Genitivi soon solved the puzzle of how to open the door that Eirik had been guarding and they went through it, with the view gaining gasps from all but Sten and Morrigan. It was what appeared to be an extremely large Chantry hall that had clearly been here for literal, and not maintained. Genitivi went straight to some stones,that had been inscribed, with Olorin not far behind him. William ordered Zevran and Morrigan to scout ahead and check for more cultists.
"Correct me if I'm wrong Brother, but these are early Chantry inscriptions. As in very early?" Olorin states, gaining the interest of Wynne and Leliana.
"They are. These look to be from around the time of the formation of the Chantry, maybe even slightly earlier."
Their musings were interrupted by Zevran returning.
"We are not alone. Morrigans stayed as a bird, but there are several people in heavy armour and a mage here. They don't appear to know we are here."
"Shit. I was hoping the fighting was over." William said, before issuing directions.
"Wynne, you stay here with Gentivi. If the fighting goes badlyget him out of here. Sten and Alistair will join me at the front, leading the charge against them. Olorin you join Morrigan and come round the back of them and deal with the mage once the fighting starts. Leliana and Zevran, you try and flank them."
All nodded their ascent, apart from Olorin who just transformed and flew off to find Morrigan. Finding her, he sat next to her. As the warriors of the group were spotted, causing the cultist warriors to engage them, Olorin nodded to Morrigan and flew down behind the mage. Transforming back into his human form, he barely noticed Morrigan transforming back next to him. He quickly drew the dagger he had brought in Denerim and quickly plunged it through the neck of the Mage in front of him. He thought that would be that as the mage dropped to his knees, but he was in for a shock. With a flash of blood red, the wound healed itself and the mage stood back up and turned away, before blasting Morrigan against the wall with a torrent of blood red energy. With a gulp Olorin knew what was happening. He was facing a blood mage, alone. He quickly dropped his knife and drew his staff, dodging a blast of red as he did so. He started sweating and knew the blood mage was trying to boil his blood, an advanced piece of blood magic, but one he luckily knew the counter for. He used a dispel magic from the Spirit school of magic on himself, cancelling the blood magic spell, before retaliating with his own spell, that of a spell of sleep. This spell was blocked by a shield, however it gave Olorin enough time to shout a warning.
"Alistair, we have a blood mage!"
He was then forced to shield as a stone fist was headed his way. His shield took the blow, and then he retaliated with a Winters Grasp, which was also blocked. This went on for a few spells, each being shielded and neither able to gain an advantage. Then suddenly the enemy mage collapsed to the floor with a grunt, Alistair behind him with his arms outstretched in the classic pose of a Templar performing a Holy Smite. Olorin took this advantage and used his staff as bludgeoning weapon, knocking the mage out cold before he froze the enemy mages heart in his chest.
"Is the fight over?"
"Yes. Where's Morrigan?"
"Knocked out over there, I'm going to get Wynne."
With that he transformed into a wolf and ran quickly across the battlefield, seeing William and Sten, Zevran and Leliana searching the corpses for useful information. Arriving at Wynne and Genitivi having a conversation he transformed back.
"Quick Wynne, Morrigan is injured." Olorin said, slightly surprised at how worried he was for her. Sure he spent a lot of time with her, but she was just a colleague wasn't she?
Wynne didn't think twice, picking up her staff and running with Olorin. The hurry attracted the rest of the group and they soon came to where Morrigan was unconscious against the floor.
"What happened?" Wynne asked as she started casting diagnostic spells on Morrigan.
"She was hit by a burst of blood magic which forced her against the wall. He was an advanced blood mage as he tried to boil my blood."
"No wonder you needed help, Olorin." Alistair said after a whistle, before Wynne interrupted him."
"She has a cracked skull, but is not bleeding on the brain. Olorin, prepare a poultice for her on a bandage, that should help the cut on the back of her head."
As Olorin did as he was bidden Wynne picked up her staff again and cast a healing spell at Morrigan, sealing both the cut on her head and healing the crack in her skull, as well as bringing her round. Conditioned by years of being in danger in the Wilds, Morrigan reached reflexively for her staff, before Olorin calmed her.
"Don't worry Morrigan, we've won, all the enemies here are dead."
"Damn blood mages." Morrigan said once she realised what Olorin said was true, before looking at the bandage Olorin had prepared with scorn.
"Don't be like that Morrigan. You know as well as I do that this is the best treatment for you after Wynne's healing spell." Morrigan thought for a moment before nodding reluctantly and letting Olorin prepare the bandage.
"Are you still able to fight?" William asked.
Morrigan just nodded.
"She'll be fine William." Wynne assured him as they heard someone coming up the steps.
"Is everything alright?" asked Brother Genitivi.
"Yes, we're all fine now. But perhaps you should stay here Brother. I have no doubt there are more of them in these tunnels."
"Yes that is probably a good idea. There's some scrolls in some of these rooms I can start translating." He said before walking off.
William addressed the group.
"Right we don't know what's ahead. The warriors we've encountered so far aren't particularly skilled, but are numerous and well armed, they could still be a threat. So here's the plan. Alistair and I will lead the group, moving slowly with our shields interlocked. That should buy us some time for any enemies that we come across. Sten and Leliana, I want you guys right behind us. Alistair and I will be defensive, letting them crash upon our shields as you two pick them off, Sten with your greatsword and Leliana with your arrows. Next will be the heavy hitters, so that's you Olorin, with Morrigan and Zevran. Wynne I want you at the back, casting healing and rejuvenating spells as needed."
