The tension was palpable in the air as dusk fell, and you could cut through the atmosphere with a knife. Everyone was ready, the professional fighters on the path near where the monsters were expected to come form, and the militia members and coscripts in the village just in case any came from the lake. Everyone was set, weapons drawn and ready for combat.
It was Morrigan who heard the creaking and groaning of the monsters first.
"Corpses!" she shouted, before turning to Olorin.
"We must be dealing with a higher order demon. Desire or Pride I think."
"You're probably right. I wonder if the boy's contacted a Desire demon to try and save his father. It would be unusual but not unheard of for a non mage to make a deal with a demon."
"Fire it is then." Olorin stated grimly raising his staff and setting the weapons of his companions alight, ready to take on the corpses. Just as he had done this, the corpses reached the oil. Morrigan set it alight with a well-aimed fireball that took out a number of the corpses themselves. Looking over the ridge Olorin sighed as he saw at least one hundred of the corpses heading over the ridge. Wynne was casting rejuvenating spells on the melee fighters to ease their tiredness as Olorin and Morrigan rained down fireballs and the archers fired rapidly into their mix. However arrows were ineffective on corpses, who typically needed to either be decapitated or burned.
Few of the corpses made it through the fire storm, and those that did were quickly cut down by the melee fighters. However it was not long before their luck turned. Everyone looked down to the village when there was a huge explosion and fireball from the lake.
"Shit!" Olorin cursed, "The corpses attack the village from the lake ."
William shouted back.
"You and Morrigan head down to the lake. Alistair and Zevran will follow you down."
Nodding, Olorin and Morrigan disappeared to be replaced by two wolves who quickly bounded down to the village, the female wolf much more elegant than the male.
Olorin was excited. He loved being in animal form and found it intoxicating. He tried his best to keep up with Morrigan, but she was far more used to being in a wolf form than he was.
It didn't take long in wolf form for them to reach the lake. It was just in time for Olorin to spot a corpse pinning the barman, Lloyd, to the floor and ready to stab him through the eye. Bounding, Olorin jumped on the corpse, knocking the corpse sideways and swiping into his chest with his claws before Olorin transferred back into his human form and sent a bolt of fire into the corpses head with his staff.
When he had been learning to transfer Olorin was unsure what would happen to his clothes and possessions. Morrigan informed they were just as part of the spell as he was, and they would transform with him.
Standing up off his knees he looked around and saw Morrigan healing a wounded villager and Alistair and Zevran running down the hill, charging into the flank of the corpses. Alistair bashed them out of the way with his shield as Zevran decapitated them, barging a path through to Olorin.
"What's the plan?" Alistair asked once they reached Olorin.
"We need to push them back to the beach" Olorin replied. "If we can, Morrigan and I can call fire down on them and burn them to a crisp."
"'Tis a solid plan." Morrigan said as she appeared beside Olorin. "What fire spells do you know? I know Fireball and Inferno."
"Then cast Inferno when we're in position. I'll call a Firestorm down on them."
Morrigan just raised her eyebrow at the advanced elemental spell and nodded her head in acknowledgement as Olorin raised his voice over the din.
"Villagers! We can end this if we push them back to the beach. Advance!"
Alistair moved forward, leading the advance through the houses with the mayor Murdock and the dwarf Dwyn. It took half an hour, but eventually the monsters were trapped on the beach, with a shield wall from the militia stopping them advancing further into the village. Morrigan and Olorin pushed their way through to just behind the shield wall and raised their staffs in unison while chanting. After a few seconds, Morrigan slammed her staff down on the ground and a whirlpool of fire spawned to the rear of the corpses, cutting off their retreat through the lake, a gasp coming from the villagers, who though fearful of magic, was glad to see it on their side. Morrigan collapsed onto her knees, breathing heavily with her brow glistening with sweat from the effort needed to call her spell forward. It was a mark of how much it had taken out of her she did not make a comment when Alistair gave a Lyrium potion and just downed it.
While Morrigan was doing this Olorin was still chanting, though he had noticed Alistair taking the Lyrium potion from his belt. Eventually the heavens opened and a single fireball fell from the sky landing in the middle of the corpses. This was soon followed by a second, then a third, then a fourth, a fifth and so on. All in all three dozen fireballs reigned down from the sky. Everyone looked at Olorin in awe as he leaned on his staff, sweat pouring down his face. He manged to choke out one word to Alistair before sitting down, shaking like a leaf.
