Dragon Age: King in Exile

Part Twenty-Three

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King Cailan has written Alistair into the succession and is ready to recognize him publicly. Loghain will do almost anything to keep that from happening. The darkspawn give him the perfect opportunity. Alistair/Cousland, featuring F!Tabris.

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Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize from Dragon Age belongs to me.

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In the morning, Kallian gathered those she'd spoken to the night before and nodded an acknowledgement to Morrigan before leaving. In the camp remained a worried and distracted Morrigan, a curious Alistair, and an irritated Elissa. And, of course, Kitty, oblivious to it all.

Morrigan stayed away from Alistair and Elissa, pacing back and forth before her own small tent. Occasionally she would perform some small bits of magic. It was impossible to tell if she was practicing or just letting off steam.

Elissa decided to pass the time by working on Alistair's bow skills. Kitty joyfully played along, providing ample distraction… but not quite enough to keep them all from wondering about Kallian's errand.

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Sten seemed strangely cheerful on the way to Flemeth's hut, Leliana noticed, as did Zevran, which came as less of a surprise. He always seemed to have an oddly positive attitude for an assassin. Most assassins she had known tended towards a more dour temperament, or hid behind the most Orlesian of masks.

Wynne looked as grim as the errand seemed to deserve, and Kallian seemed focused. Leliana wasn't sure how to feel. According to Kallian, this Flemeth was the one of legend, a witch of the wilds who had spent centuries luring men to their deaths and killing her own daughters to take their skins. It was monstrous. On the other hand, this sort of premeditated murder went against all of her morals. Did Flemeth deserve death? Almost certainly. But Leliana wasn't sure she was the one who should give it to her. The Maker was the ultimate judge, not she.

Regardless, she had agreed to perform this duty today. She thought of Morrigan, of the fear hidden deep in those amber eyes, and steeled her resolve.

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Flemeth seemed to be waiting when they arrived at the witch's cabin. Kallian narrowed her eyes at the slight smile on the old woman's lips. Her hand strayed to her dagger.

"And so you have returned," Flemeth said as they approached. "Lovely Morrigan has at last found someone to dance to her tune. Such enchanting music she plays, wouldn't you say?"

Kallian frowned, saying nothing, but Leliana's voice came from behind her.

"Don't try to pretend she is the one in the wrong here," the redhead said hotly. "Anyone would do as much when their life is threatened!"

"What has Morrigan told you?" the witch said with a laugh. "What little plan has she hatched this time?"

Wynne came up beside Kallian, full of righteousness. "We know the secret of how you unnaturally prolong your life," she said. "It is against natural, against the Maker's will."

"Is it your Maker or your Chantry that has so much to say about it, I wonder?" Flemeth replied wryly, her eyes sliding to meet Wynne's. "But no matter. Will you slay this old wretch as Morrigan bids? Or will your tale take a different turn?" This time, her eyes met Kallian's.

"What do you mean?" Kallian asked, eyes locked with the witch.

"Morrigan wishes my grimoire? Take it, tell her I am slain. I shall go far from here. Perhaps I will surprise Morrigan one day. Or perhaps I will simply watch from afar." She looked thoughtful. "It would be interesting to see what she does with her freedom. Would you grant an old woman that?"

Had Kallian been alone, she might have taken the deal. To be owed a favor by the legendary Flemeth… that was something. But she had brought Leliana, brought Wynne. They would never allow it. She regretted it, but there was no chance of negotiation now.

"I'm sorry," Kallian said, keeping her voice even. "That isn't an option."

Flemeth smiled, as if she knew exactly what Kallian was thinking. She chuckled slightly as she moved away from the cabin. "So we dance, then. Let us see if I remember the steps."

As Kallian grasped her daggers, a light overtook Flemeth, making them all flinch back and avert their eyes. The light grew, and as Kallian attempted to squint at it, she realized Flemeth was changing shape.

"Just my fucking luck," she swore, readying herself to attack.

When the light dimmed, before them stood a large, purple dragon with a deafening roar.

"I'm going to kill Morrigan for this," Kallian growled, before leaping into action.

Kallian neatly dodged Flemeth's snapping jaw as she slid underneath the dragon to scrape her daggers along the tender underbelly. She wasn't going to let herself become dragon food like Morrigan had back at the Temple of Sacred Ashes.

"Avoid the mouth!" she yelled to the others, as only she and Leliana had witnessed the attack outside the temple.

"That seems obvious, no?" said Zevran, panting just behind her.

