Disclaimer: We do not own Elder Scrolls or Dragon Age Series

Co-Author and Beta: Etheral-23

Re-edited 12/08/2023

Respite at the Peak

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Avernus had studied magic throughout his long life; he had delved further than any mage in Thedas and reached further into realms beyond the Fade. Witnessed creatures that escaped the Chantry's limited perception of the nature of the arcane. And uncovered magical secrets that even the magisters of Tevinter would kill to possess.

So one could believe when, upon looking at that young, energetic dunmeri mage work on that so-called 'fast travel system' of hers, marveling at the intricacies of spells and bounded fields being set up and seamlessly interlocked with each other, he

"I have no idea what she's doing."

"Oh good," The young Amell mage droned, tilting her head slowly with a lost gaze. "I was feeling bad thinking I was the only one..."

"I have never seen or heard of such a thing from mother nor her tomes," Morrigan remarked as she leaned against a pillar, watching and taking in every detail of whatever Sarya was making. "You have been at this since yesterday."

After clearing Soldier's Peak of demons and undead, the youngest daughter of Miara and Serana had begun her work on the Runic Travel System or Fast Travel System, as the dunmer kept insisting. Having summoned Butler for the necessary supplies, she began her work. She wasn't the only one, as the others were all doing something around the Peak to clean it up. Currently only the four Thedosian mages had stayed around Sarya to watch her work.

Avernus rubbed his old chin as he paid close attention to the symbols being etched onto the floor; "I've seen some of those markings when traversing outside the Fade in my dreams but never had to time to study them. The residents of those worlds were not very courteous."

"Nearly all Daedra are," Sarya expressed, not looking away; "There are very few places in Oblivion where you won't be outright attacked. I'll show you around Moonshadow when I'm not busy. As for this writing, this is the Daedric Alphabet; its words hold strong ties to magic. Especially to conjuration."

Neria gripped her staff, holding it close; "Thedas has tried teleportation for centuries. It never has worked."

"Ah, but your magic has never been truly cultivated and nurtured like it has in Tamriel."

"As much as I'd rather not agree with the indoctrinated circle mages," Morrigan ignored the indignant responses from Brianna and Neria, "Teleportation still seems impossible."

"Why?" Sarya asked as she cast an array of arcane circles over a pedestal upon which laid a large symmetrically cut crystal, half of the arcane sigils rotation in one direction and the other in the opposite.

Morrigan paused at the question as though taken aback by its absurdity. "Because you can't breach the dimensional walls just like that. And the other alternative is transferring all the particles of your body over a distance... which very much would involve splitting yourself apart, and only by some incredibly fortuitous you would end missing just a limb."

"And that's the better outcome," Neria absently commented as she looked over the large map of Ferelden that Sarya had set up next to the pedestal.

"Opening a bridge between a sub-dimensional area to connect two points is possible. You need to find the right frequency at which the atoms holding reality together move to open a fissure and reduce the distance between yourself and your targeted area so you don't accidentally splatter yourself in a different dimension."

"And I'm no longer able to follow this conversation," Brianna drawled, feeling her temples hurt slightly.

"But a more stable way of teleporting is to create a beacon that works a link between designated areas that enable a much more accessible means of teleportation."

The elder mage of the group scratched his head; "Been a long time since I have felt out of my depth in the field of magic."

"Makes you wonder how far behind Thedas is in the Arcane compared to Tamriel." Brianna mused as she watched on. "By the way, can we start my training soon?" The young Amell cocked her head.

"Huh?" A surprised look came from Neria, who turned her head to her friend.

"Goes without saying." Sarya glanced back with a wink; "But also be sure to take my mother's lessons as well. You got a lot of growing to do, Bri." The telvanni paused; "Offer is open to the rest of you if you'd like some Tamrielic arcane studies."

"Am I missing something?" Neria looked between her friend and her Dunmeri cousin.

Avernus laughed softly; "Perhaps if I was a century or two younger child. I know I have only a few years left before my time ends. These young ladies would be happy to indulge and harness more knowledge."

"T'is be only foolish in not wanting to learn more magic," Morrigan slowly smiled; "And there is so much your lands can offer."

"That's the spirit, Morri!"

Bri peered over to Neria; "Well?"

"Um, well, Miara said she will help me learn how to use my Arcane Warrior skills. Including physical training in the sword." The young elves muttered quietly, "And feel like I don't have a say in it."

"You don't." Sarya quipped, "Mom wants to learn what can be done with those skills you've gained. So, like it or not, you are her student." A low whine came from Surana; "Oh, won't be that bad! At least you won't be like Dorthe, who wanted to learn the smithing trade from mom, outright tormented that poor girl."

Once more, they showed no reaction to mentioning the name of a person they did not know. Sarya often did that, talking about strangers to them as though they knew who they were. But it was just another one of the things they had learned to tune out when in the prodigious mage's company.

"Just a bit mooooooore, and..." The sigils around the crystal disappeared, and this one acquired a faint glow. Right next to the pedestal, different dots of light suddenly appeared upon different regions of Ferelden. Namely Denerim and the Brecilian forest. "There we go! The system is now fully functional."

"I know we've been debating against the possibility of teleportation working," Neria muttered. "But Sarya seems so sure about it working, and well, given what we've seen her do..."

"I still carry my doubts." Morrigan staunchly held her opinion regarding this arcane phenomenon.

"Ohhhh, need some proof?" The grin on Sarya's face could outshine the sun, and it was positively unnerving. "I can take you for a trip if that's the case!"

The three young women shared a confused and very concerned look.

Avernus slowly backed away, wise enough to know he shouldn't get involved. "I think I better sit this one out. At my age and my condition, you don't know what to expect. I'll return to my workshop."

"I'll bring you some books back from the Arcanaeum!" Sarya kept her smile

"Arcanaeum?" The three ladies chorused. Their question was unanswered as they and Sarya were engulfed by blue light from the pedestal and vanished in a blink.