"Lyrium".
As soon as the Lyrium potion Alistair fished out his bag came up to his lips he gulped at it, downing it as quick as a he could before standing up, well aware that he was attracting looks of both awe and terror from the villages.
"Morrigan, run up to William and tell him the threat here is ended. Alistair start getting casualties into the Chantry and wait until Morrigan and Wynne get there." Both nodded and got off to their tasks, as the villagers helped Alistair look for the wounded.
"That was mightly impressive Warden." Zevran spoke. "I have not seen much in the way of magic but that is easily the most impressive feat I have seen."
"Thank you. To be honest I wasn't sure if I could do it. Did you happen to see how many fireballs came down?"
"At least thirty." Zevran stated.
"Thirty!? Bloody hell no wonder I feel knackered. I was aiming for a dozen or so. Must have overcooked it. It is a tricky spell."
"Yes it is young man." Wynne spoke as she arrived with Morrigan. "We saw it from up on the ridge. You are right, you put too much power into it"
"I didn't know you knew much about primal magic Wynne?"
"Just because its not my strongest branch of magic, doesn't mean I don't know lots of theory." Wynne lectured, before her face softened. "Are you alright?"
"Yes I'm fine after some Lyrium. Alistair is moving the injured to the Chantry. You know how rubbish I am at healing spells, so do you want me to help sort the walking wounded from the badly wounded?"
Wynne nodded before running off. With Morrigan also iffy at best at healing, she declared she would go round to make sure the area was secure. The other companions either helped clear up, or helped Wynne with the wounded.
o-0-o
It had been a long night, but they had emerged victorious from their skirmish, with surprisingly few casualties. None of their party was injured, two militia members had died and one knight of Redcliffe had a minor injury, but the majority of the wounded were sorted by Wynne overnight. All of the party was shattered now though, having only got a couple of hours sleep before Tegan's victory speech on the steps of the Chantry. After the speech, they breakfasted and headed up to the windmill where Teagan gathered with Redcliffe knights.
Tegan had just finished telling them about the secret passage into the castle when they heard an Orlesian accent coming from the hill up to the castle.
"Tegan! Thank the Maker you yet live."
Tegan was obviously shocked when the beautiful Orlesian woman came down the hill.
"Isolde! You're alive! How did you escape? What has happened?"
"I do not have much time to explain. I slipped away from the castle once the sun rose. I have to return quickly. And I need you to return with me Tegan. Alone"
"One does not simply walk away from a demon. You was let go." Olorin commented.
"What? Who is this man Tegan." Isolde said, an ugly look on her face from being interrupted.
Alistair sighed. "You remember me, Lady Isolde, don't you?"
If anything the look on the Arlessa's face got even uglier.
"Alistair! Of all the… Why are you here?"
"They are Grey Wardens Isolde. They helped us fight the undead, the village and myself owe them our lives."
The ugly look immediately vanished from her face. Grey Wardens were extremely well respected in Orlais, much more than in Ferelden.
"Pardon me, I would exchange pleasantries, but under the circumstances."
"We had no idea anyone in the castle was alive. And as Olorin said, if my Templar training taught me anything, it's that demons don't know let people go without a good reason. We must have some answers. What's happened?"
Soon Isolde was explaining the whole story, about how the Arl had been poisoned by a mage who had then summoned the demon. The whole story had started to make sense, apart from why she was so insistent that Tegan return alone. But before she could explain why Tegan interrupted.
"Isolde, I will return with you but I must speak with the Grey Wardens first. Alone."
William was the first to speak.
"I trust you have a plan."
"I do. I will enter the castle with Isolde while you go through the secret passageway. From there you make you way to main hall and do what you have to do."
"We won't let you down. We will come up with a plan and then follow through the passageway."
With Tegan gone, the group, joined by the Redcliffe knights, turned to Morrigan who had gone to scout the castle while the others had been listening to the speech.
"What did you find Morrigan?" William asked.
"The windows were all shut so I couldn't really see into the castle. But in the Courtyard there are a half dozen corpses and a Revenant."