Kallian swiped at a leg as she watched Flemeth shoot fire breath towards where Leliana and Wynne stood. Before she could call out a warning, she saw Wynne throw up some kind of magical barrier. The fire flowed around the barrier, leaving the archer and mage warm, but not singed.

Distracted, Kallian barely dodged a swipe of the dragon's back claws and realized she needed to focus more on herself now than the others. They could take care of themselves.

It went on this way for some time. She and Zevran stayed under the dragon as much as possible, and Sten attempted to stay behind it, taking powerful swings at the legs and tail. Wynne and Leliana kept their distance, sending magic and arrows towards the beast. But Flemeth seemed to barely take more than a scratch from any injury. Her hide and scales were strong, stronger than the other dragon they had fought.

Suddenly, Flemeth spat lighting as well as fire, catching Kallian and Zevran by surprise. The pain was unbearable. When the lightning was gone, the echo remained. She couldn't feel her arms. She could barely stumble away from the dragon's stomping feet. Then a cool wave of healing magic overtook her. Wynne.

Maker, she was glad she'd brought a healer.

Kallian looked around to take stock. Leliana looked a bit singed, but otherwise unharmed. Wynne seemed pale and tired. Zevran looked as rattled as she felt.

There was blood all over Sten, though Kallian couldn't see any wounds. Perhaps Wynne had healed him as well.

She ran to Wynne's side. "This isn't working! We're barely scratching her! Can't you do something?"

Wynne glanced away from the dragon a moment to meet Kallian's eyes. "There is something I can try. But it will leave me drained, unable to heal while I recover."

Kallian sighed, looking back at the dragon who seemed barely the worse for wear from their battle so far. "Do it. And get out of the way once you're done."

At Wynne's determined nod, Kallian ran back towards Flemeth to give Zev and Sten some support. They all needed to be ready once Wynne did whatever she was going to do.

"Hold back," she called to them, dodging under a sweeping claw to reach Zevran's side. "Wynne's planning something. You'll know when to strike."

Kallian kept most of her focus on dodging the dragon's attacks, but out of the corner of her eye she could see a glow gathering around Wynne as she prepared her spell.

The glow grew and brightened, and then became a blinding flash that overtook the entire clearing. Kallian felt a tug on her arm, and barely missed being crushed by the weight of the dragon's body as Flemeth fell to the ground, screeching in agony. The land shook like an earthquake. She shot Zevran a grateful look for his assistance.

Wynne was nowhere to be seen when Kallian looked around, but she didn't have time to check on the mage.

"Attack while she's weakened!" she called to the others, though they didn't seem to need the instructions. Sten's greatsword was finally making purchase, tearing bloody rends in the dragon's legs and tail. Zevran slashed a barely fluttering wing.

Kallian went for the neck, using all her strength to go as deep as she could into the thick hide, finding it less impossible than it had seemed moments before.

Flemeth let out another deafening cry as Leliana's arrow struck her eye, and then the great beast fell silent and still on the ground. Sten, never one to leave a job half finished, came around and struck the head from the neck in several powerful strokes.

Kallian sighed in relief and satisfaction. That favor Morrigan owed her? Would be a huge one. In fact, she might just owe her for the rest of forever.

"Wynne!"

She whipped around to see Leliana falling to her knees in the high grass.

"Wynne, wake up! Wynne!"

Kallian came running. Wynne lay on the ground, deathly pale but still breathing. Leliana's hands came to the sides of the mage's face.

Kallian knelt beside Leliana, whose brow was furrowed in worry. "She's not dead, at least," Kallian said. "Wynne said it would take a lot out of her."

"But what was it?" Leliana asked. "I have never seen magic like it before."

The elf shrugged. "I have no clue. But we better get her back to camp. Sten?" she called the qunari over. "You'll need to carry her back."

Sten grumbled, but wouldn't outright object. He hadn't objected to an order since his defeat in one-on-one combat.

"Warden," Zevran called, waving her back over towards the dragon corpse.

Kallain rolled her eyes upwards and got up. "What is it?" she asked on her way over.

He motioned his hand at the body. "This… was an old woman. Morrigan's mother. A great witch, certainly. But why did she not change back upon death?"

Kallian shrugged. "Maybe the dragon is her real form? Hell if I know. But I know dead when I see it."

Zevran eyed the corpse uneasily before giving Kallian a short nod. "As you say, Warden."

Unsettled and unwilling to think more on it, Kallian turned on her heel and went inside the old woman's hut. There was probably more of interest inside than just the grimoire she'd promised Morrigan to find.

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