Cat was really starting to miss having all those mages around. True, living with Fenris meant that they had to do a lot of things without magical assistance, but staying with the dalish clan was still eye opening, and brought back memories of traveling with Zevran in the beginning of her time in Thedas.

Merrill would try to make things easier, she knew, but that also meant that the rest of the clan would avoid Cat as well. It wasn't right, or fair, but that's how it was. Cat sincerely hoped that the clan would treat Merrill better once the demon was out of the way.

It had been a couple of days now, and she waited anxiously for Isabela, Charade and Aveline to arrive. Marethari was getting restless, she could tell, which in turn made the rest of the warriors restless. It was bad enough that the clan were basically stuck in place without their halla, but most of them didn't understand why they were staying, now that their debt to Asha'bellanar had been paid.

In spite of it all, Cat couldn't help but be glad of how strong she felt. The first day, she had been wheezing from the change in the altitude, but she became quickly acclimated. Dahon had tasked her with chopping firewood, insisting on more and more each day, while Feyn had told the clan to ask her to fetch water when it was needed- for anything.

It had taken her about a day and a half to realize that it was more for building strength and stamina than to torment her, though she was certain they enjoyed her struggles as a side benefit.

All the same, as much as she could complain about the method, the results were worth it. She was by no means suddenly back to her old self, but she could see daily improvement. Her days were filled with so many new faces and ideas, that she hardly had time to even think about past trauma.

Even so, it was there, always lurking. Random things would trigger memories, and she would have to stop what she was doing in order to concentrate on taking deep breaths. It wasn't necessarily a healthy way to deal with it, but she would spur her warrior taskmasters into fights in order to focus herself again.

"Hello," a voice interrupted her thoughts, and Cat turned to see a pretty female elf with her short blond hair in three pigtails- at the sides and back of her head.

"Hello," Cat replied, feeling somewhat defensive for being caught unaware. The elf looked up to the mountain where she had been gazing.

"It is difficult to wait, is it not?" she asked.

"Wait?" Cat asked, confused.

The elf gave a small smirk. "I am sorry, I assumed that you were looking up to where the demon is, eager to get rid of it, as we are."

"Well, yes," Cat answered, uncomfortably. "but I confess that I was simply lost in my thoughts."

"Ah, I see," the elf said with a nod. "I am Variel," she announced, giving Cat a nod, even as she gestured to herself. "And you are the Champion's lady, are you not?" she asked.

"Technically," Cat answered dryly. "Though I usually just go by my name, which is Cat."

Variel smiled this time, giving a tilt of her head in concession. "Cat," she tried the name out, deciding it worked.

"I must admit, I've almost become used to being called Shem at this point," Cat said with a smile, though curious.

"I help my clan by going into the human towns," Variel explained, pleased that the woman was sharp enough to notice. "I buy supplies, and gather information. Both are completed more easily if I blend in."

"You mean you act subservient," Cat corrected, appraising the elf in a new light.

"Exactly," Variel said, nodding again. "Well then, we should get started."

Cat's face showed her confusion. "I'm sorry? Start what?"

Variel smiled again, as she waved Cat to follow her. "The keeper said she owed you a debt, and asked that I repay it for her, though she left it up to me to determine if you would suit."

Cat scowled. "You said that like an explanation, but it didn't explain anything, you know."

"Obviously you are not without talent," Variel continued, as she led Cat to a secluded place just outside of the main camp, and sat down, gesturing Cat to sit also. "I am aware that you have traveled with exceptional people."

Cat was beginning to realize that this was not a random meeting, and she became guarded. "I'm sure others would think so," she said vaguely.

"I do not share dalish secrets lightly," Variel said softly. "And though some have said that you are Vhenallin, I must be sure."

Cat smiled, touched that others had referred to her as a friend of the people. She could see that Variel had narrowed her gaze, and she looked back in question, wondering what she meant about sharing dalish secrets.

Variel turned away, and asked, "Who's vallaslin do I wear?" she asked, keeping her face hidden from Cat.

