With the party all packed, armed and armored, they've made their way through the city up to the main gates within Denerim. Before they could press onward, Alistair made note of the clearly unplanned direction the group had intended to go to first. Houlted and paused by this notion from all within the party the air seemed fairly silent for a while before anyone thought to suggest anything, however, as Denix was about to speak another's voice chimed in from someone who was not from the party.

"Well, well. What have we here" said the voice coming from just outside the city gates.

"Morrigan?" Denix muttered as she revealed herself upon the whole party.

Dragon Age: Ascension

Chapter 3

And So It Begins

"Morrigan? What are you doing here? Where's Kiren?" Denix asked in a frenzy.

"I'm here the same as you are twas the spirit asked of me as she had onto you. As for the whereabouts of our son. He's safe and well looked after so much I will promise my life on it," Morrgian responded heavily with a hint of gentleness to her voice.

"I know, I won't be able to inquire more about our son, but I trust your word in full," Denix approved.

"I agree, I've met Kiern and seen how Morrgian loves him that she'll do anything to make sure he's always safe," Leliana added in to reassure Denix.

"If we all haven't forgotten, we still need to figure out where we intend to go or is it just me still realizing this? No, just me yeah I thought so," Alistair announced with disappointment.

"Twas, why I've come here and now," Morrgian started. "I've done an overhead look to see what this Blacken Incursion is all about and it's worse than any blight this world has ever seen. Skyhold and the surrounding area looked unnatural to put it lightly and covered with masses of evil armies I dare not go into detail about," she finished with worry in her tone.

"Either way, Alistair is right," Denix began. "Oh I am. First time hearing that," Alistair interrupted with glee to which Denix sighed and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I may have an idea as to how to deal with our situation," Denix continued, slightly annoyed.

"Oh, I do like the sound of where this is going as your ideas are very well thought out if I do say so," Zevern complimented, rather too cheeky.

"Here's my proposal, with so much ground to cover within Ferelden alone we split up in three groups to recruit allies we have here in our home country," Denix suggested.

"Split up, are you serious, has the stone hit you one too many times on the head?!" Jardol mocked them with disdain. "Ggrr," Max growled at Jardol in defense of his master.

"This is actually not a bad idea as it would make things much easier, yes," Zevren agreed.

"You have more to go on too if I'm not mistaken," Leliana inquired with approval.

Denix nodded in response. "Kinloch Hold is now the second largest Templar hold in all of Thedas. Cullen is the Knight Commander there too. Thanks to mine and Alistair's effort, Ostagar and part of the Hinterlands is now home to most of the Dalish Elves there. The werewolves are also still hidden deep within the Brecillian Forest as I still have communication with the Lady of the Forest. These are the three areas we should start at I think," Denix finished his plan in full.

"But who is going to go where and in which group?" Anders asked sheepishly.

"I have to be the one to go see the werewolves, I'm the only one that knows where they are now," Denix stated. "I'll also be taking Jardol with me and our respectful animals as well," Denix added. "I'll go with you too," Anders volunteered, to which Denix nodded in return.

"I'll go and speak with Cullen on our behalf," Leliana offered. "Shale, I ask that you will accompany me?" Leliana asked. "I will follow the Divine," Shale agreed. "Willow and I will also accompany you, Leliana," the spirit of destiny offered their support.

"Wait that just leaves me with, with the elf and the witch," Alistair acknowledged with disdain, especially towards Morrigan. "Haha. You think I'm happy about this arrangement?" Morrigan laughed at him.

"Alistair, it makes sense for you to seek out the Dalish, you helped them have a home here in Ferelden. Decides you'll need them both to appeal to the Dalish with Zevren being elven naturally and Morrigan's extended magical knowledge will also be very helpful," Denix assured him. "I guess you're right, we do whatever it takes to save Thedas," Alistair agreed lightly.

"Hold on if we are splitting up, shouldn't we have a rendezvous point?," Jardol sternly asked.

"That is a very good point," Leliana agreed. "I too have already thought of that," Denix countered. "I was thinking we would regroup with each other in Redcliffe and then to Orzammer from there," Denix suggested to which everyone was in agreement with him.

Morrigan suddenly whistled a little tune causing everyone to turn heads towards her. A black raven flew out from a nearby tree and landed upon her shoulder. Shale quickly took an aggressive approach towards the uninvited guest.

"The swamp witch has a feathered fiend, I must crush it?!" Shale exclaimed fiercely.

"You will do no such thing, golem!" Morrigan protested spitefully. "This is Dusk and he's with me," she added with sentiment in her words.

"So you finally found a friend that actually likes you," Alistar provoked. "You yapping your mouth again little man," Morrigan mocked back with ridicule.

Alistair sat mounted on his horse muttering slightly to himself unable to comment back. Denix took a moment and approached Shale realizing she still was without any augmentation crystals equipped onto her.

"Shale, I have something for you," Denix addressed her as he pulled out two augmentation crystals from his pack and showed them to her.

"These are not just any augmentation crystals are they?" Shale acknowledged. "They are ultra augmentation crystals. I found them while on my journeys," Denix explained. "This one particularly has an array of colors to it. And this is a lightning one which I figured you'll find most useful to squish your enemies with," Denix stated with delight as he helped equip the crystals onto Shale.