Avernus's jaw was lax as he dropped his staff.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Before Neria, Brianna, and Morrigan knew what had happened, they now stood on a long stone bridge connected by an enormous gate of a massive stone building. Sarya cheered as she spread her hands; "Welcome to Tamriel!"

COLD!

That was the first thing that struck the Thedosian mages, hugging themselves while a blast of arctic winds hit their bodies. "Well, Skyrim, to be more precise. What do you think!?" The Dunmer was completely unaffected by the frigid temperatures as she placed her hands on her hips; "What do you think of teleportation now, Miss Doubters?"

"IT'S BLOODY FREEZING!" All three yelled back.

"Ah, you get used to it. I was born in Skyrim, don't bother me any." Sarya smiled brightly.

"I thought I heard some noise at the gate." A sultry feminine voice made the Telvanni turn and waved cheerfully at the towering figure dressed in black and red mage robes approached the gate; "Brought some more strays to the college?"

"Faralda! It's been ages!"

The Altmer deadpanned; "It's just been weeks." Like any elf save the Orc or Thedosian variety, the high she-elf scholar of the destruction school looked as ageless and beautiful as she did when Miara had first met her decades prior. The only difference was her hair had grown out some and had long since changed out of her twin ponytail style.

"Ah yeah. Back when I brought What's-Her-Name."

"Adalora," Faralda replied, her voice tinged with irritation.

"That's right!" The Telvanni mage snapped her fingers as she remembered. "So, how's she been settling in?"

"Fairly well once she stopped screaming at... everything. I think there was too much of a culture shock for her."

"Hah! I bet"

"AHHH, MY NIPPLES!" The scantily clad swamp witch was immensely regretting her choice of attire.

"She didn't scream THAT," The altmer acknowledged.

"WHERE ARE WE?!" Neria shrieked out in fright. The sudden shock of a completely new environment, plus the ungodly wave of cold that assaulted their lithe frames, was too much to handle all at once.

"S-K-Y-R-I-M," Sarya slowly intoned. "Come on, Neria, pay attention."

"I believe the Pale's typical weather is too much for them to handle, Sarya," Faralda pointed out boredly, as though the situation before her barely warranted even a pinch of interest on her part.

"Hmm." the young dunmer cocked her head; "guess they're not ones for the cold." she whistled; "you three got some impressive nipples."

"Can we get inside the bloody building now!?" A flustered, shivering Morrigan shouted back.

"I suppose... Welcome to the college of Winterhold." Faralda shrugged as she opened the gates.

XxX ~ Soldier's Peak ~ XxX

Marcus grunted as he and Sofie, alongside Miara, Serana, Sten, and Leliana, took out the rotten furniture from the Peak. Yesterday, after they had taken all the corpses outside and buried them all in proper graves, they began the renovation and cleaning of the old fortress. Clearing the former dorm, they converted it into a training area. And with the multiple rooms available, everyone could have their place. With just them, Marcus knew it would take some time, but thankfully (much to Sten's ire and Leli's wariness), Miara and Serana summoned several Daedra to assist in cleaning the place out. Who was currently being ordered around by Butler as he made several articles of new furniture appear with a snap of his fingers.

The former Bard stared at the Daedra, who was the size of a Thedas elf with the upper body of a bald yellow-skinned man with long horns and a furry lower half with hooves and a tail. "W-what were they called again?"

"Herne," Serana addressed dryly as she easily picked up a broken bed with ease. "And before you ask for the twentieth time, they will not attack you."

"I could have summoned Scamps, but I'd be arguing with them, and they like to set things on fire." Miara droned out.

The Qunari let out an irritated grunt yet still carried on his task, holding up a large pile of broken wood under each like they weighed nothing, taking them outside so they could later be properly disposed of in a fire.

"Your use of demons for menial tasks is disturbing," Leliana commented.

"It's efficient, that's what it is," The Vampire corrected. "This place requires a lot of work. The structure is intact for the most part, but a lot of the furniture needs replacing. Not to mention the years of dust and mold gathering in the rooms; we can't have the party sleep there until we clean them. And that's not even going into the vermin that must be living inside the walls." She suddenly grew thoughtful, "Hmm, speaking of which, we'll need something to clear them out."

Putting her fingers to her lips, she let out a sharp whistle.

Leliana jumped back with a fright and a small shriek as from the shadows emerged two nightmarish creatures. They were canines but looked as if they were the result of a necromancer bringing back a pair of corpses. Their skin was black and rotten, exposing dark muscle tissue. Their snouts lacked a nose; no cartilage was left in that area, and they possessed rows of long, sharp, twisted fangs. The creatures' eyes were a shining, baleful red, only adding to their unnatural look.

Serana kneeled, patting her thighs as she called the creatures like a puppy. "CuSith, Garmr, come here, boys, come here!"

To Miara and Sofie's delight (and Leliana's disgust), the horrifying hounds ran towards her, waggling their short tails (or what remained of them), and nuzzled close to their master, who cooed happily at the tongue kisses they were showering her with.

The Bard fought hard to keep her breakfast inside her stomach.

"Oh, I missed you. Did you miss me?" Serana scratched the back of their ears, uncaring she was touching twisted bare muscle. "I need you guys to scour these places for mice. Hmm, can you do that?"

Both undead hounds barked unnaturally before running down the halls. Serana smiled; "They will deal with the rodents."

"What were those?!" Leliana screeched out.

"My family's dogs." The Vampire remarked casually, "Mother doesn't give them as much exercise as they need."

"Valerica and those other vampires who took refuge with her keep them busy enough." Miara waved it off.

Marcus and Leliana observe the undead hounds running off through the halls. "CuSith and Garmr," Sofie sighed; "Nothing to fear from them. And I've been around them since I was a little girl, your fine."

"Your childhood had to be very...Unique." Marcus remarked slowly.

"You have no idea." The Nordic woman spoke with both joy and exasperation, as if they had not even scratched the surface of what Sofie had lived through after being adopted.

Reigning in her thoughts and everything the Chantry taught her, Leliana gazed over to Butler and eyed the new furniture the Herne were moving about; "Where did you have all that?"

"Oh, I made those," Miara explained.