"I'm not an expert on all the different versions, but I would say you wear Falon'Din's vallaslin," Cat answered hesitantly. "Though there are some differences from others' designs that I've seen, especially in the middle of your forehead."

Variel turned back, a smirk on her face. "Well done, Cat. It seems that you are deserving."

"Thank you?" Cat asked.

"From today forward, you will spend your evenings with me," Variel said, standing up. "I will come collect you at dusk." With those words, she walked away.

"Uh, okay?" Cat responded, not moving, as she tried to understand what she had just signed herself up for.

Hawke searched every nook and cranny of the room, but eventually followed his men as they continued through the prison. He knew what he had seen, and what he had heard, and felt certain that there was more to discover about why his father had been here.

Duran led the group at this point, as everyone was giving Hawke and Carver some space to process what was happening, thought Carver had brushed it all away.

Hawke tried not to hold it against his brother, since he hadn't spent as much time with their father as he had. But none of this was like the man that had raised him. The Malcolm Hawke he knew would never have had anything to do with demons or blood magic.

He wasn't sure how to reconcile what he knew with what he was learning. Who was father really?! he wondered more than once as he followed the others.

Duran let Hawke be, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned. He had once been blindsided by the truth of his own family, and he didn't wish it on anyone- but there was nothing he could say now to help.

He pushed through the next door, looking both directions before entering the space. It was more like a balcony than a room, opening up into the chasm that held the prison tower. He walked forward, seeing and sensing movement on the walkways that led to it.

"Once good thing about being trapped in an ancient, underground prison," Anders said, not enjoying the silence.

"Let me guess," Carver said with a roll of his eyes. "No templars."

"I'm becoming too predictable," Anders muttered.

"What do mean becoming?" Nathaniel added with a laugh. "You've always talked more of templars than actual templars do." He was pleasantly surprised when Fenris gave him a small smile.

"What?!" Anders demanded. "I do not!"

"Mm-hmm," Fenris murmured sarcastically.

"Alistair here was a templar, and we've yet to even hear about templars from him," Nathaniel argued his point.

Alistair flushed as Anders looked to him in shock, and put up his hands in surrender. "I actually never took my vows…" he explained.

"Same thing," Carver added, enjoying having someone else be the target of Nathaniel's criticism for once.

"Quiet," Duran said softly, and there was immediate silence as the men focused back on where they were. They followed him to the edge of the room, looking out over the chasm where several darkspawn scurried towards a doorway.

"Let's look around," Duran suggested once the darkspawn were out of view.

Hawke walked towards them, a torn and dirty piece of parchment in his hands. "I took the liberty," he said, stopping them in their tracks. "You're not going to like this," he said to the wardens.

Duran sighed, wondering how he could have expected the others to not learn warden secrets in this place. He could only hope it wasn't something too horrific. He had learned long ago, that wardens didn't hesitate when they thought something necessary.

"Let's hear it," he said, giving a go ahead gesture.

Hawke hesitated, wondering if he should give it to Duran, but finally handed the page to Varric to read aloud. He didn't want the wardens to edit the words.

"Okay, it's a little hard to read," Varric said as he squinted. Hawke turned his hand, producing a small amount of light to assist him. "Thanks, Hakwe. All right then, looks like this is someone's notes… like for research."

"What's it say?" Alistair asked, steeling himself for the worst.

Varric cleared his throat and began.

"All we hear, is that this is one of the great Grey Warden secrets, and must be protected at all costs. As usual, we're most concerned with deceiving our own people, but why hide that the Deep Roads were shaped not only by dwarves, but also by us?"

Varric paused, letting that information sink in, and then continued. "I found records, dating back to the first blight, where early wardens discovered some darkspawn that could think, and speak. They could command portions of the horde, even after the archdemon's death."

Hawke heard a mutter from the wardens, and wasn't sure exactly what they said, but he had a horrible feeling that they were already aware of such darkspawn. The thought made him sick, thinking there were more than one of those monsters.

"A few could wield magic with the skill of a Tevinter magister, and the wardens greatly feared them," Varric continued.

