle territory first. She stopped, looking at the setting sun.
- Why are we stopping? – Sten asked her.
- It's just... this is the third time in my life that I've been here, near the tower. The first time was when I was brought here as a little girl from Honnleath. The second time was when Duncan took me away from here. And the third... here it is, now. There is a beautiful sunset here, it's a pity that you can't see it from the tower windows.
- Indeed. I can imagine it in a painting.
Neria and Liam looked at each other in surprise, not expecting such interest from the stern Qunari. The gate opened in front of them, and a templar came out. Neria was expecting to see Greagoir, Drass, or any other templar, anyone but him. Anyone but the one she least wanted to see.
- N-Neria? What are you doing here? – Cullen asked. - I thought you had died at Ostagar along with the other Grey Wardens!
- Cullen, there's no time to explain, Grey Warden business, - the elf answered.
- We'd better go inside.
The templar and the guests entered the sparsely populated corridor of the tower.
- Callen, I need to talk to the First Enchanter, - Neria said. - Where is Irving?
- Senior enchanters Uldred and Wynne made it out of Ostagar alive. They returned to the tower on their own an hour ago. Uldred proposed calling an emergency meeting of enchanters, and it is about to begin in the Harrowing Chamber.
- I have to be there!
- These are internal affairs of the Circle, Neria. Greagoir will object.
- Hey, Ser Noodle Head! – Liam shouted to the templar. - I don't know about your tower here, but there's the Blight outside. Neria's matter is much more urgent than your internal affairs.
- I would say it differently, but Liam's right, - Neria supported him. - Whatever happened between us in the past should not cloud your judgement. The affairs of the Grey Wardens are important to the entire Circle. Cullen, please take me upstairs.
Callen ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
- If your matter turns out to be unimportant, Greagoir will demote me. Fine, you'll come with me. But the Qunari and your rude friend will remain here.
- As you say. Liam, Sten, wait here.
The elf followed the templar, passing by whispering apprentices and mages. Some mages looked quite menacing. She didn't even notice how she walked past four floors, reaching the templars' quarters. At the door to the Harrowing Chamber they were stopped by Graegoir.
- Cullen! Why are you here? - he asked. – And... Neria? I'm glad you're alive.
- I need to talk to Irving. This is urgent.
- Come on in.
Neria nodded her head to the Knight-Commander and entered the hall. In its center, Irving, all five senior enchanters, and about a dozen of enchanters gathered around the table. Old Sweeney was sleeping, and Torrin was discussing something with Leora. At the head of the table stood Irving, Wynne and Uldred.
- First Enchanter! – Neria shouted.
- Who let the Grey Warden in here? She left the Circle without even receiving the rank of enchanter! She doesn't belong here! - Uldred said.
Neria ignored Uldred and walked over to Irving and Wynne.
- I have an urgent matter! Redcliffe...
- Patience, child, - Irving said. – We will discuss your matter after the meeting. You can attend it, I allow it. Does anyone mind?
Most of the mages didn't care. Uldred looked angrily at the guest. Wynne hugged her student.
- I'm glad to see you again, - the senior enchanter said.
- Uldred, you may speak, - Irving said.
The bald mage took a step forward.
- My friends, as you know, I am a staunch libertarian, and I have always advocated the separation of the Circle from the Chantry. In Ostagar, I met an influential person. He promised me that he would support the rebellion and the independence of the Circle.
- Who is this man? – Neria asked.
Uldred decided to ignore the question.
- Answer my student's question, - Wynne said. - Who did you have a deal with?
- Ahh, you irritate me sometimes! – Uldred answered. - It's Teyrn Loghain. I've made an agreement with him! He will force the Chantry to submit to us!
- Listen to me! - Neria said. – Loghain is a liar and a traitor! He left the king to be torn to pieces by the darkspawn!
- Grey Warden lies! I was there and saw everything!
- I was there too and I confirm everything said by Neria, - Wynne intervened. - Loghain betrayed the king and the army. And Uldred wants us to join the traitor!
- It's outrageous! - Torrin said. – Uldred, you are proposing to go against the foundations of this Circle.
- And you are proposing to continue to be at the mercy of the bastards from the Chantry! - Uldred shouted.
Uldred's eyes turned noticeably red. Irving grabbed the senior enchanter by the shoulder, but he threw him aside with a Mind Blast. Neria, Wynne, Leorah and Torrin took out their staves and surrounded Uldred.