The young noble did a double take, "ALL of them?"

"There was a time in my life when I had 'retired' from adventuring, if I recall telling you once. I had to... keep myself busy."

"I'll say," Sofie droned, "If she wasn't making weapons, she was crafting an entire mansion's worth of furniture. Not even selling most of them could clear enough room in the house to move around without bumping into something."

"The weapons were even worse..." The Vampire pinched her nose. The memories alone were capable of bringing a headache. "Once, she could no longer outfit the local guard, you know, for having made too many weapons. We started selling them to the Legion, The Paladins, Her Blades, the Companions, and every fighter's guild across Tamriel."

"The ones I couldn't sell, I just dumped inside old ruins," The dunmer said with a smile, finding it humorous even after all these years. "For new adventurers to pick up"

"Couldn't you just... NOT made so many things?"

Miara looked offended, "Couldn't you just NOT breathe? That's the measure of what you're asking me."

"Mother, just short of a literal sense, cannot live without crafting stuff."

The Cousland and lay-sister peered at one another as they took out the rotten items outside. Putting them in a pile, a grunt came from Odahviing; "A Dovah reduced to such a thing."

"Oh, hush, zeymah!" Miara snarked back. Dropping a rotten table cabinet. She looked to the lone Qunari of the group, who finished making a pile for the ruby dragon to burn. "I know Aldmeri beds are a little gaudy, but they are the best I can give you since you're near their height."

A grunt came from the tall man; "I care little over designs."

"I know."

"Um," Leliana spoke up; "How tall are these Altmer?"

"To put in a perspective." Serena answered, "Sten is roughly the height of an Altmer woman. A high elf man is taller."

"Oh," Marcus let out a simple noise, but it carried plenty of surprise in his tone. "And would you say you're tall for a qunari, Sten?"

"Moderately for one bred for the antaam."

"Ah," The noble intoned in understanding. "I see..." It seems those high elves had a literal name for their race.

Leliana couldn't help but imagine them, tall, golden-skinned elves. That had to be a sight for sure. She could only wonder what an experience would be, talking with a long-lived elf; they surely had a lot of wisdom to share.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Alistair whistled as he took in the sight of the vault's contents. Rows of blades, spears, daggers, maces, bows and shields. Full sets of Warden armor resting on racks. He could smell the history on the items wielded by their long-gone brothers and sisters of the order.

He felt humbled, securing their fortress once more, retaking their ancient vigil within these halls. These weapons, these very walls, were an old treasure of the Wardens, once more put to use against the Darkspawn hordes.

"What a dump."

His elven companions, however, had other thoughts, as Gin's crass words made clear.

"Most of these weapons and armors are far too rusted," Theron observed, "They're beyond use. It'd be simpler to forge new gear."

As much as Alistair wanted to protest, both were right. "Guess this vault wasn't as airtight as it could have been." The former Templar lamented with a long sigh.

"Not all bad; Miara said she would outfit us with new gear. She might want to use some of this." Gin gestured to the armor and weapons around them.

The former Templar grunted, "If anything, it must be the weapons. The silverite can do the most harm to the Darkspawn."

"See, a bright side."

"Considering you're usually the downer of our little company of weirdos, I'm surprised you are being this positive."

"Eh," the rogue elf shrugged; "We'll likely be dead at the end of this anyways."

"That's more like it."

While conversing, Theron remained relatively silent as he roamed the large vault. Mostly, he had been quiet since accompanying the Wardens from the forest. And kept some distance from the humans in their group.

Theron was not the most approachable person. Even the words he exchanged with Neria and Gin were cordial at best whenever they mingled. It was clear he felt more comfortable around fellow elves. The biggest exception was Sarya, sweet Mythal. Every word that came out of her mouth seemed to get a rise out of the dish. And when they got to know Sarya, they discovered she thought highly of herself. And whether intentionally or not, she would end up insulting people.

Theron also stayed clear of the humans of their party. And would only converse with them whenever they, as a group were discussing things. He didn't glare at them with outright hostility or try to pick up a fight, for that matter, but it was clear he'd rather be involved with them as little as possible.

Theron disliked humans that much he made clear in the ruins during the mess with Zathrian. And honestly, Gin could not blame him. Oh sure, he directed his anger towards the humans who abused elves, and he had met his fair number of good humans. But the sad truth was that for every human who treated elves fairly, there were ten more that were outright hostile to them. For every one of those, there were a hundred more who did not even spare a glance at the elves living in squalor. It was just how 'things were' for them.

Alistair was not so ignorant as to not see it either. Theron was dalish through and through, and they knew how to hold a grudge. Therefore, the senior Warden saw the need to make Theron feel welcomed and comfortable around them. The Wardens who took him in had made him feel welcome.

The former Templar was reminded of the Dalish elf he had met when he had become a Warden. He always kept to himself and rarely spoke to anyone save Duncan. Of course, he wasn't his mentor, so he went by his gut to help his fellow Wardens. A small sigh came from Alistair as he observed Theron roaming around quietly.

"Give him time," Gin remarked beside him as he looked around; "He knows you and the other humans aren't bad. But-"

"Not easy opening up to humans when said race has done so much crap to your own." Gin clicked his tongue with a thumbs up. "Are you and Neria alright being around us?"

"You're good people. Of course we are," The city elf said with a friendly smile. "Except Morrigan. Maker, she's such a bitch..."

"Right?!" Alistair exclaimed, rolling his eyes with utter exasperation. "Oh, sweet Andraste, that woman has all the charm of a viper."

Gin laughed softly, "I'll be honest with you, Alistair, you're my favorite Shem. Not anyone can get as snarky as I can."

"I knew my peerless wit would charm you eventually."

"Don't tell the others; they'll be jealous of what we have."

"Is it love for inane barter?" Theron's deadpanning voice came from the other side of the room. They saw him testing an old bow that hadn't completely decayed. "You two seem quite adept at it instead of working."

"Heh, heard us huh?" Alistair shrugged, "I guess dalish ears are not to be underestimated."