"Maker preserve us," Sebastian said softly.

"It was here, in the Vimmark Mountains, the warden Sashamiri set her trap to capture and study the greatest of these creatures," Varric paused, and looked up to Hawke grimly. "the one they call, Corypheus."

"Well, that's not good," Alistair broke the silence, flustered when everyone that didn't have prior knowledge of Corypheus stared at him.

"That's putting it mildly," Hawke responded. "The one who wants my blood is some ancient darkspawn, that can command other darkspawn, and use magic like a magister? I can't really think of anything worse at this point, could you?"

"Let's not bother trying," Duran interrupted as Alistair opened his mouth to reply. "We dealt with one of these darkspawn before," he told the group. "Right after the blight, when Anders and Nathaniel both joined the wardens."

"I'm assuming you stopped it," Varric said hopefully. "So maybe we can do the same here?"

"I hope so," Duran replied. "But I'm also concerned. None of us had been wardens for long when we encountered that creature."

Hawke nodded. "You're worried this one may have some effect on you," he said in understanding.

"Yes," Duran agreed. "We won't know for certain, until it happens, but if it tries to command us, to control us… then we wardens could be a danger to the rest of you."

The men looked at each other, not liking the idea of not being able to trust the men around them.

"Alistair and I are the most senior wardens here, and we will give a warning, if that happens," Duran stated, and Alistair nodded in agreement.

"But where will you go?" Varric asked, pointing out what felt obvious to him. "We're going in because we're trapped in here, remember?"

"Back to this point," Hawke decided. He looked around at each of the tainted men. "If any one of the wardens becomes compromised, then you must all retreat back here."

"Perhaps they should just stay here now," Fenris said with a frown. "Why give them the opportunity to betray us?"

"It's not like it would be intentional!" Anders said angrily.

"Regardless," Sebastian spoke up, ever the peacemaker, "we should give them the option."

"Agreed," Hawke said, turning back to Duran. "What do you think?" he asked.

"We may not even be compromised," Anders argued. "If I can help in any way, then that is what I will do, until I cannot any longer."

"Well said," Nathaniel added with a smirk. "You will do better with us, than without, until such time that we can go no farther."

"Very well," Hawke answered with a nod, and turned to Duran. "I must have your word, that if such a things happens, you will retreat here, and wait for us to come back for you." He turned to look at his brother, demanding the same from him.

"I swear it," Duran replied, relieved. He didn't need to tell them why the wardens couldn't be close- Hawke provided a way for the creature to be destroyed without him having to betray secrets.

"Well then, we shall move on," Hawke replied, moving forward to take the lead again.

"Hold a moment, Hawke," Duran said, and turned again to face the other wardens. "It could be as simple as a thought that you wonder why you are thinking," he told them. "It may be a compulsion to obey, or a direct order. I do not know what will happen, but you must say something, the moment you feel it."

He gestured to Alistair and himself. "Most likely we will feel it first, so I hope you do not have to bear this burden, but you must be prepared."

"Yes, Commander," Nathaniel and Carver said as one. Anders looked to Hawke, getting a nod, and then agreed as well.

"All right, let us continue," Duran said to Hawke. The men turned, and followed Hawke through the next doorway.

"We're getting nowhere," Isabela complained.

"No thanks to you," Aveline said snidely.

"Stop it!" Charade said, as Isabela jumped up to retort. "This isn't helping!"

"It'll help me feel better," Isabela muttered under her breath.

"Charade," Aveline said, more calmly. "I'm not sure what our next step would be," she admitted. "We have no idea who all is involved in this, nor what their actual designs are."

"Let's just grab the Knight Lieutenant and make him talk," Isabela said with a shrug.

"Oh yes, the guard captain kidnapping a templar, that sounds fantastic," Aveline griped.

"Actually, I think Bell is onto something," Charade said with a growing smile, which had Isabela intrigued.

"You can't be serious," Aveline replied, frowning.

"I'm not saying kidnapping, no," Charade responded. "But if the Lieutenant freely comes into a room, and we happen to be there?"