All nodded their ascent with their plan, got in formation and then advanced into the tunnels.
o-0-o
The plan worked well through the rooms, Attackers just rebounded straight off the shields before being picked off by one of the front four. Mages were quickly dealt with by Alistair performing a Holy Smite and Olorin or Morrigan killing the mage. None of the archers were as quick or accurate as Leliana and fell quickly. However there soon became a problem when they left the rooms and headed towards the tunnels. The cultists were no more of a problem, however they soon came across a Drake. That was soon dealt with, Olorin freezing him before Sten thrust his greatsword through its brain. However all were shocked at Olorin's response to this.
"Fucking Andraste's arse stupid Drakes!"
"Olorin!" Wynne scolded, "There is no need for such language."
"Whats wrong Olorin? We've faced Drakes at the circle tower." Alistair said.
"Yes Alistair. Drakes in captivity."
William, Wynne and Morrigan all paled when they realised what Olorin was getting at.
"Drakes in the wild mean this is a dragons nest. Which means there's a High Dragon nearby." This caused everyone else to pale, and Alistair to curse.
However their next foe was not a Drake. A small man in Silverite armour approached them, carrying a large battleaxe on his back.
"I am father Kolgrim. You have defiled the temple of Andraste reborn! How dare you!?" he screamed.
"Andraste reborn? You're mad." William said in return, causing Kolgrim to draw his battleaxe and charge.
The fight was short and bloody. Olorin and Morrigan immediatly took out the two mages, as Wynne, Leliana and Zevran took out the archers. The warriors and Father Kolgrim fought with fierce tenacity, but little skill and were easy pickings for warriors as skilled as William, Alistair and Sten.
"What did they mean by Andraste reborn?" William asked.
"I don't know, but I don't like the sound of it." Olorin responded.
"Nor do I." Wynne added, "Some dragon cultists refer to their High Dragons as Andraste."
Everyone but Wynne said the same word as they digested this information. "Shit".
Their mood got no better as they exited the cavern and crossed the mountain top, for landing in front of them with a giant roar as they got about a quarter of the way across, was a massive High Dragon. At least twelve feet high and forty feet long it dwarfed them, and clearly wasn't happy to see some strangers.
"Spread out, don't give it a bunched up target!" William shouted as everyone immediately did as he bade.
Wynne focused on providing healing spells. Zevran took a bow from his pack and joined Leliana in shooting arrows at it. Morrigan flew up on a rock and rained spells on it from above, while the warriors tried to get close. Olorin stood in front of it, staff ready. The dragon roared again as Sten slashed at its legs. It kicked Sten, sending him flying at least fifteen feet away. Sten didn't move. Again the dragon turned to face Olorin. Roaring, it breathed fire straight at him. Olorin hoped against hope an ice shield would hold. And hold it did.
In retaliation Olorin summoned a stone fist, and sent it flying towards the dragon, bloodying it on the nose. The dragon roared as it the same time an ice spike crashed into its neck. It flicked its tail at Morrigan, sending her crashing down from her perch. Morrigan didn't move.
As Wynne rushed towards Morrigan and Sten to provide first aid, the dragon turned to face Zevran, who had just shot an arrow up its nose. It swiped with its front legs sending Zevran flying, much like Sten had. Zevran didn't move.
"William, Alistair, distract it, I have an idea." Olorin shouted. As he did, William and Alistair both let out giant roars and attacked the dragon with renewed vigour. Olorin on the other hand shapeshifted into a cat. He quickly ran under the dragon. From his reading at the circle tower he knew dragons were generally weaker in their mouth, nose and on the underside of their belly. As he reached the midpoint of the belly, he transformed back into his human form. Readying his staff, he summoned the energies of the fade to perform a spell he had only read about from some tomes in the circle tower.
The tomes had been taken from Tevinter in one of the Exalted Marches against them, the one in 4:40 Black. It was a form on Stone Fist, but rather than a first, it was a spike of hardened stone. And rather than one, it launched four. He guided his magic and launched it, guiding them upwards. As hoped the dragon cried out in pain, as it was severely wounded. It was not dead however.
William soon fixed that. Taking his sword as the dragon cried out, he dashed towards its mouth and jumped on top of its head with nimbleness his size and armour would not suggest was possible. He threw his shield away, gripping his sword with both hands he raised it and pierced the brain of the dragon killing it instantly.
Wynne, Alistair and Leliana starred at Olorin and William, who just stood there, bewildered before William let out a sigh and Olorin let out a whoop.
"Fuck yes! We killed a High Dragon!" Olorin cried, before William smiled.
"Fuck yeah we did, we're bad asses!"
After that little show, William regained his composure.
"Wynne, whose most seriously injured?"
"Morrigan is. I don't know if I can save her."
"Shit." cursed Olorin, quite surprised at how worried he was.
"How bad are Sten and Zevran?" William asked, as Olorin rushed over to Morrigan and started casting diagnostic spells, which only confirmed to him Morrigan was beyond his abilities to heal. Broken skull, broken neck, broken pelvis and lacerated spleen. Morrigan was not in a good way at all.
It turned out Sten was just regaining consciousness and was not beyond Wynne's abilities given some time. While still unconscious, Wynne confirmed Zevran was not too seriously hurt.
"William, the ashes!" Olorin shouted. "They may be Morrigan's only chance."
William just gave Olorin a pointed look, as if he knew something that Olorin didn't before nodding.
"Wynne, stay here, heal Sten and Zevran and then try and stabilise Morrigan for the ashes. Alistair, Leliana, follow me and Olorin.
Doing as they were bade the group moved into the cave where they'd discover the urn.