The ruins nestled in the mountains were partly intact. Wide corridors of white stone, bone, scales and flesh sacks from darkspawn that made the elder elf's skin covered in gooseflesh. The roar of the dragon fading off in the distance behind them, nothing before them. A brief respite allowed. The further they walked the dim ruin halls, embers from torches glow showing markings along the walls in various spots, invisible to the Elder elf and the others, the dwarfs that lead them to the Wastes rubbed fingers along the walls, guiding them to a clearing in an area setup with a small camp, fresh still from the look of it.
Placing their gear down while the fire relit. "Wait here. I'll go find the others." The lead dwarf said as he hurried deeper into another part of the ruin.
Wrapping the warm cloak about her small body, Velanna sat with the Commander on a low seat around the fire pit, warming the enclosed room. Roaming her eyes about, seeing the few with her, one in particular, who helped to search for her missing sister. The Commander was rubbing her temples, shifted to sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, even breathing, ignoring herself and the others.
Spotting Sigrun following the other Dwarfs to make certain there was no darkspawn who lurked. Oghren, who checked the sharpness of his axe, drinking some foul concoction teeter from his sitting position.
Velanna sighed, held her hands to the fire, then rubbed her legs, anxious to be done with this. Standing, she sighed again, "I'll go look around." turning to where Sigrun and the others had left. What would she do if she saw Seranni again? How would she plead with her? Her mind went to what the elder elf said.
"She wasn't herself any longer, that's right." The Dalish mage thought sadly. Tears welled. This was her fault, if she had listened, not been so damned stubborn.
Silverite Mines Month 7 - Solis.
A figure approached the cells, one of the many holding cells they had just freed the missing people Deedo came in search of.
"Seranni! Oh my dear Seranni" tears streamed down the mage's cheeks, her hand gripping her injured side, doubled over reaching for the steel bars of their cage. "Oh, creators, what have they done to you? Are you injured anywhere?" took her sister's hand in hers to look her beloved sibling over.
"They haven't harmed me. I… I am well. It was never me he wanted." The young woman took a key from her hip pouch. "I need to get you to safety, all of you. I wish to see no others harmed."
Deedo glared at the girl, clutching her side. Slowly, she approached Velanna. "Something worse has already taken place aside from this?" Indicating both her and Velanna's injuries.
Velanna winced in pain, took hold of her sister's hand. "Commander, allow me to speak with her." the tears welled in her eyes despite her obvious pain. "Seranni, listen to me, free us so we can be free of this place, w-we can go home, yes?" Squeezing Seranni's hand.
Deedo noted the look on the younger elf, the taint, what claimed Rowan. Skin drained of color. Eyes clouded, the look she knew from Maric's letters of a companion when he went into the roads. The High Elf took Velanna by the arm to make her see the truth. Snatching away reached to hold her sister tighter.
Pained, the look on Seranni's face spoke of what could no longer happen. "Your things you can retrieve if you are quick and clever." Seranni's head jerked. A sudden sound caused the elves to look at a door across the room. "Hurry, they are coming!" She warned. Tossing the key into the cell, she headed to another exit.
"Seranni, what has you so afraid!" Velanna pleaded.
Deedo placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's infected." The elder stated solemnly.
"I honestly know nothing. Head to the emissary's room. You may find answers there." She left with the aid that she could.
Velanna drew several deep, shaky breaths. Languid steps, careful as she scouted the ruins deep within the mountains. Not so far from the others, just far enough to think. Overthink, cursing herself for her actions.
For all her ferocity, all her powers, she was weak, weak to save the people who followed her from their clan, weak to save her dear sister, not once, but twice. Velanna looked up to the dark, clouded sky. "This is my punishment. I see that now. If, somehow, I granted another chance… no. It's foolish of me to ask that." With a sniff, she turned back to join the others.
Two steps before Velanna raised her hand, spinning on her heel, something she heard in the shadows different from what her ears picked up before. Her skin tingled wildly.
"Who's there!" She growled, poised to strike whatever dared to come at her.
"I am glad to see you well, sister." Seranni felt her sister near, needed to see her, and question why she would dare to come to such unforgivable lands. Though she knew the answer, maybe persuade her to turn back, leave far from here before it was too late.