Isabela grinned. "Why didn't I think of that?" she asked. "We can use the Rose, I'm sure they would help us!"

"There's a problem with that," Aveline said dryly. "The Lieutenant most likely knows who you are," she pointed at Isabela. "Everyone in the city knows that you're part of Hawke's crew. Why do you think you aren't accosted more often?"

"I can do it," Charade declared. "I can get him alone, and incapacitated, and Bell can take over from there."

Isabela laughed loudly. "Char, you don't have a seductive bone in your body," she said, albeit fondly.

Charade glared at her, speaking with a look.

"I'm pretty sure I was the one doing the seducing," Isabela replied to the unspoken words with a smirk.

"Well, there's got to be some way," Charade replied.

"Of course, we can just get the whores to tie him up," Isabela said, waving the concern away.

"And then what?" Charade asked. "We'd have to kill him, or he would come after them for aiding us."

"And?" Isabela asked, uncaring of the man's fate.

"Oh yes, the Lieutenant disappears, having last been seen at the whorehouse? I'm sure the templars will just let that go," Aveline replied.

"Hmm, this is more difficult than I thought it would be," Charade admitted, feeling frustrated. "Maybe we should take some time to come up with a better plan."

"You said you told Cat we would go to help the dalish with a demon didn't you?" Aveline asked the other two, and they nodded. "Well, I agree. We should go do that. I can have Donnic keep an eye on the lieutenant while we're gone."

Charade and Isabela searched each other's faces, deciding it was the best course of action for now, thought neither really liked the idea.

"Who knows," Charade conceded. "Maybe Cat will have a better idea than what we've come up with."

Hawke held up his hand, keeping the others back as he studied the strange… creature. It could be a man, but it moved more like a scavenging animal- and the darkspawn had run right past it as if it wasn't there.

He looked back, questioning, even as Duran stepped forward. "It has the taint…" Duran murmured. "Though it looks like a man, my other senses would swear it was a darkspawn."

"That's not a good sign," Varric muttered.

"Let's proceed, but slowly," Hawke answered softly, stepping forward again.

The man/darkspawn looked up, and came rushing to them, the group stopping at its sudden movements.

"The key!" it spoke, and several of the warriors grimaced, wondering it this was one of the advanced darkspawn they had heard of.

"Did they get it?" It croaked at them, coming closer. "I heard them… searching… digging…"

Hawke didn't answer, as he studied the man. He was certain now that he was a man, or at least had been. His hair and beard were almost gone, except for small patches still attached to his face and head. His skin was gray and blotchy, and looked as if he had been dried out for days- his flesh wrinkled and cracked.

The worst part, however, was his eyes. Hawke was no longer able to see his irises- just the white chalky film that covered them. Hawke had met plenty of blind men, and this was something much worse than that, something unnatural.

"That… is Warden armor," Hawke heard Alistair utter quietly, sounding choked up. He looked closer, then turned to his warden friends, seeing them all with horrified looks on their faces, though they tried to hold their feelings in.

The man leaned down, seeming to look at Hawke for something. "How do you bring the key here?" he asked tilting his head back and forth in an unnatural rhythm.

Not truly understanding, Hawke held his staff out for inspection, only to get a shake of the man's head. He finally brought the gem out of the pouch on his belt, and heard the man inhale.

"The key!"

Hawke turned it over again in his hand. "How is this a key?" he asked.

"Magic," the man replied, unable to stand still. "Old magic, it is… magic from the blood…"

"Blood magic?" someone behind him muttered.

Hawke studied the man again, noting the grey warden insignia and colors of his armor, and the sword that was on his back. The man was obviously a warrior at some point. He didn't know what it all meant, but he didn't like it.

"It made the seals… and it can break them…" the tainted man continued.

"I came to find Corypheus," Hawke said brusquely, needing to move on.

"Do not say his name! Do not wake him! Not when you hold the key!" the man became agitated, and moved back and forth in front of the group.

"Fine," Hawke said with a sigh. "We need to keep moving, so we can get out of here."

