~*Vigil's Keep, Amaranthine, Month 9 - Kingsway.*~
When the Arlessa Commander and the others returned, the crowd greeted them with thunderous applause. Her soft smile assured them all was well. She and the small group that had traveled did the impossible again. Though all was not so jovial in the Keep. Nathaniel must report what took place a few nights ago.
Deedo sends everyone to rest or go about their previous engagements while she goes right back to running the Arling. Hearing the all familiar. "Do not overwork yourself." From Varel, the Beguiler assured him nothing like before would happen again.
Nathaniel gestured for a word with her in private. Gesturing to the study, she unclasped her cloak, letting it hit the floor without a care.
Seeing Nathaniel reach to pick it up, she forbade him from touching it.
"Leave it; I must burn it." You seem distressed; has something happened?" She asked, sitting at the study desk.
Nathaniel reported the happenings that went on during the week. He then reported that Kristoff's body sent to his wife; then the deaths of the few Wardens and Templar recruits, Deedo's head tilted as she listened.
"The ones who met the Maker, the area, were of magical origin. I believe I saw someone fleeing; Kristoff's body was feet from the sight… Anders was last with him."
"Summon Anders, please."
"I cannot."
That caused the Arlessa to stand. The confusion on her face caused Nathaniel to hang his head sheepishly. "Nathaniel?" Her tone is accusing, motherly.
"He never returned from the city."
A scoff escaped the elder elf. "I see; do you know the reason?"
"No."
With a nod, Deedo sighed. "Look into the Templars and Wardens that were at the site."
"Yes, Commander."
"I will speak with Varel. Thank you."
Nathaniel nodded, turning to leave the Arlessa in peace. Taking her black bloody cloak before she protested, passed it off to have it burned.
Deedo took a seat again, her head in her hands, sighed. Taking up her quill, began penning letters to Alistair, detailing all events and everything of note. When she finished, it was late in the evening; the sun had set hours ago. She ponders what had happened that caused Anders to leave so suddenly. Had there been another attempt on his life? Did something happen to him while she was away?
So many questions and the person who could have answered them was no longer there. "May the Goddess keep you in her embrace." Her prayer for the departed young mage and Fade spirit.
~*Docks, Lowtown.*~
Samson revealed the location of where Reiner might be, releasing the man; Hawke turned to the others. "We have to find him. Varric, you know of Reiner?"
Varric thought for a moment; he knew several people, this one he didn't. But if Reiner had taken the mages captive, this was another problem. Varric had heard of several people found slaughtered in Hightown, just recently.
"Don't know, we should get a move on." Varric led them to the other side of Kirkwall.
~*The Eastern Warehouse District.*~
If it had not been for the shadows that cloaked them, Tenkou's spell would have done so. Grateful for the cover of darkness as they crept to the quay warehouse Samson spoke of in his fearful ramblings.
The warehouses that lined this part of the city have thought to be used for the city proper, but every city has its hidden agendas.
Lineatus will have to remember to inform Aveline about this soon.
The sound of the ocean lapping against the other quays, the scant illuminated torches held no light in their flickering, the small group still cloaked in the shadows as they crept into the warehouse; the creek of the wood rubbing against wood alerted two guards. Quickly Tenkou whispered; faint words came to her as easy as breathing, causing the seaweed to grow and stretch, inching across the dirt floor, and the guards were coming closer to the wide-open door.
"Musta been the wind." Said one.
"Not likely." Said the other. Drawing their blades to check for intruders. "Huh? Mmmm!"
The muffled sound of one guard struggling, the other spun to where his companion once stood. He heard the sounds of dragging and swung out his blade.
"What was- Mmm!" A dull thud sounded, and something dragged him away.
"Sister, where are you~?" Tenkou asked in singsong.
Varric and Bethany looked around; Varric grabbed Bethany by the arm, pulling her back. He bent down, disarming a trap. Hawke found another just a few feet away. They looked around tiptoe, a second floor, and a door leading to what seemed to be another room.
"You two go that way; we will go upstairs." Hawke said of them to search the place. They didn't know what they would find, but they needed to be quick.
A nod from each of them, with Bethany and Hawke going up to the second floor, Tenkou and Varric took the door.
"I am where that Templar was. Where are you?" Ruroni came to a stop with Okhor and Carver.
"A quay on the Eastside. Sister hurry… Oh!"
"Dove!" Ruroni shouted. "We need to hurry." A tap on the decorated drum, their feet levitate from the ground, another their skin tingle vanishing from sight, once more visible to the other. "Hold tight to me." The bard said.
Jumping over the chain railing and pushing them off the stone walls, Ruroni ran on the dark waters to the docks to the east. Carver was glad that this time there were no cliffs, just boats along the current path they ran around or jumped over.
"I thought I had taken care of the slavers." Okhor said, keeping in step with his sister.
"Apparently not; we shall tonight though."
"We should go to the others." Hawke said, creeping still. Bethany was right behind him. Making their way to the first floor, a piercing scream sounded from where Varric and Tenkou were. Disregarded the covert operations, they charged through the door, up the hall. Guards lay unconscious, bolted to the walls.
Varric and Tenkou just released the last of the captives; they had found some rooms that were designed as cages with people crammed in. Guiding the once captives to the safe route out of the warehouse.
Hawke and Bethany came, ushering them the way they had come, with Carver skidding to an abrupt stop on the wall from the open door; Ruroni and Okhor grabbed Carver and the Bard, then led them to where her twin stood.