Velanna gasped, her heart already hammering, paining her, the years, months since she last saw her sister. "Sister?" Velanna wiped her eyes.
Blinking, she could clearly see something different, greatly in her young sister's appearance. "Oh! Thank Mythal. You are still alive." She reached for her face, paused. "What has that monster done to you?" Remembering what her siblings looked like before.
Seranni smiled, as if one could say such. "The Architect is kind to me, and tender. He has spoken with me about his plan. The Darkspawn are like us, seeking a place in this world, like our Dalish brethren. The Architect has freed them. Everything he has done was for the betterment of his people. You can respect that, can you, sister?"
The sound of footsteps shuffling in the distance, a faintly glowing bubble, pulses as it was drifting by, beautiful and translucent, the color of a rare light pink pearl, then another and another of different sizes, two illuminated like a warning suddenly popping in Velanna and her sister's face.
The rustling of fabric was upon them. "There you are. I was wondering where you had wandered."
If that display didn't cause the two small elves to follow the odd sight, the voice of the elder elf standing with them without so much as a whisper.
The elder elf looked between the two sisters, having overheard Seranni's asking. "Though what she speaks could be… respected, it is but a fool's lie. What of the others that were with you? Where are they? Are you the only survivor?" Responding to Velanna, then Seranni, remembering what that creature had done to them, her blood stolen, the copies created of her and Velanna unstable, grotesque.
Maric's letters to her, the words he heard. The Architect being a broker of peace, in reality the slaughter of many, possibly wane the blights.
Deedo calmly watched the girl, the tainted elf girl with black veins along her skin, vibrant in their darkness more so now than they had previously been.
Velanna whipped her head back to her sister, "Uh, yes, wh-what of the others that were with us… They were slaughtered, no, there are as you are? Surely, you are not the only survivor."
The blank stare caused her clouded eyes to dart in thought. "I am. I do remember, this is why I must help them. They are like children once again, they become reborn with no understanding of what's good and fair" Seranni smiled, taking her sister's warm hand in hers. "They have a… bestial nature, at first. But I have seen them overcome. They just need to be shown how. Time to learn." Hoping what she says reaches them.
Deedo was unmoved. Part of her wishes she didn't agree to aid, to allow her blood to be a catalyst for change. She was a fool too, but her desire to be rid of the Blight was for all of Ferelden. Selfish her thoughts to her daughter, her son, Alistair, Godson, Cailan, for the Wardens that comprised those she's met, for Rowan who succumbed to the taint, both her lovers gone as well because of these blighted creatures. "Then you come with us once we have completed our mission to speak of this to the others."
Seranni withdrew and took a step back. "No, I cannot… I have work to do." Taking another step back, gestured for them to follow. "The Architect is waiting, asking me to bring you. He will explain everything. You can see for yourself as I have seen."
Deedo had knowledge already. There was little time to speak with the creature. With a sigh, Deedo nodded, "We will follow. Let me gather the others." Leaving the sisters alone.
Velanna stood there, confused. How could the Darkspawn no longer be as monstrous as they were? Could it be true, her sister is like them, twisted though, her once shimmering blonde locks, dull, thinning. Velanna wondered if she was like them, taking the taint into herself? The mage having become a Warden looked nothing like her sister, hearty, not sickly. Was there spell work at play? Is there a connection between the Darkspawn and the Wardens? Was it possible to tame the blight? Velanna went to voice her concerns, but the Elder elf returned.
"Let us go. Sigrun will meet us shortly." Deedo raised an eyebrow for Seranni to lead them.
The wintry winds brushed their cheeks the deeper they continued down a counter clockwise spiral staircase of the Tavinter fortress. More darkened halls and crumbled rooms to yet another spiral down a clockwise staircase, the dwarven scouts retreated ahead that led further into the ruins. Seranni stopped. "Please hold a moment." Stated from over her shoulder, then disappeared from sight.
"Seranni, no." Velanna's voice trailed off. A hand on her shoulder giving a gentle squeeze, the woman looked at the Commander, whose gaze was sympathetic. With a nod, Velanna settled quietly.