The man tilted his head, and looked at them again, studying Hawke. "You have the key… and you want to leave…" he muttered. "Are you the Hawke?"

Hawke reared back, wondering what he had gotten them into. Perhaps the man was dangerous, though it didn't appear so now.

"Yes… I smell magic on you," he continued. He looked around, studying each of them in turn, hesitating on Carver, but continuing back to Hawke. "And you hold the key… the key to his death!"

He nodded then, and turned, starting to shuffle as if he had a hunchback, and Hawke wondered what all ailed him. "I can show you… down and in… down and through…"

"What's wrong with you?" Varric asked, and the tainted man turned back, scrutinizing Hawke.

"You ask me that? I belong here, not you! You are no darkspawn!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…" Hawke answered quietly, though he had not been the one to ask. He wasn't wanting the man to bring more darkspawn their way.

The man studied the others again, before addressing Carver. "You hear it, no? Hear it calling? I can smell it in you." He turned again, before Carver could respond, and began moving away from them.

The group looked at each other, each asking what they should do, and knowing they didn't have many choices.

"You can show us out?" Duran asked hesitantly. The man turned to look back.

"The seals hold us in… anything comes in… nothing ever leaves. But with the key… the Hawke can."

He looked away from them again, and Hawke could tell that the light they kept with them was bothering him. "How?" he asked, adjusting the light on the end of his staff by slowing the amount of mana he pushed to it.

"Touch the seals, with the key… and they open. Only for the Hawke," he finished, turning away again.

Hawke looked back to his crew, his eyebrow raised. He could tell they didn't like it, but they said nothing. He looked to Varric, and showed him the gem. "Think we can put this on one of your bolts or something?" he asked. "I think I'd like to keep some distance if I'm going to touch it to the seals."

"Can't hurt to be cautious," Varric agreed. He pulled out one of his regular bolts, and a bit of twine, and tied the gem to the end of it, and handed it back to Hawke.

"Thanks," Hawke said, carrying it with the gem away from his body… just in case.

After a few more twists and turns around the prison tower, Hawke and his group found a doorway that led them inside the middle of it. Hawke glanced in, and spoke to Duran who was at his side.

"Definitely a warden base."

"Yes," Duran replied, as he eased into the room.

"Does it seem strange to anyone else that this room has tapestries and statues of griffons, yet the other rooms we've come through looked as if they crumbled long ago?" Carver asked. "Why didn't the wardens care for this place? Why abandon it?"

"It does seem odd," Duran answered. "However, there are those that attack the warden bases, looking for power, or for treasure," he explained. "Wardens are held to a different standard, and will use any means at their disposal to accomplish their goals."

"One of the lesser known traits of the Grey Wardens," Alistair mumbled unhappily.

"When faced with the blight, it becomes easier to see how the line became so blurred," Nathaniel added loyally.

"If they truly wanted to hide this place, they would have to at least make it seem abandoned," Duran continued to Carver. "Most likely spreading rumors of bandits or wild beasts in the area to keep people away."

"This region is known for being lawless," Varric added thoughtfully.

"A demon," Hawke said.

Varric turned, about to ask what he meant, when he saw exactly what Hawke was referring to. The light that had been coming from a platform in the middle of the room was no ordinary light.

"A binding spell," Anders explained as he walked around it to study it. "It looks as if the demon is not only trapped, but powering the spell by its connection to the fade." He looked back to Hawke, wondering if he knew what that meant.

Hawke nodded with a frown.

"What am I missing?" Varric asked, curious.

"I could do a cleanse, dispel some of the magic," Alistair offered.

"It won't do any good," Anders replied, and those around him looked to him for an explanation. "Here," he said, taking out his staff and performing a dispel. "I just cast a powerful dispel on it, and it did nothing."

"How can that be?" Sebastian asked. "How can it not be affected?"

"Blood magic," Fenris spat in disgust.

"Exactly," Hawke agreed, even as others offered their opinions on the matter. "It's the only way to have the demon powering the spell," he explained. "Otherwise it would simply be bound inside, like that other shade."

"So, what does this mean?" Nathaniel asked.