"Shit." Olorin swore before turning to Ser Perth.
"I've failed to notice any Templars here. Are there any at all?"
"I'm afraid they all died before us knights returned from searching for the Urn. They were the first line of defence. Why, what is a Revenant?"
"It is a powerful member of the undead family, formed when a demon of great power, normally one of Pride or Desire, possess a corpse. With Alistair the only Templar trained member here, it makes this very tricky." Olorin answered, causing Ser Perth to gulp.
After consulting with William, Olorin and Alistair came up with a plan and relayed it before William relayed it to the others.
"Right here's the plan. Our group, apart from Morrigan, will head through the tunnel before making our way through to the courtyard. Morrigan will perch as a bird on the top of the gatehouse. Once we come into the courtyard Morrigan will swoop down, open the gate and allow the Redcliffe knights to come through."
"What about that Revenant?"
"Leave that to us. Myself, Sten and Alistair will engage with Alistair using his Templar abilities. Olorin will attempt to use fire on it while Wynne protects you from it. Should we fall, retreat, closing the gate behind you and head to the circle and tell the Templars of the situation. Ideally we'd do that now, but we simply don't have the time."
With that decided, the groups moved into their various positions. Alistair led the group of Grey Wardens and their allies, while Ser Perth led the Knights of Redcliffe to the gates of Redcliffe castle.
The Olorin was walking beside William, with the others behind them when he saw three corpses and heard a rather familiar scream. He quickly launched a fireball at the corpses burning them to a crisp instantly before running to the cell they had been attacking and seeing the last person he expected to see. Pointing his staff at the person, he used his limited knowledge of Force magic to push the occupant into the wall and keep him there.
"Jowan!" he spat. "Give me one good reason not kill you now!"
"Olorin? What are you doing here?"
"Can someone fill me in?" William asked.
"This is Jowan. He was a friend of mine until he revealed himself to be a blood mage."
Alistair startled at this, and drew his sword and prepared a Holy Smite in case Jowan caused any trouble.
"What are you doing here?" Olorin asked.
"I was hired by the Arlessa to tutor Connor."
"But why would the Arlessa need a tutor for Connor?" Alistair asked.
"Connor is a mage. The Arlessa wanted an apostate to teach him without having to go to the circle." Jowan stated.
"The Arl's son is a mage?" William asked. "That would be scandal in of itself. And him and Isolde are probably too old to sire another a child. I know they struggled for Connor."
"That would explain the corpses." Olorin stated. "Connor has clearly contacted a demon, likely of desire to save his father."
"Yes I fear you are right Olorin." Jowan said, causing a scowl to appear on Olorin's face.
"And what do we do with him?" Alistair asked.
"Why did you do it? Why did you turn to blood magic?" Olorin asked him.
"I wanted to be powerful, like you. And then they found out and were going to make me tranquill."
"You naieve person. You were bait! Uldred was planning a rebellion and you was a sacrificial lamb to keep the Templar suspicions away from him."
"What!? A rebellion? What's happened?"
Olorin filled him on the events on the circle causing Jowan to burst into tears moaning how he should have turned Uldred in.
"It would have done no good. He was a Senior Enchanter. None of us would have believed he was capable of it right under our noses." Wynne opined.
"What are we going to do with the saarebas?" Sten demanded.
"Leave him here for now. If we was to escape he would have done it by now. We can sort out what we're going to do with him later." Olorin said, as soon as Jowan opened his mouth.
"I can't trust you enough to let you out, as much as I know you'll want to help. Besides, combat was never your thing."
"I understand." Jowan said, as the team moved off through the dungeons.
Making their way through the castle was tough, with lots of corpses running free. Throughout the castle they killed several dozen corpses and managed to save the smiths daughter from joining them. Alistair's knowledge of the castle proved invaluable, especially when they reached a door he said reached the courtyard of the castle, where the Revenant was.
As soon as they opened the door, Olorin saw Morrigan swoop down in her raven form and release the knights of Redcliffe, who went to engage the corpses. Wynne joined them, putting herself between them and the Revenant, as the Grey Warden group engaged the Revenant.