Shale expressed much joy, able to glitter from ear to ear again with her newfound crystals attached and feeling the power they radiated making her more stronger then she had ever felt before. The party then spit into their teams of three now fully ready to embark on their quest. Denix waved goodbye to his departing friends as they left the city.

"Here Max, here boy!" Denix called out to his mabari hound. Max ran over to him letting out little whines at him. "What do you wanna walk the whole way?" he asked the pup.

Denix had a custom made saddle for his bicorn so Max could also ride on top at the rear end of the stead. Denix picked up his dog and struggled to get him up onto Voltor.

"You've gained weight haven't you? That's it, I'm cutting you back from the beef bones," Denix declared in heavy breaths with Max whining at him with disapproval. "Don't make me put you on a healthy diet," Denix threatens playfully. "Woof woof woof," Max responded angrily.

Denix mounted up on his stead now that Max was nice and secured in his spot. Jardol and Anders mounted up on Bane with Grace the cat in Anders arms as they too themselves were ready to embark on their path towards the Brecillian Forest. With no delay the group ascended the forest by midday reaching its center point. By this point Jardol and Anders looked confused as they reached what had looked like a dead end. Denix dismounted from his bicorn then trailed upward to the dead end centered between two trees. From his pack he pulled out a werewolf pelt and held it in front of him held high causing a path to emerge between the two trees.

"Come on this way." Denix insisted on his friends. "But how did you-" Anders started.

"As I mentioned, I'm the only one that can find them because I had a key to open the way. The werewolves and the Lady of Forest and I have been very close allies well after the blight had ended. I've been helping them as much as I can," Denix explained.

"Helping with what exactly?" Anders asked suspiciously. "Their bestial nature," Denix responded lightly.

Anders and Jardol looked at each other, convinced this was a bad idea. Denix pressed forward on leaving the other two no choice, but to follow along with him while the animals stayed behind. The further they moved inward the more and more werewolves had revealed themselves surrounding them. Just ahead stood Swiftrunner and by his side the Lady of the Forest was waiting as the warden walked up to them.

"We've been expecting you," the Lady acknowledged him.

"I hope all my supply caches were able to reach you all," Denix wondered.

"Yes, the agent Clara has been most beneficial to us since you sent her our way," Swiftrunner replied gratefully.

Denix nodded in respect and gratitude. "Unfortunately, I didn't come here for a social call I regret to say," Denix stated apologetically

"We know why you've come, Warden. With all the aid you have provided for us we will honor you in any way you ask of us," Lady offered.

"If you already know why I'm here then you surely already know what drove me to come here as well," Denix pondered.

"Grrr, the blacken incursion. Yes, we know of it and we will see to end it alongside you, Warden like in the days of the blight," Swiftrunner assured.

"Well this was fairly easy," Jardol said half jokingly. "Agreed," Anders replied.

"Thank you, Lady and Swiftrunner. I really appreciate this," Denix stated sincerely.

"Grr. We aren't finished yet Warden," Swiftrunner continued. "I'm sorry," Denix asked, confused.

"What Swiftrunner means is he and I will join you personally on your quest against this incursion," The Lady announced.

"You want to join me?" Denix asked with shock.

The Lady of the Forest nodded in reply. "When the time comes I'll send word for our troops to fight with us when they are needed," the Lady reassured the Warden.

"Come, for we must go now for we have another waiting for us," the Lady declared.

The Lady of the Forest and Swiftrunner joined with Denix and company back to where the animals had laid and waited for them to return, however, another entity was also present in wait.

"I welcome you Warden for I also beg your pardon," the entity spoke. "For this tree wishes to join thee," it continued.

"The Grand Oak, you too wish to join our cause," Denix asked dumbfoundedly.

"It is my deed to join indeed," the Grand Oak confirmed.

"Um yeah sure of course," Denix agreed, still overly amazed by this encounter.

"Have you lost your stone sense? He's a tree that towers over everything! He can't exactly blend in, don't you think?!" Bardol disapproved.

"Here I have my seed. Within it I am and gain in speed," The Oak responded.

"I see, you can travel about within your acorn," Denix thought cunningly. "Is that good enough for you dwarf?" Denix asked wittingly. "Humph," Jardol retorted.

"Alright then if we are all set we should head out," Denix signaled.

Denix and his new established party eagerly left the forest towards the main route to Redcliffe. Upon reaching the imperial highway, a messenger bird flew overhead dropping a note directed for the Warden. Denix opened the note citing his presence is needed urgently at Soldier's Peak signed by Levi Dryden.

Dragon Age: Ascension

Chapter 3

(A/N: Thank you everyone who has come to read the next chapter to this story for I do hope you really enjoyed it. I do wanna level with all my readers for this story that the next few chapters will kind of be in the same pacing as this one in other words slow-burn, but I do promise that I'm building this up to a point to reach one of the high points for this story. I'm also going on record here and say I don't have a chapter limit for the story as of yet.

By far this is the biggest news for the first time I'm announcing that I'm gonna do another story in ties with this one. Basically this will be a collection of one-shot stories based on characters in this main story. The purpose of this is to give better details on certain characters and the moments leading up to when they enter into the main story. This story will be titled Road To Ascension and be a prequel series of short stories to this main one. Chapter 4 will be titled Divine & Templar- Friends Reunited as this should be a clear nod as to whose all in the next one. I thank you all so much, see you all in the next one.)