Chapter 52
Alistair came to the rescue. "How about we split into two teams? One goes off to get the golem, while the other enters the Deep Roads. You don't have to go too far in, just find somewhere to set up camp and leave markers for us and we'll find you when we get back."
Aedan considered the plan and smiled. "That's an excellent idea. Okay, so who wants to go and get the golem?"
Alistair's hand shot up before Aedan had even finished talking. Wynne gave a nod. "I too would like to see this golem." Leliana, chuckling over Alistair's enthusiasm, confirmed that she'd be happy to join the team. Sten stepped forward. "I admit to some... curiosity about this creature."
"All right, we have a plan. I want you to take Revek too, just to even out the numbers, as Emma said you'd encounter darkspawn. Be careful out there and return as soon as possible."
An image of Amalia appeared in Emma's mind, and she worried her lip as she remembered how easy it was for the girl to become possessed by the Desire Demon. Then there was that damn puzzle, which she practically knew of by heart considering how many times she'd completed it. She debated writing down instructions for those going, but she dismissed it just as quickly. If Amalia became possessed, there would be no chance to reload an earlier save; that would be it for the little girl. Shit! She couldn't risk Amalia's life just so she could stay close to Aedan. "I need to go with them," she blurted out.
Aedan's head whipped around to stare at her in bewilderment. "Emma?"
She swallowed past the lump in her throat, hating the thought of leaving his side. However, she consoled herself with the knowledge that she would be back with him in a few days. She managed a small smile as she explained, "I'm sorry, but I think I need to be there."
Wynne made an indignant noise. "We're not completely incompetent, child!" She sneered the last word, turning it into an insult rather than an endearment.
Emma stiffened. "That's not what I meant! But I can see a bloody difficult conversation ahead that could mean life or death if not done correctly. I can't ignore that, and neither would you."
"No, of course not." Wynne's hand choked her staff.
Emma reined in her anger and lowered her voice. "Then you understand that I need to be there?"
The tension eased between the two mages as she contemplated Emma's words. "Not really, but I know you wouldn't leave Aedan without good reason."
Emma chuckled. "You're right about that."
"All right, let's go and get a golem."Alistair declared.
Emma turned back to Aedan and found her words of goodbye were lodged in her throat. He reached out and cupped her neck, pulling her in and covering her lips with his. She choked back a sob and clung to him as he slanted his mouth and deepened the kiss. She breathed in deeply, drawing in his scent and filing it away in her memories; something to remember during the lonely nights ahead. They pulled apart to a chorus of wolf-whistles from their companions. She pressed her face into his neck, barely holding back the tears. "Be careful. I love you."
Aedan stroked a hand down her back, and whispered, "You too, Angel. I'll see you in a few days." He captured her mouth for one more fast and hard kiss, then strode towards the entrance to the Deep Roads. She watched Aedan leave, and for the first time since she'd met him, his words didn't bring her comfort. An ominous feeling twisted in the pit of her stomach as she walked away in the opposite direction. Emma dismissed it as nothing more than being away from Aedan for the first time. Of course, that was it. In a few days, they'd be reunited. Yet, still, the sensation lingered.
They reached Honnleath early on the second day and were greeted by a few screaming humans running from the village, their faces full of terror. Right behind ran three genlocks, swords swinging as they growled. Emma and her companions fought hard, killing every darkspawn in their path until they reached the centre of the village.
"Wow! That golem is massive," Alistair exclaimed, his mouth hanging open in awe. Wynne chuckled and stepped forward, the slim control rod in her hand. "Dulef gar." Everyone waited with bated breath, apart from Emma, who impatiently eyed the door to Wilhelm's cellar. The niggling feeling that she'd felt in Orzammar kept rearing its ugly head, churning her stomach and making her fidgety. With little patience at her command, she drew the attention of the companions to the door leading into the cellar. They fought their way through the various rooms and Emma picked up the crystals dotted around on the table tops. Eventually, they reached the survivors and found themselves with quite a difficult fight on their hands. Emma felt an arrow graze her arm and turned to face her attacker, but Alistair's sword sliced through the air to decapitate the genlock.
"Thanks."
He smiled and nodded to the thin line of blood seeping through her sleeve. "You okay?"
"Yeah, it's just a flesh wound." She chuckled then, thinking of how much she would have freaked out over the cut when she first arrived in Thedas; now, she just accepted the cuts and bruises without a second thought. They finished the fight before turning their attention to the humans, who were safe behind a barrier.
One man introduced himself as Matthias; he thanked them for their timely rescue but expressed curiosity about what they were doing in Honnleath. Wynne stepped forward. "I got a control rod from a merchant. He told me the golem was in this village, but the activation phrase he gave me doesn't work."
Matthias's expression turned sour at the mention of the statue. He turned away and pressed a switch which changed the colour of the shield and allowed the survivors to leave. Turning back to Wynne, he explained how the damnable golem had killed his father in a rage, before becoming paralysed.
"Do you know why it attacked its master?" Wynne asked.
Matthias shrugged. "I don't care; all I know is I lost my dad that day!"
Abruptly, he stopped and looked around. "Amalia?" His gaze fell on an open door and his face paled rapidly. "No!" He ran to the door and looked down into the dark passage. "My daughter! She's gone down into my father's laboratory. Please, help me. My father had so many traps down there. I don't think I'd make it. But you people are obviously capable." Emma patted his shoulder in an effort to calm his frantic nerves. "Of course we'll help."
He wrung his hands as he stared through the door. "Thank you. I'll give you the correct phrase for the golem if that's what you want; just please save my daughter."
Carefully, they made their way down the narrow passageway, Leliana's sharp eyes watching out for any traps. After fighting off a few wraiths, they crossed a couple of rickety wooden walkways and then the room containing Amalia and the cat came into view. Emma glared; that damned cat! This would normally be the point where she would save the game. She swallowed nervously. There would be no do-over this time; she either got it right or the child died. She stepped into the room, sweat beading her forehead and upper lip. The conversation began; Emma opened her mouth, ready to save the child, and her brain froze. She couldn't think of one damn thing to say.
Oh, shit!