"What… Who is with Olett?" The Druid asked.
Ruroni's head turned to the door, drawing her blades inched closer. "Mrs. Hawke and Naline." She said, straining to hear beyond the door.
Further up the hall, something was going on. "Get a hold of her."
Behind the door, Ruroni heard pitiful, tearful pleading. "Please. Don't come closer! Anyone, help!" A female voice called desperately for rescue.
"Get the hands! I hear they can't do no spells without hands." Backing her into a corner.
The Bard barged into the room just as they reached for her. "Step away from her!" Ruroni called, her blade aimed, seeing red. Her eyes widened, seeing the girl drop to her knees. "By the Gods." The others came in to witness.
"Who are you!" A man with a full face mask shouted.
The girl screamed, her skin cracked glowing veins along her skin, ripping, burning, shifting into a creature the Norrathians had never seen. The creature attacked with burning fingers. "You know nothing of magic!" The creature bellowed, killing one of the two men in its wake.
"Abomination…" Bethany whispered, a tear rolled down her cheek. Okhor pushed the Hawke's behind him.
"Captain? Wha- men!" Other guards came from above rooms and various side doors. "Take it down!" The narrow room soon filled.
The Captain, who they saw, was the man Samson sent Feynriel to. Hawke needed the Captain alive; if it meant saving him, so be it. Ruroni sang aloud, a song that made them feel invigorated; Tenkou wove a spell, coating their skin with shield spells, a glimmering gem that broke a few swords upon impact. Bethany cast, coating their weapons with ice. Once more, sending spells to empower the tall Paladin.
Ruroni thought it fun to vanish in and out of sight, cutting down men twice the size as she. Okhor's hammer found purchase as he swung, cracking a jaw or two. Bethany summoned flames at their attackers.
Varric aimed to pinning others to the walls like the guards before. Hawke gave chase to the Captain, shifting himself into the shadows he cut behind the guards' knees, crippling them. The Captain was busy engaged with the abomination and the sight of Hawke coming toward him caught Hawke with his shield, poised to strike with his sword that had the perfect advantage.
Varric sent a bolt cutting through the cloth and skin. The abomination roared its flames, lashing out, fires caught on the dry wood and ropes, igniting the room from wall to ceiling.
"I'll put the fire out! Bethany, please help me!" Tenkou whispered, her spell summoning. The wind from the open doors came filling the room. The sharp feel of frost filled their lungs. Bethany cast ice on their weapons again; a fog heavy as thick clouds formed at their feet and above. "Pogonip." the wood elf said into the air.
Bethany shivered, the air suddenly turning cold. The clouds above them pooled, filling, rain came slowing the burning building where they stood. Ice, shards of ice, came next; Bethany hissed as one shard grazed her arm. Okhor and Carver taunted the creature, to keep its wrath targeted on them, pausing briefly covering their heads as sharp shards grazed their skin, then quickly blocking incoming attacks.
The druid focused the spell on the enemies before them; a condensed wave of frozen shards pierced through the guard's armor, shattering on the floor splintering, adding further damage. The fog at their feet hinders their movements. Hail formed as the shards became heavier and pelted down around them, missing the group who were thinning their enemies.
"Do not kill that fire creature!" Ruroni shouted when she felt the cold spell.
The Captain came to a slow crawl as the frigid air blew around him. A punch from Lineatus quickly knocked him unconscious. The remaining guards, and the abomination, slowed them. With the abomination, the cold sapped its strength, it collapsed; the demon fled the body of the girl, transforming once more to the helpless girl who pleaded for her life. Tenkou eased her spell; the room becoming warm once again.
"That was astounding!" Carver said, checking his cheek.
As the Druid tended to the girl, she looked exhausted. "Help me tie them up; let them see how it feels." Checking the girl, found she had lost her life. "I'm sorry." Tenkou said softly, her hands clasped in prayer. Along with a quick prayer from Okhor, he lifted the girl to carry her to the main room.
A note fell from the body. Tenkou looked over it, Ruroni over her shoulder, a letter to a man named Thrask.
"We will have to send word to Aveline." Hawke said solemnly. He had asked the captives that had fled if there was a mage boy by name; none. Hawke would have to question the Captain. The bodies of the guards were quickly bound, the ones that were left alive.
Varric and Hawke got Reiner to a chair, bound, and now splashing cold water on his face.
"Rise and shine." Varric taunted.
The captain startled awake. "Ahh, wha…" He realized his capture.
The man's being a slaver displeased and infuriated Hawke. Was Samson really a Templar? Had he been working with slavers from the start? Hawke sneered, his arms folded over his chest and Varric striking a similar pose. Reiner had nothing to say.
Tenkou and Ruroni shifted to enormous wolves. "If the Captain won't talk, we'll make him." The group heard from the twins off in the distance. Heavy padding came running; thick claws scraped on the floor from behind them, skidding to a snarling, snapping stop close to the man's face.
"Alright! Alright, call… Call off yer dogs!" he screeched as the massive dogs bolted towards him; he tried desperately to wriggle free out of the way of the gigantic beasts.
Okhor tried to stifle a chuckle, which trickled to the others. Ruroni and Tenkou circled the man, snapping at his face or growling in his ear.
The information that Hawke needed was his; they all left the slavers bound for the city guard to pick up.