"We'd better try the key, like… he said," Duran replied.

"If it works," Hawke said, brandishing his staff in one hand, and the bolt holding the gem in the other, "the demon will be loosed. Get ready for a fight," he ordered.

The men moved away from each other, loosely making a half circle behind Hawke and the platform. Alistair stood near Hawke, ready to rush forward to draw the attention of the demon in order to let Hawke retreat out of range.

"Here we go," Hawke said, pushing the gem towards the binding spell's barrier.

There was a flash, and a roar, as the pride demon was set free. It looked around wildly, trying to find the source of its ire. Alistair moved swiftly, hitting his shield with the handle of his sword, drawing its attention to him.

The monster reared back to attack, and Alistair planted his feet, putting his shield up to absorb the hit. He could feel the magic in the air, and the sound of bow strings loosed as the others attacked. He focused his attention back to his purpose. He was the front line, and needed to hold the beast in place.

The hit didn't hurt, but the power behind it sang through his arms as he held himself steady. He grit his teeth, whipping himself around and striking out- backhanding the creature's leg with his shield. He quickly pulled it in again for protection, prepared for the counter attack.

He kept up the pace, attacking and defending in order to keep the demon busy, so it would not focus on the others, and he felt as if all was going well.

He should have known better then to jinx himself like that.

A large impact hit his shield, sending him flying and landing on his back. He looked up, dazed, seeing that the creature was gone.

"Over there!" came a call, and Alistair fumbled to get himself back to his feet. His armor was thick, and helped to protect him, true. But times like these, he felt almost like a turtle that was flipped onto its shell- it was difficult to get himself righted.

He tried once or twice, and then gave up and rolled over, crawling on all fours until he could get to his feet. It was embarrassing, and he hoped everyone was too busy to have noticed.

He let go of his shield, determined to take the demon down. He gripped his sword, and gave a roar of his own, running for the monster and ignoring the flames that it was conjuring to protect itself.

The demon may have been bigger, but it retreated slightly in the face of the warrior's attack. Alistair leapt, digging his sword into its torso, and twisting. He held on, as the creature fell backwards and dissipated into nothing.

He hadn't been expecting that, but as he lay on the ground where he had once again landed on his back, he realized that he should have known the demon would disappear. He had fought enough of them to know.

He panted, glad it was over. He opened his eyes as he heard footsteps, seeing the other men all looking down at him.

"Well, that was impressive," Hawke said with a smirk. "Do you need help getting up?"

Alistair closed his eyes again, knowing he did need help, but not wanting to say it.

"That was quite the attack," Varric said sounding impressed, and Alistair was grateful. "Of course, the best part was when you were scuttling around on the ground," he continued, and Alistair groaned.

The other men chuckled, not wanting to give him too hard a time. They were all grateful he was the one wearing all the heavy armor after all, and not them.

"Come on, my friend, let me give you a hand," Hawke offered, and Alistair opened his eyes again to see a hand being offered. He gripped it, and let the other man pull him to his feet. "Great job," Hawke said once he was standing. "I'm glad you're on our side."

Alistair flushed slightly, never quite getting used to receiving praise. "It was nothing," he mumbled.

"So what now?" Nathaniel asked, wanting to help get the attention off of his friend.

"Two thousand years, the magic has held…"

The group turned, seeing the tainted man coming into the chamber from behind them.

"This was one of the seals?" Hawke asked him.

He kept shuffling forward, eyeing the four pillars that surrounded the platform. They glowed with magic, and to Hawke, it looked the same as the glow from the gem.

"Give it the key… let it absorb the magic… all who came before…"

Hawke glanced over at Duran, who gave him a shrug. He turned to Anders, hoping for a bit more, and the mage looked thoughtful.

"The demon was powering the spell," he said, "but destroying the source isn't enough to break the seal. Without the demon, the spell will weaken and break apart, but we can't wait that long."

Hawke nodded, and moved towards the glowing pillar. He had hardly gotten close when both the gem and pillar lit up brightly, and a bolt of electricity shot between the two. Hawke held on, gripping the gem after the bolt cracked in half.