"You weren't being quiet. AT ALL"

Alistair had the decency to look sheepish as he chuckled weakly; "Sorry."

Theron eyed him briefly before putting down the bow; "Out of all the groups amongst of shems, the Wardens are the only ones the Dalish can respect. Out of everyone, they show respect and kindness to the Elvhen. I hold them in high esteem." He paused; "Just never thought I be a part of it and what it is currently going through."

"It is a mess with the shem lords mucking things up," Gin admits.

A grunt came from Alistair. "Hopefully, we can sort this mess out before the Archdemon decides to attack with its army."

"We can hope." Theron remarked before stopping to look at the wall; "Alistair." The man in question peered at the Dalish warrior; "Do Warden Vaults have secret walls?"

That made the young man blink as he thought momentarily, "I think Duncan said once a few do, but to hide items of great importance."

The elven warrior points to the wall; "That explains the draft." At that Gin and Alistair came over to Theron as they neared the wall. "Do you know if there is anything of value here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." The human man shrugged as he and the other two began to feel the wall; "Might be a button or something around here. Have a look."

"A mountain of gold and jewels would be nice, though." Gin quipped as he kept a keen eye on every part of the room. "I could get something for my dad and Shianni."

Running a hand over the underside of a shelve, Alistair's finger felt a small knob that stood out from the wall's bricks. Pushing it slightly, it pressed into the wall, where they all heard a clicking sound. Old contraptions suddenly began moving behind the wall, a perfectly rectangular section sinking into the floor, revealing a secret chamber inside the vault.

They were greeted with the sight of three items. One was a large one-handed blade; it lacked any special ornaments or stylized features that would give it a more distinct look. The design was simple and efficient, but the highly balanced and symmetrical look pointed at the blade being dwarven made.

The second item was a staff; someone had made it from a fallen tree branch. The artifact's branches and main body glowed with sigils running over its frame, emanating a cold, frosty mist.

And finally, the last item hidden in the opening was a suit of Warden Armor. But it wasn't the standard issue Warden armor, no; this armor was highly stylized, filled with many accents and decorations, a long waist cloak with multiple layers, curbed pauldrons of glistening metal, along a masterfully carved chest piece. It bore the colors of the Wardens, but there was no mistaking this armor was-

"Dalish," Theron muttered, "That warrior armor is dalish made..."

"These look in good condition," Gin muttered beside Theron. Who stares at the armor; "Pol told me Dalish have their unique sigils or markings to define their clan. Those look familiar?"

"The markings and sigils change constantly so the Shems can't figure out which clan is which. So this could have come from anyone." The elven warrior places his hand on the chest plate. "But whoever wore this, the Warden's saw as honorable." That much was certain, having it stored here with the sword and staff.

Alistair took hold of the sword to give it a look over; "Definitely, Dwarven make, can't mistake their style. But nothing else," He brought the blade close to looking at it; "Avernus might know something about all these. Like with Sophia's armor, these can go back to Weisshaupt."

The Dalish elf looked sharply at the former Templar; "The armor..."

"You want to take it back to the Dalish?" Theron nodded as the human rubbed his chin; "I don't see a problem with that. Hopefully, Avernus has a name for the elf who wore that, so your people can remember the person."

Theron was taken aback by the generosity but composed himself with a nod; "Thank you."

The Wardens had treasured this armor for a reason, maybe because they had seen the value of the elf in their ranks who wore it. They respected him and his culture, as evidenced by his gear being customized to reflect his heritage, and still marked him as one of their own.

A kind gesture seldom given to the dalish.

Such as the one this band of adventurers had given his clan and Zathrian's. They had shown respect for their culture and concern for their well-being. Beyond that, they needed the dalish to fight with them against the Blight.

Hmph, perhaps these Shems were not so bad.

...Except Morrigan, she was a bitch.

XxX ~ the next day ~ XxX

The Peak's forge, situated outside the great fortress, was brought back to life quickly. Its fires blazing with great intensity, every tool necessary for crafting weapons and armor arranged neatly on a table, large piles of multiple ingots of varied materials, many foreign to Thedas, ready to be used.

Oh it wasn't because the forge had been in relatively good condition even with centuries of not being used. But because Miara had restored it with unbelievable speed and efficiency.

The woman WANTED to forge. And nothing would stop her.

After a long clean-up and renovation inside the Peak, the group rested for the night. A few panicked when Avernus explained that Sarya and their three lady mages had vanished at the fast travel platform. After calming everyone down, it was a long night of explaining where their daughter likely took the girls.

As morning rolled in, Miara found the large forge and summoned Butler for all the necessary smithing material. Close by were Marcus and Sten, with Bran and Loke roaming around them. The young noble looked over all the ingots, Bone, leathers, and cloth Butler had materialized for his mistress. The Dunmer explained the metals unfamiliar to Thedas: Mythril, Orichalcum, Dwarven (an interesting talk), Voidstone, and Rubedite. Quite honestly, the young man was in the dark about the material as their Qunari companion who grunted during most of the lecture. But what drew his and Sten's attention most was the ingots that were as black as night.

Sten held up one of the ingots while Marcus peered over to Miara, who wore smithing clothes and an apron; "What was this called again?"

"Ebony," the dunmer smiled as she shifted the burning coals; "Legends say ebony came from the blood of a dead God. Thus, it is the hardest known metal in all of Tamriel."

"Riiiight," Marcus dragged out the reply. Tamriel always seemed to mix legend into fact regarding a lot of subjects. "Hardest known metal, you say?

"Yes"

"And you look like you have a good amount of it."

"Some of my best's works have involved ebony." She did not brag, and she was merely stating a fact. "The amount I have with me will be enough to make you and Sten armors."

The bronze giant quirked an eyebrow while Marcus' blue eyes widened. "For us?"

"It's only the most logical choice given your roles in a battle," The dunmer said, taking out an ingot and inspecting it, trying to find any imperfection. "Sten is a battering ram. He goes first into the enemy lines, soaking up as much damage as he delivers. He'll need better protection. You are a frontline warrior, and our companions rely on you for leadership. It's best to give you both quality gears; it might save your lives."

