Chapter 76: The Warden Talk (Elissa)

After the mages examined Teagan and went back to the tower, Elissa went up to the bann's chambers along with Isolde.

- How does he feel? - Elissa asked.

- He is conscious, but any treatment is not helping at all.

- Will Teagan be able to unite the nobles against Loghain? We both know he'll have to take Eamon's place.

- He can't even stand on his feet. Lady Cousland, please don't tell him about Eamon. He knows nothing about what happened, and while he is not well, it is better for him not to know.

Reaching the bedroom, Elissa glanced at Teagan. She knew him from the last Landsmeet, where Elissa was accompanying her father. The future Arl of Redcliffe looked unwell. He opened his eyes and looked at his sister-in-law and the daughter of the Teyrn of Highever.

- Elissa, right? - he asked carefully. - Isolde told me that two of the Grey Wardens who came here were the children of Bryce Cousland. Thank you for saving the castle from the undead. My family owes you an enormous debt. How is Eamon?

- He's alive, but unconscious, - Isolde answered. - Unfortunately, we don't know how to cure you two. All hopes are only for the Urn. I have sent many knights to search for it, but so far to no avail.

- Are you talking about the Urn of Sacred Ashes? - Elissa asked. - Isn't it just a legend?

- According to Brother Genitivi, the Urn is located somewhere in the mountains. Three days ago I sent a second letter to Brother Genitivi in Denerim asking for help.

- If the brother doesn't respond, we will go to Denerim for him. But we will find the Urn no matter what. Get well soon, Bann Teagan.

Elissa left the bedroom and went down the stairs. She found Sereda, Adela and Daylen in the hall.

- It was very reckless to use the Right of Conscription like that, Daylen, - Adela said. - You have been in the order for less than a month, and you have already taken two recruits, without having the chance to carry out the Joining ritual.

- Liam knew Duncan, and he was going to take him into the order anyway, - Daylen answered. - Jowan is my friend, and he will be useful to us.

- You don't know how to determine who is capable of surviving the Joining yet. If Jowan dies a painful death, will you be able to live with it?

- At least now he will have a chance at life instead of execution, tranquility or a cell in Aeonar.

- I don't understand anything about magic and mages, but in Orzammar, dwarves are almost never executed, - said Sereda. - This is a waste of resources.

- How do you, dwarves, deal with criminals?

- We arm and exile them from the city. The criminals have no chance to escape, but they can at least take a couple of genlocks with them. And the luckiest of them can join the Legion of the Dead.

- Daylen, find and gather all the Wardens, - Adela said. - We have a lot to discuss.

The mage bowed and left to look for the rest of the Wardens, while the dwarves noticed Elissa.

- How is Teagan? - Sereda asked.

- Bad. Only a miracle can save him.

Before the girls could continue their conversation, Sten and Basarad approached them.

- Wardens, we need to talk to Sereda, - Sten said.

- I'm listening, - the dwarf answered.

- Basarad must become a Grey Warden.

- Why?

- This Blight is a serious threat to everyone, including the Qunari. So one of us will join you.

- Why Basarad and not you?

- The life of a Grey Warden is full of risks, and someone must return to Seheron. Therefore, Basarad will become one of you, and I will return and tell the Arishok everything after the Blight.

- Does Basarad agree to this? Not everyone can become a Grey Warden.

- Shush! - Adela intervened. - Don't talk about the risks!

- I will follow any order from my commander, - Basarad said confidently. - This way I will become closer to enlightenment.

- As you say, - Sereda answered. - Now you are a Grey Warden recruit. You will undergo the Joining with Jowan and Liam as soon as we find the necessary ingredients.

- Thank you.

Both of the Qunari left, and the girls reached the room with the fireplace, joining Daylen and the other Wardens. Adela closed all the doors and stood in the center of the room.

- So, I should have talked to you about this earlier, but in the forest camp it was difficult to make sure no one else could hear us. Many of you know nothing about being a Grey Warden. I am ready to tell you everything I know and also answer your questions. Let's start with them.

- Who came up with the idea of drinking the blood of the dawkspawn? - Daveth asked. - It was so creepy, I almost died while drinking it.

- Nobody knows exactly how it happened, but desperate times called for desperate measures. During the First Blight, an unknown warrior from Anderfels drank the blood of the darkspawn, and this is how our order appeared.

- How does the Right of Conscription work? - Neria asked. - Daylen has managed to save Jowan, but it's unlikely to work every time.

- The Right of Conscription really allows you to take anyone into the order: from a beggar to a king. But circumstances differ from the rules. The Chantry doesn't like it when we take away talented templars and mages. The nobility refuses to finance us if we conscript their children. The guards hate us because we save criminals from justice. That is why, in reality, we cannot accept everyone into the order.