After a few moments, the power subsided, and the glow from the pillar was gone. Hawke looked down at the gem in his hand, wondering now what he should do with it.

"I can practically feel the magic it holds," Alistair told him, frowning down at the gem.

"I've got an idea, if you're up for it," Duran said, giving Hawke a crooked smile.

"Is it risky?" Hawke turned to ask.

"Extremely," Duran replied, smiling more openly now. "I have no idea what, if anything, will happen."

Hawke's eyebrow rose, wondering what was going though the dwarf's mind. "I'm listening," he said.

Carver was quiet, but that was nothing new. He knew no one wanted to hear what he was thinking right now, and besides… complaining had never gotten him sympathy from his brother before, so why would it now?

Not that he wanted any. Having Garrett pity him now would have been unbearable. Yes, Garrett had been the main reason he had the chance to become a Grey Warden, but it had been his own choice.

Not that there was much of a choice… Wardens, or death… Carver thought caustically. He knew his older brother blamed himself, but he didn't see it that way. Well, not any longer anyway. I wouldn't have let him keep me from the expedition, so that was my choice as well. He had nothing to do with it.

He knew the others thought he was envious, but in actuality, he simply didn't understand. He loved his brother, and maybe looked up to him- every now and then.

But in the all the time he had spent with their father, Carver had been taught over and over of the advantages and responsibilities that he was given instead of Garrett, because he was born without magic.

He was the one that was supposed to be the public face of their family, the one that would carry on their legacy, and care for their mother. He was the one who would find love, get married, and pass on the responsibilities to his children… because Garrett, and Bethany, were mages.

Years later, here they were- Garrett was the champion of a city. He had respect, admiration, and love… despite his magic.

And Carver had… a death sentence. Seems backwards, doesn't it? He asked himself. Though Bethany got the worst of it, it hadn't been totally unexpected.

Even now, he would try to see his brother as others did. He couldn't deny that Garrett had charm… others had always flocked to him, wanting to be around him, even when they were younger. It was one of the reasons they moved around so much… and one of the things Carver and Bethany had bonded over, and resented… until her magic had manifested.

Having recently gained a new perspective in life had dimmed that somewhat… but it wasn't completely gone.

Now, the tainted warden… Larius, he thought contemptuously. The crazy man turned out to be the old warden commander of the Free Marches!

Carver shook his head, still finding it unbelievable to have found a Warden that had gone on his Calling, that hadn't died.

This, is what happens to all of us, if we live too long… Carver stewed. This is why the others are giving us pitying looks… as if we are doomed to be as he is.

He looked behind, seeing the odd shuffling gait of the tainted man, and turned back forward, resolute. Never. I'll fall on my own sword before that happens, he told himself.

Hearing the man speak of being with his father when the seals were placed had Carver feeling uneasy, but made more sense as to why they had felt his presence, the vestiges of spells he had lain.

Fighting through more darkspawn seemed the least of their worries, and with the size of their group, was fairly easy. Carver frowned as they found another bound demon left by their father.

This time, it was an abomination that was sealed away, and he couldn't help but agree when his brother decided to undo the spell and destroy it. He wants to hear Father again too… Carver deduced.

Carver listened silently as his father's voice echoed through the room. Once it died off, he turned to his brother, swamped with memories.

"That which is best in me, not that which is most base," Carver repeated. "Father used to say that didn't he? To you and Bethany," he asked his brother, trying not to let his emotions through, even if it did make him sound gruff. "She never felt like she could live up to him," he admitted.

"I hope they're together, wherever they are," Garrett replied, knowing well what the real reason behind his brother's angry sounding voice was. "Swapping spells and gossiping about us…"

Carver snorted. "Isn't it odd? A darkspawn pit full of demons is what's making me feel closer to Father."

Hawke grinned back, and then decided to press on. As nice as it was to feel closer to their father, he knew Carver wanted to be done with this as much as he did.

So he pushed them on, eventually finding a room that they were able to bar themselves into, to get some food and rest before descending further.