"Her words ring true," Sten acknowledged. "The quality of the armor I've been using has served me, but it is not optimal. And my vitaar can only provide so much protection."

"Ahhh, right, your markings," The Cousland said in realization, digging up his knowledge on the qunari. "They're a form of... alchemy, aren't they? Something made with magic, perhaps?"

"Wait," Miara set down the ingot, looking at the visible parts of Sten's torso. Namely the red war paint on him. "That's not just body paint, then?"

"Vitaar is poisonous to other races," The qunari explained. "But they have the effect of hardening muscle and enhancing strength on us. It's still not a substitute for armor, though."

"Huh. While I'd like to know more about that, let's put it aside for now."

The dunmer picked up a paper that held a diagram of armor from the table and handed it to Sten; "Once I get your measurements, I'll make that for you." She takes another paper and shows it to Marcus; "What I have in mind for you. Something I picked up from Wade when I visited him."

"That eccentric smith?" Marcus cocked a brow; "Bet that was an interesting conversation."

Miara only smiled; "Well, I understand him since I'm a smith. And need to try this alchemical potion he gave me that can turn Bone into metal while keeping its properties." She murmured to herself as she thought. She could imagine all the new ways she could make Dragonbone weapons and armor! Maybe even something with Bonemold for her dunmeri people.

The Qunari reviewed the paper; "This will suit my purposes well."

"Good, also making an Ebony greatsword for you. I'll make sure everything is properly enchanted as well." Miara beamed.

"This looks like a Vanguard armor design. Strong in the right places while keeping a person able to move." Marcus remarked while petting his hound.

Miara winked; "Will be even better with ebony, Give you a new sword next to your family's sword. Leave Engram here while at it so I can look it over, hun."

Sten grunted before handing back the paper; "Are you certain you can complete all of this in such a short time?"

"Yes, I've worked on things like this since I first learned the trade from my late master. I'll get everything done for everyone that needs new gear. Alistair, Gin, Neria, Bri, they all are getting some new stuff." There was no bragging in her tone. She spoke factly and honestly. And as she has done this for nearly two centuries both warriors gave her a nod.

"Nothing for Leliana or Theron?"

"I trust Varathorn and Ilen's skills and experience in making what they did for Theron; I'll keep it maintained. As for Leli's leathers they are quite remarkable. Not sure who made it but they did a good job. I'll make sure they stay in good condition. Though I might give her some new daggers and bow, though."

"Her archery skill is impressive," Sten remarked.

And that was very high praise, considering Sten openly admitted it. Already, Miara was thinking about what to make for Leliana's bow. Perhaps mythril would help them draw strength; the material worked especially well with holy enchantments. It would make her arrows burn the Darkspawn with sacred flames once she placed the proper magic on it.

Resuming her task, Miara inspects the ebony ingot. "Looks well enough. Let's see how it fares." From a pile of old discarded weapons, Miara picked an iron greatsword and handed it to Sten. "Here; strike it as hard as you can."

The qunari merely looked inquisitively at the ingot before taking the sword. Miara placed the block of black metal over the anvil, setting it right for Sten to strike it.

Sten did as he was told, raising his sword over his head and bringing down the weapon with all his might. Impacting the ingot with a loud metallic ringing. The sound made both hounds and Marcus wince.

The sword snapped in half, its sharp end falling on the snowy ground.

Marcus stared slack jawed at this, even the qunari could not help but look astonished. The sword was old and made of simple iron, so it would dent or perhaps crack to be expected, but for it to break just like that...

The noble quickly approached the ingot, saw the mark Sten's blow had left upon it, and ran his fingers. No indent, no pieces of it chipped away. Just a scratch.

A scratch, that is all it had.

"Ahh, good." Miara smiled, satisfied, as if she had expected this outcome. "Alright, will be using this batch then."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Having arrived in Tamriel during the evening, the trio of Thedosian mages was given guest rooms, where they quickly leaped into the warm beds for the night. When morning came, the girls were in for an immense culture shock as they were introduced to the various races living at the college, from Khajiit of their varying types, a few Argonians, humans, and elves. It was a lot to take in, from children to adults, for the former sheltered mages and swamp witches.

But more so for Neria and Brianna, who both screeched every time at the meeting of the beastfolk of Tamriel. This brought immense amusement to Sarya, who only laughed at them. To the Telvanni's surprise, Morrigan kept her composure for the most part, save for some wide-eyed looks. But she did jump when what she thought was a house cat turned out to be an Alfiq (the clothes on him being a dead giveaway).

Despite the initial shock, this place was... nice, welcoming even. No Templars were keeping a constant watch on the mages. No sense of dread, oppression, or isolation. You were free to go through the gates any time you wanted. Magic was encouraged rather than contained but guided safely through responsibility and ethics rather than an uncompromising religious doctrine.

This was a far cry from the Circle. And Neria and Brianna loved every minute of it.

A most relieving and intriguing sight that offered peace of mind and the promise of knowledge were the tall walls of the Arcanum. Rows of bookshelves are nearly organized by different subjects, from history to arcane knowledge, even fiction. The three mages from Thedas were intrigued by what other things they could learn.

It reminded them of the main library in Kinloch Hold, but rather than a wide large room, it extended several floors with more bookshelves. Neria almost ran towards the first section, her scholarly mind eager to.

"You better treat my books carefully; if I see any missing piece, I'll take pieces from you."

She was stopped by the harsh and violent words of the Arcanum's librarian. The Thedosian elf fidgeted, an apology already on her lips when she saw him. And screamed.

At least Brianna screamed with her so she wouldn't feel alone. Morrigan, however, kept a firm hold on her staff.

"Stop screaming!" The spectral visage of the tusked man shouted, effectively silencing the two young women.

"W-W-What in..." Brianna could barely form the words, her mind shaken by the sight of the ghost before her.

A passing by student, book in hand and gaze firmly focused on its contents, casually explained. "Oh, that's just Urag. He was the librarian in life, and despite everyone's wishes, he continues to be so in death." He looked at the Orc with exasperation. "You've been dead for nearly thirty years, old man. Move on already!"