Alistair used the Templar ability Blessed Blades, which helped make his sword, along with those of William and Sten more effective against the undead. Things were going fairly well, with Leliana distracting it with arrows, Olorin and Morrigan firing fireballs at it and the warriors distracting it. However the Revenant reached out and made a pulling motion towards Olorin. Olorin was swept off his feet and flew in the direction of the Revenant, much the same as Wynne had in the circle tower. However this time Olorin had seen the arm extend and realised what it meant. He managed to set the head of his staff on fire, and reaching out in front of him, drove the staff into the Revenant's head, setting it alight and killing it, just as the knights managed to kill the last of the corpses.
"That looked like a formidable foe." Ser Perth said.
"They are. We fought one in the Circle Tower so we knew how to handle it this time." William said.
"Shall we enter the hall together?" Ser Perth asked, with William agreeing they walked into the hall to be met by a humorous site of Bann Teagan dancing like a fool. What was less humorous was Connor Guerrin sat in the Arl's chair, a shadow upon his face.
"Ah. So these are the guests that mother mentioned."
"Yes Connor." Isolde spoke with terror in her voice.
"Sorry to spoil your fun demon, but its time for this to end." Olorin said, readying his staff.
"No don't kill him!" Isolde screamed. Just then something changed in Connors demeanour.
"Mother, what's happening?" He asked, his voice now sounding more like that of a scared eight year old.
"Oh Connor, thank the Maker!" Isolde started before Connor shuddered his voice changing again.
"Kill them!" He commanded, the enchanted soldiers and Tegan attacking them.
"Don't kill them, knock them out if you can!" William commanded, punching Tegan square on the side of his head, knocking him out instantly.
The fight was over quickly, with Olorin, Morrigan and Wynne casting a sleeping spell on most of the soldiers, knowing the demons enchantment would be over once they woke up.
"What was that?" Ser Perth asked, terror in his voice.
"A demon, most likely of desire. Young Connor is a mage, isn't he Arlessa." Wynne spoke.
"Yes he is. But that other mage who poiseoned Eamon is responsible, not Connor! Connor wouldn't hurt a fly!"
Olorin sighed at this and turned to Ser Perth.
"She is partially right. Jowan poisoning Eamon to make him ill would have caused Connor to make a deal with a desire demon to save Eamon."
"So what do we do?" Ser Perth asked, the group turning to Alistair and the three mages in the group.
"The only way I know of to kill a demon is to kill the host. That's what Templar training says." Alistair spoke.
"Templar training is only half right." Wynne spoke. "If a demon can be confronted and killed in the fade, it will leave a host. But entering the fade is difficult without a lot of mages and a lot of Lyrium."
"Is entering the fade not how the Tevinter Magisters brought Darkspawn to the world?" Ser Perth asked, Isolde nodding along.
"You are sort of right." Olorin spoke. "All humans and elves, and presumably Qunari, enter the fade in their sleep, that's what gives us dreams. But mages can enter their consciousness into the fade at anytime, but their physical body stays here. The Tevinter Magisters entered the fade in their physical bodies, which is supposed to be impossible."
Ser Perth nodded along, sort of understanding what Olorin was saying.
"There is another way. A blood magic ritual to enter the fade. But alas, I do not know the ritual, only that it exists." Morigan spoke.
"We won't use blood magic." Olorin stated firmly.
"Then our only options are to kill Connor or contact the Circle." Wynne said.
"Morrigan and I can fly there. That would only take a couple of hours."
"Mages can't fly." Isolde snorted. "My younger brother is a Templar, he would know."
To demonstrate the point, Olorin turned into a raven and flew around the room before transforming back. To everyone else it looked rather elegant, but Morrigan saw the clumsiness in the flying.
"You are still clumsy Olorin, but you could no doubt make it to the Circle."
"So it would take them a couple of hours to get there, but how long to get back?" Ser Perth said, still rather stunned at the display.
"If we get the Templars co-operation, we could row across the lake. If we leave before noon, we could be back before nightfall with enough Mages and Lyrium. The Templars would also likely also come just in case things go wrong." Olorin said, knowing their was a larger boat that was sometimes used to row supplies across the lake.
In a matter of minutes, Olorin and Morrigan stood outside, transformed into raven, and headed off to the circle tower.