Chapter 17

The smell of death and decay permeated the air around them as they entered the apprentice quarters. "Maker's breath. How long have these bodies been here?" Alistair's face twisted at the stench.

Emma couldn't answer; there was a lump in her throat as she looked around at the countless corpses. Oh God, she'd been expecting worse, but this... this exceeded her expectations. There were bodies ripped open, entrails splattered around the room like macabre tinsel. Some mages had been smashed against the walls, leaving trails of blood and... something else.

She turned abruptly and vomited when she realised that the something else was brain matter. She placed a shaky hand on a cold wall, grateful that it was free of blood. Just as well, because if she'd put her hand in... that, she would have lost it completely. Aedan rubbed her back just as a water canteen was placed in her free hand. Her hand trembled as she rinsed her mouth a few times. She returned the canteen to Alistair with a word of thanks as they walked away from the sign of her momentary weakness. Reaching into her pack, she pulled out the leather pouch containing the mint leaves and popped one in her mouth. The strong flavour settled her stomach and cleared the last of the vile taste.

As they combed the second dormitory for possible survivors, Emma realised she was becoming used to the stench and the sight of corpses. She wasn't sure whether she should be glad or upset about that. She pushed the thought away, now wasn't the time to contemplate such matters.
"How are you feeling?" Aedan's hand brushed against her lower back. She managed a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Embarrassed, and ready to kick some abomination ass."
He returned the smile, his fingers caressed her spine in a quick comforting touch, and then they were moving to the door at the end of the hallway. Her spirits lifted a little at the thought of meeting Wynne again. She was such a kind and friendly lady.

Aedan pushed the door open and halted immediately at the sound of a stern voice. "Stop right there! Take another step, and I swear I will strike you down where you stand!" Okay, maybe she wasn't kind and friendly right off the bat, but considering the circumstances, that was hardly surprising.
"Wynne, it's me, Emma. We met at Ostagar." As she spoke she took a step forward, hoping the white-haired mage would refrain from using the striking down option because that sounded painful.
"Why are you here? The Templars would not just let anyone by."

Aedan took over at that point, conversing easily with Wynne and eventually reaching an agreement to assist in saving the Circle. Emma admired the barrier Wynne had put up to keep them safe. It was a beautiful shimmering sea of blue and silver. She reached out and felt a pulse of magic that made her fingertips tingle. Emma knew she still had a lot to learn about magic and decided to keep an eye out for any helpful books as they made their way through the tower.

A faint scent of lavender announced Wynne's presence at her side. "I'm glad to see you survived the Joining, child."
It took a moment for the words to sink in, as Emma had been half expecting the dialogue regarding the erection of the barrier. "Thanks, I'm rather happy I survived too."
Aedan and the others gathered around. "Let's do this."
Wynne waved her hands and the barrier dissipated.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends. Emma wondered at her brain sometimes; here she was about to face all sorts of horrors and her mind decided to offer up a line from Shakespeare's Henry V. However, she couldn't deny that the quote seemed appropriate when taken in context with their current situation. She took a deep breath, nervously gripped her staff in a sweaty palm and walked through the doorway.

The first floor had been cleared, with minor singeing from the rage demons and a few close calls with the abominations. After each abomination died, it left behind asmall bundle of rags. Emma had always been curious about that. "Does anyone know what this is?"
Everyone looked at each other, there was some neck scratching, and a few people even toed the small ball of cloth, perhaps in the hope that it would reveal its secrets. Finally, Alistair said, "Maybe it's their underwear."
The unexpected words surprised a snort of laughter from her. "Well, that explanation seems as good as any other."

They took the stairs to the second floor where they ran into Owain, who was standing around looking... well, blank. There were no emotions; it was like looking at an empty sheet of paper. A shiver went down Emma's spine when he spoke in a cold, detached tone. As Aedan and Wynne conversed with Owain, Leliana moved closer to Emma. "Is it your first time seeing a tranquil?"
She nodded, and replied, "It's a bit disconcerting. I think I'd rather be dead than live that way."

Once they had the necessary information, they continued on their way. There was a delay as they decided what to do with the blood mage who asked for mercy. It seemed the majority wanted to end her life; only Leliana felt differently, believing they should give her a second chance. Emma understood and sympathised with why the rogue felt that way, but it was difficult to be merciful after what they'd witnessed in the tower. The blood mage went down quickly, her death a lot less painful than the mages who had died in the apprentice quarters.