"Never! I don't trust any careless spell slingers here to care for the Arcanum properly!"

A long sigh escaped Sarya; "And both of my mothers and sister knew this surly Orc when he was flesh. Both lost count of how many tomes and books they recovered for this stubborn oaf." A long grunt came from the ghost figure.

"You have a spirit loose in this place! You-" Before Neria could keep speaking, Sarya covered her mouth.

"The Fade is not connected to Tamriel, as I've explained countless times."

Urag's brow rose; "The Fade? Heard something about that from that Adalora girl you brought here weeks ago. Arch-Mage Onmund and the professors had spent time learning about that place and where she came from. I gather these three are from this Thedas?"

"Yup." Sarya grinned, pointing to each, "Neria Surana, Brianna Amell, and Morrigan. Brought them here to show that teleportation does exist. And what a REAL arcane university looks like."

"From what I have heard from Adalora, this Thedas is severely underwhelming in such fields."

"Um..." Neria spoke up, garnering the dunmer's and Orc's attention; "You said Adalora, right?"

Sarya nodded; "She escaped the Circle with some guy named Anders, but he ditched her. My brother saved her from your country's Templars. Brought her here." A teasing look grew on her face; "Wonder if she still wants to jump his bones?"

"Now I know that can't be the same Adalora I'm thinking of" Briana shook her head in disbelief. "The girl I know is a quiet little thing who jumps at her shadow. Mind you, she did muster up the courage to escape the Circle. But trying to sleep with a man, particularly one she just met?" Now, that was pushing it, in Amell's opinion.

"Oh, I'm sure it was all very romantic from her perspective," Morrigan derided mockingly. "The dashing knight coming to her rescue. Any spineless woman without a sense of self-respect would immediately spread her legs." Both Circle mages frowned at her, irritated at how callously she insulted someone she hadn't even met.

"I'll have you know my brother IS a virtuous knight," Sarya sniffed, raising her nose at Morrigan. "He saw a scared woman and gently turned her down."

"And you brought her here," Neria pointed out, "That was very kind of you."

"How thoughtful," The swamp witch drawled, "Do you also spend your days helping kittens down trees, too?"

"If she is anything like her brother," A young woman's voice called out, gathering their attention. "I imagine it's because they are on their way to real problems." There, they saw the subject of their conversation, dressed in the College robes and smiling cheerfully, a far cry from her usual disposition that the Circle mages remembered.

For the former circle mages turned wardens, their eyes slowly rose as they saw the blond-haired and blue-eyed elf girl who waved at Neria and Brianna as she recognized them. Was this the same woman who never smiled even once since all three were little girls? She was never as outspoken as Bri or broken like Keili, but had seemed to live in a state of defeated acceptance regarding her situation. Never in their lives did the two Warden mages think Adalora would ever have the courage to flee the Circle as she did.

But here she was, free and safe from being taken by Thedosian Templars ever again.

It was like night and day to Neria. Adalora looked radiant, more alive than ever in the Circle. And to see her smile...

Quickly, the blond elven woman approached them; "Did you two escape too? Bri, I'm not surprised, but you Neria?"

Both ladies stared momentarily before Neria found her voice; "We didn't escape. We became Grey Wardens." The blond elf's ears twitched as she looked surprised.

"It's... complicated," Brianna took over as she gave Adalora a long look over. "You're so... different now."

"You should have seen me when Sarya brought me here." She looked to the Dunmer, who grinned back, "I owe you and Oryrn so much."

"Aw~" Sarya giggled; "Least I could do for a fellow mage who refused to be caged like sheep." She glanced at Morrigan; "You have to give her some respect for even trying that, Morri."

The Swamp witch only rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"As for my brother..." A smile graced the Telvanni's lip; "You could thank him by having some of his children." Adalora blushed along with Neria and Bri; "Our mothers would adore you for that, and I'd have nieces or nephews to spoil."

"Sarya!" Neria and Brianna both reprimanded.

"I-I doubt that's within the realms of possibility." The blonde elven mage stammered in embarrassment.

"Oh, don't sell yourself short! Just because you're one of the many, MANY women my brother has saved and become infatuated with him doesn't mean you don't have a chance!"

"Now I know you were trying to be encouraging," Brianna deadpanned, noting how Adalora's expression slowly dropped. "But you weren't."

Morrigan, finding the chance to cause mischief for her amusement once more, smarmily smiled at the Telvanni mage. "Indeed. I bet your dear brother has spoken about her even after she left."

"Not at all!" Sarya cheerfully informed.

Adalora let out a pitiful sound.

"Really?" Brianna stressed. "STOP talking. Both of you." She sent the swamp witch a warning glare.

"Hah!" The barking laugh from a cultured voice came from one of the upper floors of the Arcanum. "To tell my student to remain silent is to tell the sun to cease its shine."

The most dragged-out and joyful gasp came from Sarya, her eyes lighting in excitement like a child in a candy store, pretty much bouncing on her feet as she balled her fists close to her chest in a display of childish happiness. That voice was intimately familiar to her. "Master Alfe!" She squealed, looking at the upper floor.

There, against the railing, they saw a dunmer woman leaning against it, with long white hair pulled up in a high ponytail and two large bangs framing the sides of her angular face. Though her expression was of perfect aristocratic control, her red eyes still showed a fondness for the other dunmer woman. She wore a tunic made of dark blue clothing that hugged her figure perfectly with an opening that showed a fair amount of her bosom. Her arms were mostly bare, if not for the thin pieces of fabric that connected to her wrists, long dark pants tucked into elegant boots with multiple belts. A book was floating before her, but with a flick of her wrist, it was sent back to the shelve where it belonged.

"Sarya, my dear," She greeted coolly with a nod.

"Why didn't anybody tell me Master Alfe was here?!" The younger dunmer demanded from the ghostly Orc.

"I believe that's because nobody knew..." The Orc grunted. And indeed, by the surprised looks and excited whispers of the nearby students, this was news to them as well.