- Was I right when I allowed Basarad to become our recruit? - asked Sereda. - Will he be able to survive the Joining?

- I can't say exactly. There have never been any Qunari among the Grey Wardens. If he survives, he will be the first. Now the first thing you should know. Nothing is given without consequences. The corruption... the corruption will slowly devour each of you. None of the Grey Wardens live more than thirty years after their Joining.

- So, I will die at the age of fifty-seven? It could have been worse, - Elissa said.

- Not everyone is so lucky, - Neria objected. - I turned eighteen before the Harrowing, I'm the youngest one here.

- What happens to the Grey Warden at the end of this term? - Faren asked.

- They start going crazy, seeing visions. All they can do is go to the Deep Roads and meet death there, fighting the darkspawn.

- This explains what Sereda and I saw in the Deep Roads. Duncan was with the old Grey Warden, Quintus. When we met them, Quintus didn't come to the surface with us. Duncan didn't explain why.

- And there is something else. Do you know why we are so needed to defeat the archdemon?

- Because we are the coolest? - Kallian suggested.

- Because we are exceptional warriors? - Faren wondered.

- Does this have something to do with the blood we drank? - Alistair asked.

- Yes, Alistair is right, - Adela answered. - Only a Grey Warden can kill the archdemon by absorbing its soul. Any common warrior poses no threat to the archdemon.

- So what? - Daveth asked.

- When the archdemon is killed, the Grey Warden who kills it also dies.

Everyone in the room sighed and began whispering to each other.

- So, Garahel… - Kallian began to speak.

- ...died along with the archdemon, - Adela continued for her. - After the Fourth Blight, the order simply began to say that Garahel was crushed by a pillar that fell after the archdemon's death, and it was this version that became a part of the legend. I told Theron about this and he expressed his desire to sacrifice himself for all of us. If Theron falls in battle or is far from the archdemon, I will make the final blow. But it may also be that one of you will have to decide. So I'm looking forward to hearing from each of you. Will you be ready to give your life killing the archdemon?

Neria spoke first:

- Forgive me, but no. I wasn't ready for this. My life has just begun. And Alistair will be sad without me.

- But I'm ready to kill the archdemon, - Alistair said. - If saving Neria and all of Ferelden is going to cost my life, then I am ready to pay that price for it.

- Becoming the new Garahel is a tempting offer, - Kallian said. - But I'll pass.

Faren looked at Adela and said:

- Since you're ready for this, then so am I. Besides, after this, I will definitely be made a Paragon and no one will hurt my sister anymore.

- Remember my words at the Joining? - Daveth asked everyone. - I would sacrifice a lot if I knew it would stop the Blight. And I never go back on my words.

Elissa responded to Daveth's words with a smirk. Yes, in this case she will lose her fourth lover. But she was glad that Daveth remained true to himself.

- Well, no, I'm too young for that, - said Daylen.

- I can't do it either, - Sereda supported him. - Things have just started getting better for me; I've just recently got married. It's not my turn to die now.

By this point, only the twins had not spoken.

- I will sacrifice myself if necessary, - Elissa said.

Aidan did not support her.

- I am not going to die myself. But I know someone who will die instead of us.

- Who are you talking about, brother?

- About Howe. We'll take the bastard prisoner and force him to go through the Joining. And if he survives, he will kill the archdemon and die in the process.

- Do you want our father's killer to become a legend for several centuries? Are you out of your mind?

- At least he'll die, not any of us.

- I understand you all, - said Adela. - The conversation is over, everyone is free to go. Neria, stay, we need to discuss something.

All the Wardens , except Adela and Neria, went about their business. Elissa did not discuss the option of making Howe a Grey Warden with her brother any further, deciding that there was no point in it. Instead, she and Sereda left the castle. In the courtyard, guards surrounded a dark-skinned young man in Chantry robes, who stood with his hands raised.

- Please, calm down, - he said to the guards. - Can a man of faith harm someone? I'm unarmed.

Elissa and Sereda approached the young man. The guards, seeing this, dispersed.

- Brother Genitivi? - Elissa asked. - I thought that the author of so many historical works should be older.

- No, I'm not him, - said the young man. - I am his assistant, Weylon. A letter from Arlessa Isolde came to brother's house asking for help to cure Bann Teagan, that's why I'm here.

- Why didn't Genitivi come here himself?

- He has disappeared. The last place he was heading to was the village of Haven in the Frostback Mountains. I want to go there and find him and the Urn, but I need help.

- You're just at the right place, Weylon, - Sereda said. - We help everyone, especially those who can help us. Elissa, gather everyone here.

- By everyone, you mean the Wardens? - Elissa asked.

- No, I mean absolutely all of our companions. We will need to discuss the next steps.

Elissa nodded her head and ran into the castle. She never thought that they would have a chance to find the Urn of Sacred Ashes.