They worked their way through more rooms, including one full of walking corpses. This caused Emma to recall all the zombie films she'd watched late at night. She was determined not to get bitten, and after the fight, she made surreptitious checks on everyone else for bite marks. In the next room, they helped Godwin out of the wardrobe after killing the abominations. That encounter always made Emma laugh; she appreciated the little bit of lightheartedness amongst the darkness. They soon came to the chapel where the statue of Andraste lay cracked and broken on the ground. Bollocks! They were about to have their first encounter with a Revenant.

It was Leliana who knelt by the statue, saddened by the state of it and being a sharp-eyed bard, it didn't take her long to find the cold vial which immediately cracked at her touch. The Revenant abruptly appeared, and Emma shivered at the frightening aura it projected. The fight was hard won, and they were all a bit breathless and shaken as they left the room.

They reached Irving's study which was lined with books and full of oddities, but not the man himself, a fact which caused Wynne some consternation.
"Don't worry, we'll get him back," Emma stated in a confident tone.
The Circle mage stared, a sceptical brow raised. "You seem very certain of your statement." Unable to think of a reply, Emma could only nod and fidget under Wynne's intense gaze. "You're a bit of an odd one."
"So I've been told," Emma said with a chuckle.

After thoroughly exploring and looting the room, they took the stairs to the third floor, killing anything and everything in their path. Eventually, they moved up to the fourth floor and Emma felt a tremor run down her spine at the thought of the Sloth Demon which awaited them. She wondered what type of scenario she would wake up to. The walls were now covered with red pustules and thick strands of what appeared to be flesh. Leliana grimaced. "Ugh! I'm going to have nightmares over this." Emma nodded in agreement, thinking back to all the mutilated corpses they'd passed. Uldred deserved to be strung up by his balls for the madness he'd unleashed on the Circle.

They dealt with a Desire Demon toying with a bewitched Templar. Emma felt a pang of pity for the poor man, wishing they could have saved him. Unfortunately, in this instance everything followed the usual path, leaving them with no choice but to end his life.

After they cleared out the second room, Emma took Aedan aside. "In the next room, we're going to fall under the spell of a Sloth Demon."
His eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"
"No, we're all going to be pulled into the Fade, so you need to remember that what you're seeing is not the real world." She scanned her memory for anything that might help him, but that section of the game was a bit blurry because after completing six or seven playthroughs, she'd installed a mod that allowed players to skip the main part of the Fade.
She told him as much as she could recall, "You're going to be separated from the rest of us and have to fight your way to each of us. You'll be given the ability to change into various creatures - make good use of them. I wish I could tell you more, but..." She just managed to stop herself from saying that was all she could remember. They may have accepted that she was a bit different, but making that kind of comment could lead to some awkward questions.

He cupped her cheek. "You've told me plenty, Emma." He pulled her forward and plundered her mouth with something close to desperation. "I will find you, love."
She swallowed past the ball of emotion that tightened her throat. "I know you will."
"Ah, is the kissing a Ferelden tradition?" Zevran's cheeky comment brought a smile to Emma's face. "My dear Leliana, would you oblige me?"
"What?! No, Zevran, it's not a..." Her explanation was cut short as Zevran complained. "Ah, so cruel." He turned immediately to Wynne. "Perhaps you..."
She glared at him, a glint of frost in her gaze. "Young man, this is no time for levity."
"You women are so cold." He turned towards Alistair. "Men are much more friendly. How about it, my young Grey Warden?"
Alistair blushed seven shades of red as he stuttered an emphatic "No!"

Emma appreciated Zevran's attempt to lighten the atmosphere but not knowing what awaited her in the Fade made her very jittery. Maker's Balls, maybe she'd be like Revek or Sten and just sit and wait to be rescued. Yep, that's what would happen.

But her confidence faded as they stepped through the door; the demon awaited them, big as life and scary as hell. Immediately, her limbs became leaden, and her head swam. Through heavy-lidded eyes, she saw Alistair go down, followed swiftly by Leliana and Zevran. Wynne was still struggling when Emma reached out a hand to steady herself. She missed the wall and was unconscious before she hit the ground.