"I foresaw you'd be here today, so I came to visit you, but I did not want to make a scene." Before the Thedosian's widening eyes, her body slowly descended from the upper floors like a leaf in the wind. "I'm accosted by scholars everywhere I go; it's exhausting."

Neria muttered in disbelief to Brianna, "She says she doesn't want to make a scene and then FLOATS of all things to not use the stairs..." Levitation magic was NOT simple, and one didn't use it for such banal purposes. What else could she do if she commanded such magic to use it in that fashion?

Alfe chuckled warmly as her student ran up, wrapping her in a hug, which she returned. Her gaze peered to the four from Thedas; "I bid you greetings, children of Thedas." Their eyes rose as the Dunmer spoke, "I am Alfe Fyr, Magister of House Telvanni. I bid you welcome."

Magister... If Neria's and Brianna's eyes grew any wider, Sarya thought they popped out, "Not the type you two are thinking." She quickly remarked after letting go of her teacher.

"So Magisters exist in Thedas?" Alfe cocked her head.

"Indeed," Morrigan spoke with pure curiosity, "Though Tevinter's Magisters and your House Telvanni are vastly different."

"Hmm." Alfe looked intrigued.

"Very much so!" Sarya happily supplied. "From what I read, the Tevinter magisterium rules their nation, while the meritocratic noble families of the Telvanni only have ownership over certain areas of Morrowind, but they do not rule the nation, not completely at least. And unlike the Imperium, Morrowind has long since outlawed slavery. Also, lots of backstabbing and political schemes involved."

"So, they're just Tevinter but reduced to a singular yet powerful clan instead of a whole country sans slavery," Brianna said.

"That is comforting..." Neria muttered in a tone indicating she did not feel very comfortable.

"I tired of the House's politics. Me and my sisters would rather be left alone with our research. Speaking of which," Alfie's red eyes turned to Sarya's. "You finally traveled to Thedas."

"Not surprised you're aware of it. Oh! We met a man who met Master Fyr once!"

"Indeed?" The white-haired Dunmer raised an elegant eyebrow. "Though I assume he knows not my father's whereabouts."

"Sadly, no. That was centuries ago."

"Figures" The Magister rolled her eyes. "Very well then, I shall be joining you."

That out-of-the-blue statement made the Thedosian mages pause, "Um, what?" Brianna said.

"I came to college because you need more help than you know. So, I shall offer my wisdom to assist you in any way as someone who lived through the Ashblight. My experience should be a benefit to you."

Sarya cocked her head; "We don't even know what the Blight in Thedas is."

"All the more reason you could use my help, my dearest student."

"Um, excuse me." Neria expressed, "Are we going to bring your teacher along? The Darkspawn are dangerous, never mind the turmoil in Ferelden."

That got Adalora's attention; "What is going on?"

"A lot," Brianna said as she spoke to the elven mage about what she had missed since leaving her country.

Alfe gave an amused look to Neria; "You assume I'm going to be joining your battles. I will be staying in your newly acquired Peak."

"...Just how good of a seer is your teacher," Morrigan slowly questioned Sarya, peering her way.

The young Dunmer only smiled back.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Serana wanted to say she was enjoying the cool breeze of the windy mountain air kissing her face with all the gentleness of a lover, but the truth was that being a vampire, a Volkihar in particular, made her sensations cold rather numb. She was AWARE of the cold, but it had little effect on her.

Standing on the large stone bridge, she looked at the snowy peaks and the white-capped trees below them and was reminded of Skyrim. Places like this always brought out very nostalgic feelings on her. When she and her beloved would brave through the wilds of the Fatherland and conquer any obstacle in their way.

"Feels like home, doesn't it?" Miara's voice soon appeared, but Serana had felt her long before she even stepped over the bridge.

"Can't deny it," Serana said, turning her gaze to her lover, lifting a brow as she looked at her new gear. "Ahh, Adralia's look, I see."

"What can I say?" Miara grinned, "Our friend has excellent taste."

Indeed, the old elven-style Spellswords armor she procured by sheer accident (in her opinion. How in the name of mother knew pressing a button in a Drewmer ruins would do that!?), but it was still a highly efficient design. Hardened black leather made up most of the gear's body, with various segmented armor plates placed strategically. The plates around the stomach area were separated to allow mobility, the shoulder pads were small not to limit arm movement, and the forearms were guarded with layered plates that went from the elbow to the back of her hands.

The belt was fastened together by a belt that had a long circular emblem carved with a dragon's skull symbol, and there were multiple pouches around the belt where she stored her items, such as potions, bombs, and other useful pieces of gear. The edges of the leather had a clear aldmeri motif pattern weaved on it, and from the waist fell two long coattails. Her knees were protected with rounded pieces of plate, with other segmented pieces around the area, the pants ending inside two leather boots with metal tips.

The metal was dark, so she had used ebony. And Serana's vampiric gaze could make out the details of arcane lettering carved on the edges for the enchantments. The final piece of the ensemble was an ornately woven black hood with distinct patterns and a face mask, both of which were pulled down at the moment, connected to an ankle-length cloak.

"Looks good." Almost anything looked good on her, in Serana's opinion. She chuckled, "And you say I don't protect my chest enough."

"It's a good distraction, I'll admit," Miara said, referring to her bare chest area, which showed a bit of her generous bosom. An made Adralia extremely jealous since she was woefully lacking in that area.

"Didn't hear you come in," Serena quipped; she had relied on her nose to be able to tell Miara was approaching. "Enchanted already?"

"Of course." Miara tapped a boot against the stone bridge. It didn't make a sound. "Muffle and swiftness on the boots. Stamina and health regeneration on the chest torso," She flexed a hand, coiling the arm back and forth. "Enchantments for archery and swordsmanship" Contrary to popular belief, the names didn't make you an instant expert with the weapons; it just allowed for the muscles to be stronger, increase your grip strength along with the rest of your arms, plus added flexibility to fingers and joints. "And the hood and mask to blend in better with the shadows and the background, make people pay less attention to me... The cloak is because it makes me feel cool."