- It's over. You're surrounded. Surrender, and we will make sure the templars spare you! – Torrin shouted.
- I will not surrender to the mercy of the templars! Mages, to battle! For freedom!
Almost all of the enchanters sided with Uldred, armed with staves. The traitor mage fired his staff at the sleeping Sweeney. The old man began to writhe on the table, his body began to tear apart, and he turned into an abomination - one of the monsters Neria had read about in the books. Other enchanters did the same to those of them who remained loyal to the Circle. Three rage demons appeared around Uldred. Neria and the senior enchanters went on the defensive, hiding behind two columns and fighting off traitors and demons.
- I'll cover you! Run! Warn Greagoir! - Torrin said.
- What about you? – Wynne asked.
- We can't all escape! Run!
Neria was the first to run out of the Harrowing Chamber, followed by Wynne and Leorah. At the stairs, Cullen was fighting two abominations. Neria helped him by freezing one of the monsters, and the templar was able to strike them down.
- We must save as many mages and templars as possible! Hurry up and follow me! – Cullen shouted.
He led the mages along the corridor, in which the templars, led by Greagoir, fought off the abominations and demons.
- Retreat! Retreat! - the Knight-Commander shouted, helping his people escape.
While the mages and Cullen held the line in one of the halls, Greagoir and six other templars have managed to escape. Neria had a better opinion about the warriors of the Chantry, but she was clearly mistaken.
One of the rage demons attacked Cullen and knocked him down.
- Don't wait for me! Save yourselves! - the young templar shouted, covering himself from the demon with his shield.
Neria had to follow the orders of her ex-boyfriend. No matter how bad their break-up was, she was still scared for him.
The senior enchanters and Neria walked past the templar library, in which the sloth demon had just begun to awaken, and went down to the third floor, into the large hall.
- What should we do next? – Leorah asked.
- We need…
But Wynne didn't have time to finish. Leorah, having received a magical shot in the back, fell to the floor. The elf student Eadric came out of the library of the senior mages, accompanied by two abominations.
- Wynne, I'll deal with him. Run, save the apprentices! - Neria said.
The grey-haired mage nodded and ran towards the stairs leading to the second floor. Neria froze one of the abominations and knocked out another one with a Stonefist.
- Eadric, what are you doing? Stop! - she said to her fellow elf.
- Traitor! – the elf shouted, throwing a Fireball towards Neria.
The elf barely had time to jump away from the ball.
- Elves like you have betrayed their people! – Eadric continued. – You serve the shemlen Chantry, the shemlen templars! You even dated a templar!
- I didn't betray anyone! The humans who captured Arlathan and the Dales are long dead! – Neria shouted, standing behind the column.
- You studied human magic, and it made you weaker! And I found this ancient tome, - said the apprentice, hinting at the large book on his belt. - It describes how our people used magic. If it weren't for Uldred, I wouldn't have learned all this.
Eadric threw a Stonefist at the column, destroying it, but Neria managed to hide behind another column.
- You talk about loyalty to elven traditions, but at the same time you work with Uldred, with a human! What did he promise you?
- Freedom from shemlens!
Neria cast a magical shield on herself and came out from behind the column, slowly walking towards Eadric.
- I'm giving you one last chance, Eadric. You, a mere apprentice, cannot defeat me. Surrender, and I will tell the templars that you have nothing to do with Uldred, and you will not even be punished. Please!
- Never! – Edric shouted.
The elf cut his wrist and threw a blood clot at Neria, similar to the one Jowan threw at the templars and her during the escape. The blood failed to cross Neria's magical shield.
- You've left me no choice! – Neria exclaimed.
She conjured a Cone of Cold and immediately froze Eadric. To prevent the apprentice from suffering for a long time, Neria shattered his frozen body with a Stonefist.
- I'm sorry, - she said, either to the deceased Eadric or to herself, and went to the library of the senior mage, which was surprisingly empty.
To defeat Uldred and the demons, this Circle will need more than one Grey Warden, her companions and local mages and templars. It will need knowledge. Neria knew Daylen would have done the same. Perhaps, locked in the library, she will not be able to save some apprentice in trouble, but if she finds an effective weapon against maleficars and demons, then it will all not be in vain.
Neria closed the door behind her and began to study the books. The first thing that caught her attention was the only scroll that was not covered with dust and was perfectly preserved. Neria climbed the stairs and took it out. On the scroll she saw a large and bright heading: "The Litany of Adralla."