Winds blew, Deedo listened to the surrounding sounds, the small group mostly as they waited for what was to come. Tiny bubbles drifted still, several causing the High elf to turn toward whatever was approaching. A growl alerted the others as they turned to the tall woman to follow her direction and see two shadowy figures appear above them.
The Architect, a withered mage from the days of old, draped in patched robe rags, leather belts torn, with tarnished golden adornments from head to foot like a twisted follower of Anashti Sul. He slowly spoke as he looked down at the Elder elf and the others below. "... So we meet… again."
Utha was never far behind, her glare threatening when she saw the group below in her approach. Drawing her weapons, sneered.
A subtle raise of his clawed hand stilled the dwarven lady. "Utha… no, that is not how this must… begin."
She looked up to him, nodded, putting her weapons away, still keeping a wary clouded eye on the others.
With a hum the Architect hovered, pushing himself from the floor above, descended to meet with the High elf. "I owe you… an apology. When we last met… I intended to explain myself. Fate, however… intervened."
Deedo may have fallen to this twisted creature, hearing what he had said while he stole her lifeblood. "You had experimented on us when going to confront you. Summoned tainted dragons to attack us. You had not once spoken."
"I restrained you… only to prevent the misunderstanding… that occurred with the rest… of your order."
Deedo's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "A misunderstanding? You held Wardens, killing them as you had. I grossly disbelieve you to call this a misunderstanding?" her mind to the letters, remembered of this creature, this sick plan this former magister had tried to set into motion. "You had attacked the Grey Wardens-"
"Killed and taken my people and Seranni!" Velanna blurted out in her frustration, stepping forward by the elder's side.
He hummed again. "Yes… I had also sent the Withered to ask… for the Grey Wardens… help. I should have… anticipated you might view… our approach… as an attack."
Deedo shook her head. "When I had arrived, many had fallen, others taken. I watched your Withered killing a young man. Yet you had not anticipated ? Have your previous machinations seen what happens with your kin approaching?"
The Architect seemed to think. Taking in her words, he thought back. With a hum, he nodded. "I am rarely able… to judge how your kind… will react. It was most unfortunate..."
"You took them, bleeding them dry! The people I could recover told me of their screams!" Deedo took a step forward, screaming at the speaking darkspawn before her. She raised a hand that crackled with glowing red energy aimed at the female dwarf that accompanied. Prompting the others with her to brace for a fight. "You stole my blood from me because you knew of my kind."
He drew a labored breath. "I did… The ones brought to me were near dead… with them, I had little choice. Things had not gone as I planned. With you I could sense you to be… key." He hummed and took another breath. "I only wish for you… to hear me out. Should you still wish to slay me afterwards… you may try."
The energy emitting from the Beguiler's hand subsided as she placed her hand back in the warmth of her cloak. "Very well, speak."
The others placed their weapons back. The Architect hummed and Utha stood quietly listening on. He spoke of the Old Gods, their song, the one that unites the darkspawn to hoard. The God that is the catalyst for the blights.
"That is our… nature. The compulsion to seek and destroy… For the cycle to break… Grey Warden blood is needed." He paused for a moment to choose his next words. "Hundreds of thousands are killed… before each blight… has ended. It is a plague… against… our race."
Deedo scoffed, "The race of murderous infectant that are the darkspawn are no better than the Orcs of my lands. You are the only examples I have to go on. I daresay that is not much to sway positive thought."
The Architect's sharp inhale and exhale sounded as if he knew this fully well. "We do not start a blight… because we crave… power and destruction. We obey the call… Of the Old Gods — without choice." He almost sounded sympathetic to what had taken place previously.
"Yet you are one of them. Do you, too, hear the call?" Deedo asked.
"I think independently of the darkspawn group-mind… and, as such… I can resist the calling of the Old Gods."
Deedo took a moment to think. Pacing, the others looked at her, and between each other.
"Commander, what are you thinking?" Came from Sigrun.
Deedo stopped her pace, giving a side glance to the young Dwarf. A finger held to her lips quieted even her thoughts. A sigh. Her next question could be damning, but she needed to know.
"How much Grey Warden Blood would you need?"