Serena only rolled her eyes; "Because the Dunmeri fashion culture is at the top of everyone's fashionista's lists."

The lovers only stared at one another before both soon giggled as they drew close and watched the skies. "We got into a mess with this one, right?" Nordic Vampire remarked.

"All I know is I'm punching Arameris when we return."

Hearing that brings a question to Serana's mind; "How long do you think we will be here?"

"As long as it takes to save Ferelden from the Darkspawn. And from themselves..." The steel, resolute tone had gotten her lover's attention.

The Volkihar stared at the Dragonborn momentarily before letting out a long sigh. "You know we didn't have to get involved, right?"

"I know"

"It's not your responsibility."

"I'm aware"

"You gave them a lot of tools, instructions, and now a fortress to take advantage of with Sarya setting out the array. Nobody would fault you if you decide to go back home."

"But I won't."

Miara knew Serana wasn't advocating for leaving their companions midway through their journey. Once again, her beloved wanted to let the dunmer know she had a choice and didn't have to force herself to fight and get involved in another cause.

But Miara knew herself well enough to know she couldn't walk away. She looked upon this foreign land on the verge of destruction, the dangerous challenges that awaited these brave young men and women that led them, and felt a kinship with them. Like them, she had been in a similar situation before, thrust upon it by unseen forces. So, she at least wanted to help reduce the weight of responsibility if she could. Miara knew she would have loved someone to guide her through the correct path.

A 'foretold Hero,' she was called. Nonsense, Miara snorted with disgust. Her actions had been far from heroic.

She had cleared bandit camps, rescued civilians, and killed all manner of monsters that threatened innocent folk. But that was not enough, no; it would never be enough to clean the blood from her hands.

...Her life in the Dark Brotherhood was a path she closed forever. Silencing the surviving wretched murders once Mephala released her. However, the Daedric Prince was only half to blame. The rest was Miara's hatred and anger towards Those who did nothing when her village fell. And so many innocent lives were snuffed out because of it.

And upon 'his' death, everything grew worse... And she had to bear the weight of that responsibility, even today.

"Unlike me back then, I won't let those youngsters do this alone. All that I have is theirs to use. Neither the Darkspawn nor Loghain will tear Ferelden or Thedas apart while I stand among them."

Serena let out a small breath with her hands going to her hips; "Not alone, you're not. Doubt we could convince our children to leave either. Sarya and Sofie are growing fond of them. And Oryrn already considers that Sereda and Faren friends. Just a guess to wonder how much more of our crazy do you think they could handle from us?"

At that, Miara snorted; "Hopefully, we don't have to show any more than what we already have. Doubtful, they could even wrap their heads around what I am."

"You know you just jinxed yourself, right." her elven lover rolled her eyes; "Well, even I'm starting to like them. A little."

"They're good kids." The dunmer smiled fondly as she turned her gaze to the snowy forest. "I'm sure they... will..."

Her words suddenly trailed off until they stopped entirely, her eyes growing wider by the second. Serana looked at her in confusion, wondering what could instill such a stupor into the Dragonborn, who had seen and done so much in her life.

Her answer came with the glare of light in the sky. And it wasn't the sun.

A large flaming fireball quickly descended upon the earth, leaving a trail of flames and smoke in its wake. It disappeared nearly a mile from their position behind the tree line, yet the thundering impact was still heard all the way from there.

"Was... Was that a meteorite?" Serana muttered in disbelief.

The hairs on the back of Miara's neck stood as soon dashed for the door to the fortress. Her lover quickly followed.

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Neither Dragonborn nor Vampire had time for words for anyone as they ran through the fortress and out of it. Even Odahviing had seen what had fallen and quickly took flight as his Briinah dashed out of the Peak. The lovers tried to remember where exactly they saw the meteorite had landed. Thankfully, smoke could soon be seen as they charged ahead at full speed.

The two slid to a stop at the top of a massive crater in a clearing. "By all of the Divines and my mother..." Miara breathlessly gasped.

Serana was just as shocked but noted two figures running away from the area. Likely scared off by the impact. The flapping of wings echoed as the ruby dragon joined their side; "Is that..." Odahviing muttered with his sapphire eyes wide.

Without a word, the Dunmer slid into the crater to look closely at the object in its center. A shudder escaped her lips as her breathing grew ragged. Roughly the size of a large rock laid a chunk of stone. Pieces had fallen clean off, revealing patches of a deep blue substance. "S-S-Star metal," Miara's voice was deep and husky as her chest heaved back and forth. Kneeling as she drew closer to the metal as it steamed from the cold air hitting it, the elf's mouth hung open ever slightly.

The absolute rarest material in creation, a piece of the cosmos cast down from the heavens. Metal that had not just been infused with the power of the stars, but rather it had been BORN from the stars.

It was extremely rare for shards of the cosmos above to fall to Nirn in the first place, except for rare exceptions like the times of the Planemeld, which had weakened the dimensional barriers, and many pieces of solid starlight had fallen to the world. She remembered her sister Rathuni telling her how those fragments of pure aetheriam energy could empower someone, but those only existed as arcane energy.

This was the real deal, pieces of a star in a solid state...

She looked everywhere over the rock, seeing the pieces of the shining material sticking out in various places on its surface. Her excitement rose along with the beat of her heart; if she were measuring things correctly, the amount of metal in that thing would be enough to craft a single weapon...

Miara had worked the rarest of minerals and tampered arcane materials with both a hammer and spells, but never in her entire life had she ever seen this celestial metal in such quantities. Every smith's dream was to forge something, ANYTHING, with star metal...

As if grabbing the most precious relic on Nirn, the Dunmer lifted the ore with both hands. "This is what was always meant to be yours," A warm, maternal, ethereal feminine voice whispered in her mind. "Let your heart and soul guide your hands to their shape."

Miara's lips slowly formed a smile; "Thank you... Mother."

XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX ~ xx ~ XxX

Hope you enjoy!

Arch: Regarding what Miara is wearing, it is the Elven Hero armor from ESO, with the added portion of the masked hooded cloak of the Breton Hero.